Perhaps you are familiar with the writings of George MacDonald. I am particularly fond of his stories The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie. MacDonald spins words into garments that cover his subjects with clarity and divine purpose. He carries words as though each one were of sacred value telling sacred stories of sacred characters. Why MacDonald had a fondness for cleansing scenes, I don’t know. Perhaps he had good memories of his grandmother washing his arms; or perhaps he remembered the feel of fresh, cool lake water on his skin, or perhaps he liked the way he felt after a warm bath or perhaps he considered the meaning of his baptism with each new day. What readers will find obvious is his insistence that cleansing is a necessary and holy act, for indeed the one being cleansed is blessed with eternal dignity and honorable hope.
As a nursing student I was taught the art of giving a bed bath. I call it an “art” because it was not only about the physics of removing germs with a little soap and friction, but about the importance of offering the patient respect and honor when the body was weak and the heart afraid. I specifically remember the instructions given by Mrs. Logan for washing the feet. “Draw a fresh, very warm bowl of water. Before placing the bowl on the bed, make sure there is a clean towel handy. Bend the patient’s leg, carefully lowering the foot into the pan to make sure it is not too hot. Scrub the foot and be sure to clean between the toes. Rinse the foot and then dry with a vigorous massage. Start over for the next foot.” Perhaps the true art of offering a bed bath is to remember that “what you do for the least of these, you do for me” (Matthew 25:40).
When you are in need of cleansing, may you be treated with due respect and holy wonder.
