Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday
Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

Chrism Mass

Readings for Holy Thursday
(Mass of the Lord’s Supper)[1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;
you shall reckon it the first month of the year.
Tell the whole community of Israel:
On the tenth of this month every one of your families
must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb,
it shall join the nearest household in procuring one
and shall share in the lamb
in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month,
and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present,
it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

"This is how you are to eat it:
with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,
you shall eat like those who are in flight.
It is the Passover of the LORD.
For on this same night I will go through Egypt,
striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast,
and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!
But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you.

"This day shall be a memorial feast for you,
which all your generations shall celebrate
with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution."
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Commentary on Ex 12:1-8, 11-14

This passage from Exodus established the Feast of Passover for Jewish people. It is the feast Jesus was celebrating in the upper room. We are told of the tenth and final plague to strike Egypt as God struck down the first born and caused the Pharaoh to release the people from bondage. The image of the “Lamb” is reminiscent of the “Lamb of God”, who is also without blemish, whose blood consecrates those who believe in him.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

R. (cf. 1 Cor 10:16) Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
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Commentary on

Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

This psalm of thanksgiving gives us the image of the “Cup of Blessing” used in the Passover celebration. It is this cup that the Lord first blessed and used as our communion cup.

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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 11:23-26

St. Paul gives us the earliest written account of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. This account is used by many protestant denominations to define their understanding of this event as symbolic rather than efficacious, that is, they believe the Lord’s actions did not transubstantiate the bread and wine, but that the action was simply a “remembrance”. The Church looks at the whole body of scripture, especially St. John’s Gospel and understands the Sacrament as the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood.

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Gospel: John 13:1-15

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper,
fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
"Master, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later."
Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet."
Jesus answered him,
"Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me."
Simon Peter said to him,
"Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well."
Jesus said to him,
"Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed,
for he is clean all over;
so you are clean, but not all."
For he knew who would betray him;
for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean."

So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another's feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do."
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Commentary on Jn 13:1-15

We find in St. John’s Gospel the Lord’s great act of humility as he washes the feet of his disciples, something that would not even have been done by a slave. In another sense it also carries with it the image of Baptism as well as the humiliating death the Lord was about to suffer.

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Reflection:

“Do you realize what I have done for you?” These words hang in the air as the disciples look on in embarrassed silence. Washing the feet of guests was, in the time of Jesus, the duty of a house slave. It was not, under any circumstance the disciples would have encountered, the job of their rabbi, their teacher, the one they believed was the Messiah! It is a sign of their total commitment to Jesus that only Peter objected.

“Do you realize what I have done for you?” When Jesus wrapped that towel around himself and got down on his knees, he stooped to serve not just those seated at the table, he stooped to serve everyone ever born of woman. His decent to his knees, bowel and towel in hand, was a decent from the highest heaven to the lowliest station on earth. Everyone since has been offered this humble service.

“Do you realize what I have done for you?” It was Mary who had but recently washed his feet with her tears and perfumed them with oil, drying them with her hair. She did this service to Jesus as if preparing him for burial. In Jesus turn he washes our feet that they might be clean entering the heavenly kingdom so that we might enjoy eternal life with him.

“Do you realize what I have done for you?” Even the one with thirty pieces of silver in his belt had his feet washed clean by the one who was pure as the driven snow. In this washing Jesus offers to wash us all clean of sin, taking upon himself all that burdens us, all that makes us unclean. On this Feast of the Lord’s Supper, upon which we celebrate the gift of the Lord’s Body and Blood, we realize that he continues to wash us, freeing us from the fetters of sin and death and opening the gates of heaven for us.

Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “The Last Supper” by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, 1631-32
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Wednesday of Holy Week

Readings for Wednesday of Holy Week[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let him confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?
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Commentary on Is 50:4-9a

This is the third of the four “Servant of the Lord” oracles from Isaiah. These four comprise the “Suffering Servant” that is the prophetic vision of the Messiah describing the humble ministry of Christ.

In this passage the prophet describes his mission to “…speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.” The “weary” are those born down by oppression and the “Word” that will rouse them is hope in God. In doing this he has incurred the wrath of the powerful, the oppressors. In spite of the persecution he suffers he is steadfast in his mission as his faith in God sustains him.

We head this same reading on Passion Sunday just four days ago. It sets the tone for what begins tomorrow evening with the Feast of the Lord’s Supper.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.

For your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother's sons,
because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak,
I looked for sympathy, but there was none;
for consolers, not one could I find.
Rather they put gall in my food,
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving:
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
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Commentary on Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34

This selection is an individual lament, again drawing heavily on the image of the faithful servant who suffers but remains dedicated to God’s law and works. Even in the face of this intense social embarrassment, the psalmist must be faithful because “…zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.” The imagery in this song forces us to look forward to the passion, as Christ’s punishment is prophetically envisioned.

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Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
"What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?"
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?"
He said,
"Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
'The teacher says, My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.'"
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
"Surely it is not I, Lord?"
He said in reply,
"He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"
He answered, "You have said so."
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Commentary on Mt 26:14-25

We break away from St. John’s account and today hear Judas striking the bargain with members of the Sanhedrin. The thirty pieces of silver is reminiscent of the price paid for the shepherd of the flock to be slaughtered in Zechariah (Zechariah 11:12).

We then hear Matthew’s account of the selection of the place for the Last Supper. Jesus again tells the disciples that one of them will betray him. This time Judas, who has already struck a deal to turn him over to his enemies, answers, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”

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Reflection:

We must taste the bitter if we are to enjoy the sweet. Scripture, on this last day before the beginning of the Triduum, allows us to taste the sour of our mission, joined with Christ. The Suffering Servant of the Prophet Isaiah feels the sourness of humiliation and persecution he undergoes for the sake of God’s word. Those he loves turn against him. They spit upon him, degrading him.

Even the psalm recalls our obligation to endure ridicule for the sake of our faith as we hear; “For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. I have become an outcast to my brothers.” Both the psalmist and Isaiah tell us we will suffer these same indignities. And yet, they encourage us to remain faithful and reap the sweet prize that flows from what is to come.

The Gospel too recalls for us the sour of Christ’s mission. Even as he seats himself to leave us the great gift of his on-going presence in the Eucharist, the betrayer plots the end of his journey among us as man. Even Jesus must taste the bitter in order to enjoy the sweet.

His bitterness and ours is that sin is still with us in the world. In his case, the hatred of those in power attracts one of the Twelve who should have been above such greed. With thirty pieces of silver they buy a betrayal, starting the swift slide into the passion of our Lord. The sin of Judas to the Lord was his failure to love. He failed to love God, he failed to love his neighbor and, as his later suicide shows, he failed to love even himself. How sour the taste of that betrayal. For Judas there would never be a “sweet” end.

In our own mouths as we contemplate our own betrayals, we too taste the sour; the sour of our failure to love God, the sour of our failure to love neighbor, and the sour of our failure to even love self. Perhaps that is why we find it easy to forgive Judas, to find some pity for his plight. On this, our last day before we plunge ourselves into the great feast of the Triduum we taste the sour, and pray for the sweetness of our Easter joy.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “Christ Suffering” by Pedro Fernández, 1510s
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tuesday of Holy Week

Tuesday of Holy Week

Readings for Tuesday of Holy Week[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Isaiah 49:1-6

Hear me, O islands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The Lord called me from birth,
from my mother's womb he gave me my name.
He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me.
You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
Yet my reward is with the Lord,
my recompense is with my God.
For now the Lord has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
That Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
And I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
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Commentary on Is 49:1-6

This is the second of the four “Servant of the Lord” oracles from Isaiah. It is easy to see from the opening paragraph why the Jews of Jesus’ time, familiar with Deutero-Isaiah, may have thought Jesus to be a Prophet. The prophet’s self identification is prophetic of the Christ. The “servant” is prepared for the work to be done and sent, not only to bring Israel back to the Lord but the entire world.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17

R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17

Psalm 71 is an individual lament. In this section we hear a profession of faith in the saving power of God. In the third strophe we also find a link to the “Servant of the Lord” in Isaiah. In both cases the servant is known by God and prepared for his service from the womb.

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Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-38

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus' side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to him,
"Master, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it."
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
"Buy what we need for the feast,"
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
'Where I go you cannot come,' so now I say it to you."

Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?"
Jesus answered him,
"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later."
Peter said to him,
"Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you."
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times."
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Commentary on Jn 13:21-33, 36-38

We pick up the story of the final hours of Jesus’ time with the disciples following the washing of their feet. First we hear of Judas’ departure from the table to betray the Lord. We note with interest St. John’s use of imagery as Judas is lead by the devil to his actions; “So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.” Then we are told of Jesus’ discourse with Peter and his prediction of Peter’s denial. Again we see in the description not only the Lord’s prediction of his own death but also the indication that Peter would follow him in death for God’s greater glory.

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Reflection:

The betrayal of Judas sets the stage for all that takes place during Holy Week. Like a game of Chess superbly played, Jesus sets up his own sacrifice as he allows Judas to do what must be done. He did not induce Judas to betray him, but that betrayal must happen if final victory is to be achieved.

Judas is not, as some literature would have us believe, an unwitting dupe in this saga. Judas was called, just as Peter, just as the disciple Jesus loved. Judas was loved just as all of Jesus’ closest friends were loved. However, at some point a flaw in his character rose to the surface. It could have been, as some have suggested, that he felt the only way to force Jesus to take up the mantle of the Royal Messiah was to put him in harms way. If Judas was a Zealot, this would have made sense because the Zealots wanted to throw off the Roman yoke of domination through any means possible.

Judas’ betrayal could also have been a result of pure greed, as the Gospel of St. John suggests when the Lord was in the house of Lazarus; “…he [Judas] was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.” Although thirty pieces of silver, the supposed price he was paid for the betrayal seemed rather low for such a deed.

The leaver pulled by Satan that turned Judas will never be known. It died with him when he too fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy when he said; “but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." (Matthew 26:24) What becomes clear is that as in all wicked actions, there was one who had been cast out of the Heavenly Kingdom who was cheering him on, making it sound like the right thing to do.

For us, as we reflect upon Judas’ deed and how events will unfold as a consequence, we pray fervently that we will have the strength to always be faithful to Christ and never fall into betrayal as Judas who was from that moment accursed throughout history and indeed all time.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “Last Supper” by Pieter Pourbus, 1548
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Monday of Holy Week

Monday of Holy Week

Readings for Monday of Holy Week[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Isaiah 42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
Upon whom I have put my Spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
Until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spreads out the earth with its crops,
Who gives breath to its people
and spirit to those who walk on it:
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
To open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
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Commentary on Is 42:1-7

This is the first of the four “Servant of the Lord” oracles from Isaiah. Speaking as the mouth of God, the prophet speaks of a renewal of Israel in his time. The servant comes, not as a violent zealot but with the quiet power of God (“A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench”). We see the deeper meaning as his words describe the coming of the Christ who brings justice on the earth.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

When evildoers come at me
to devour my flesh,
My foes and my enemies
themselves stumble and fall.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R The Lord is my light and my salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

This section of the psalm is a profession of faith in the salvation that comes only from the Lord God. This selection is frequently used in Christian Funerals because of the hope and encouragement embodied in it.

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Gospel: John 12:1-11

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
"Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages
and given to the poor?"
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, "Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.
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Commentary on Jn 12:1-11

In this scene from St. John’s Gospel we are painted a picture of Judas not found in other accounts. John shows him as a greedy and dishonest person. We suspect this understanding of Judas came after his ultimate act of betrayal. At the time it would have seemed like a reasonable question. (In St. Mark’s Gospel this event takes place two days before the Passover Feast as opposed to the six mentioned here. See Mark 14: 1-5.)

Jesus again tells the disciples that the time for his trial is at hand as he tells them; “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” The sense of finality is growing as we are also told of the plot to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus in an attempt to stamp out the Lord’s popularity among the people.

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Reflection:

We look in awe at the tableau set before us on the first weekday of our Holy Week. We see in the setting painted by St. John an encapsulation of Jesus ministry on earth.

Jesus is at the house of his good friend Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. In these familiar surroundings he is accompanied by the twelve (we assume so because Judas is there (being painted the villain by St. John). In typical fashion, Martha is doing all the heavy lifting while Mary, her sister is at the feet of Jesus. And in the background the Evangelist reminds us of the plots of the Scribes and Pharisees, here also planning to kill Lazarus because of his witness to the salvific power of Christ.

We consider each in turn. First we look at the Lord who now perceives the end of his time among us. As he reclines at table with his friends, Mary, Lazarus’ sister brings a very expensive vase of oil and anoints Jesus’ feet, wiping them, we are told, with her hair. This tender act must seem an affront to those with him. But to Jesus who senses the cross looming, it is a preparation for his departure. He silences Judas, the only one who verbally complains telling him that there will be plenty of time to serve the poor (“You always have the poor with you”). In this comment Jesus tells us that while the poor must by tended by his followers, they must also draw strength from their adoration of Christ. How can one feed the poor if their spiritual reservoir is drained.

We consider the sisters, Martha and Mary; Martha the head and Mary the heart. Martha is assuming her customary role serving the household guests. We must assume, given our own experience with those who feel obligated to take on the less pleasant duties of hospitality, that she is aware of what is taking place at the table. She has dropped her customary “attitude” (she tends to treat Jesus like a brother, complaining to him about Mary, chastising him for being late when his brother was ill (dead)). She knows about what is coming. She is the practical one after all. She may even have given Mary the money to go buy he expensive oil she now lavishes on Christ. Our vision of her at this time is one who has compartmentalized her emotions. Inside she is afraid of what is coming (perhaps for her brother as well). She is likely torn because of her great faith in Christ but that needs to be put aside – there are guest to feed, a table to be tended. If we look closely at her as she brings food to the table we may see a tear in the corner of her eye.

Her sister Mary on the other had wears her heart on her sleeve as she performs the ritual yet intimate anointing of the Lord’s feet. This is not done with workman like dignity; we see her caressing the feet that will soon be pierced with spikes as Jesus is nailed to the cross. Does she know or suspect? The details are hidden from her but her love of Jesus is clear to all. Given the emotional charge her actions add to the scene, it would not be surprising if Judas’ outburst was more out of embarrassment than or concern for the worth of the oil.

The Gospel author clearly does not paint Judas that way. His Gospel tells us that the youngest Apostle never trusted the holder of the purse. He goes so far in this passage as to call him “…but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.”

Regardless of his intentions, we have now considered the picture in the hose of Lazarus. We ask ourselves in this Holy Week where we see ourselves? Are we buried in work like Martha? Are we weeping at the feet of Jesus like Mary? Are we a bit put out over the whole thing like Judas? Or are we like Lazarus who is grateful to have his Savior with him?

As we walk these last few days of Lent, let us pray that we might have the best attributes of all, Martha’s strength, Mary’s love, even Judas’ concern for the poor. Time is flying by now; we pray that we do not get lost in anticipation.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “St Mary Magdalene” by Carlo Dolci, 1644-46
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Readings for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion :[3]
At the Procession with Palms

Gospel: Luke 19:28-40

Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, “Go into the village opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
And if anyone should ask you,
‘Why are you untying it?’
you will answer,
‘The Master has need of it.’”
So those who had been sent went off
and found everything just as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them,
“Why are you untying this colt?”
They answered,
“The Master has need of it.”
So they brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks over the colt,
and helped Jesus to mount.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
“Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest.”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
“Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
He said in reply,
“I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!”
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Commentary on Lk 19:28-40

Jesus is now coming back to Jerusalem and it is clear that the disciples to which St. Luke is referring are more than just the twelve (“…the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy”). Included in this number were those who had seen the signs he had performed and had expectations of another kind of Messiah.

The acclamation the disciples gave Jesus in this version of the story is the same one that the angels gave at his birth; “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” It is also the reason the Pharisees asked Jesus to stop them. They did not want the Romans to interpret this acclamation as rebellion against the Emperor.

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At the Mass

Reading I: Isaiah 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
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Commentary on Is 50:4-7

This is the third of four “Servant of the Lord” oracles in Isaiah. God chastises the people for not following the servant who willingly accepts God’s service and even the contempt of the people. The image of humble service is frequently associated with the suffering servant prophetic of Christ.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

R. (2a) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
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Commentary on Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

The personal lament in Psalm 22 echoes the abuse and ridicule heaped on God’s servants and the faithful. This selection goes further, prophetically describing the Passion of the Lord (“…They have pierced my hands and my feet” and “They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.”)

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Reading II: Philippians 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
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Commentary on Phil 2:6-11

This passage from Philippians is known as the Kenotic Hymn – The song of emptying. As part of St. Paul’s instructive letters, this is clearly to be used as a liturgical prayer or song. Used at the celebration of Palm Sunday, it provides a counter point to the elevated status of Jesus entry. The attitude of Christ is one of humility.

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Gospel
Longer Form: Luke 22:14—23:56

When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.

“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.

Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me.”

He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, “ they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”

After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.

When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “
but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth.”

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.
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Commentary on Lk 22:14—23:56

The passion according to St. Luke recounts the “Last Supper” the “Prayer in the Garden”, Jesus arrest, trial, conviction, and execution. Detailed commentary will not be given; however, those who wish to spend the time are encouraged to review the footnotes from the USCCB site. The Passion of the Lord will be remembered again on Good Friday. It is fitting that during this Holy Week we should meditate upon the Lord’s great sacrifice.

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OR
Shorter Form: Luke 23:1-49

The elders of the people, chief priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle
saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
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Commentary on Lk 23:1-49

The shorter version of the Passion omits all that preceded Jesus’ trail by Pilate (the Lord’s betrayal by Judas, his arrest in the garden, and confrontation by Herod and the Sanhedrin). It focuses on the final condemnation of Jesus by the people and his physical abuse, followed by his crucifixion and death. While the shorter form may be used for pastoral reasons and does describe the climax of his passion, it should be noted that Christ’s suffering began in earnest with his betrayal by Judas – one of the twelve.

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Reflection:

The reflection on Palm Sunday is focused on the first Gospel reading from Luke that tells the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Like the light bulb that flashes brilliantly just before it is extinguished, the Lord enters the holy city on the eve of the great feast of Passover to the cheers; “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.”

And why, we ask, should they not? Jesus would be, by this time, well known to them. He had been seen performing “signs” and rumor must have reached them of even greater works attributed to him; feeding the multitudes, casting out demons of every sort. Here at last was one who preached peace and liberation. Here was the Messiah who would end there servitude and cast out the Romans.

The parts they probably had not heard were his attitude toward his fellow creatures. They must not have been familiar with the person of Jesus, only his reputation. Is it any wonder then when their religious leaders brought charges of blasphemy against him and the story of how he had submitted to them humbly to them reached the people they would turn against him? Is it surprising that, when their hopes were dashed after cheering his entry to the city, that they would condemn him and free Barabbas?

Don’t we do the same thing when God does not perform according to our desires? Don’t we, even fleetingly, cry to God saying, “It’s not fair, why do you abandon me?” Can we really blame the crowd in Jerusalem for their ignorance? This is our lesson, the one played out in the Blood of the Lamb. Rather than weeping for our God who willingly went to his death that we might win life with him, we rejoice that one so great could love us so much.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem” by Gustave Doré, 1865
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Readings for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Ezekiel 37:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children's children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
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Commentary on Ez 37:21-28

The Prophet Ezekiel was probably not aware that this oracle would have great meaning beyond what even he foresaw. He predicts the return of the Hebrew people from their exile in Babylon and the restoration of Israel under a king from David’s line. In this return the Prophet sees a conversion of the people (“…I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people”); a return also to the law of the Lord which they abandon during the exile and a return to God’s covenant.

For us, looking back at his words we can see him (Ezekiel) predict the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ and how he will be the one prince over the entire world. It will have been Jesus that establishes the covenant of peace and reveals God’s love.

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Responsorial Psalm: Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
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Commentary on Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

The song from Jeremiah also recalls the Diaspora, the exile of the Hebrews. Jeremiah also prophesies their return and reunification of the people.

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Gospel: John 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
"What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation."
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
"You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish."
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, "What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?"
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Commentary on Jn 11:45-56

In the first section of this Gospel reading we can see the dilemma facing the Sanhedrin. The Messiah the God has sent is not the “Royal Messiah” coming to destroy the Roman domination but a humble servant. If the people of Israel follow him, Rome will wipe Israel from the map.

Caiaphas is introduced as the architect of the ultimate plot to kill Jesus. He unwittingly predicts that Jesus will die to save the whole nation, unwittingly because he does not understand that Jesus is God’s Son, only that he is a political threat.

This ends the period when Jesus was teaching openly in the temple area. He now leaves Jerusalem for a time. The plotting, however, continues as the scribes and Pharisees plan to seize him during the Passover.

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Reflection:

If we were making a movie of salvation history, or perhaps one of those epic mini-series, we would us a cinematic device of overlays when we get to the part about Caiaphas speaking to the Sanhedrin. As he was speaking we would see overlaid a flash back to the ancient prophesy of Jeremiah and then perhaps Ezekiel speaking about the reunification of Israel. We would understand what motivated the Jews who, in their utter confusion about the nature of the Messiah, find Jesus to be a political threat. The back ground music would grow ominous and we would feel the whole weight of the Law and the Prophets rushing down to crush this young man from Galilee.

The stage is set for the climax of Jesus ministry on earth. He has bearded the lion in its den and challenged the long held traditions of the scribes and Pharisees. He has frightened the most powerful people in his region of the world at a time when Roman dominance and decadence had made human life cheap. We all know what happens when those who love power are frightened; they lash out, without compassion or mercy to utterly destroy the threat to their power. That is the storm we see gathering in scripture. And Jesus, the consummate reader of human souls, knows it.

But to bring God’s entire plan to fulfillment, his part must be played. God’s own feast of deliverance is at hand, the Feast of the Passover; celebrating the deliverance of the Hebrews from cruel bondage in Egypt. The great and near-great of land are gathering at the Temple in Jerusalem for this high feast and the Lord senses the time has come. He is well known – a prophet, miracle worker, rebellious rabbi. To his closest friends he is strongly suspected of being the Messiah, the Incarnate Son of God.

For us to the roller coaster of our spiritual emotions begins the clime that will take us to the pinnacle of holy week; to the Feast of the Lord’s Supper. Then we take that long plunge into Good Friday and all of our Lenten Journey will be recalled as we wait with the world for what must come.

Today we recall how the dreams of the great and powerful are so easily used by the Evil One and the mysterious interplay between the forces of good and evil that must come soon to its glorious end.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2]The picture used is ” Christ and Caiaphas” by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, 1611-20
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Readings for Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Jeremiah 20:10-13

I hear the whisperings of many:
"Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!"
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
"Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him."
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!
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Commentary on Jer 20:10-13

Jeremiah is near despair as the plots of his family and friends are fomented against him. We can clearly hear the fear in his voice (“All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine”). Yet, in spite of his dire situation he trusts that God will support him. Indeed, he is hoping that God will not only save him but will punish those who plot against him.

This is a typical Old Testament understanding of the God of Justice who visits his wrath on the enemies of the faithful. We see also an interesting observation about the path of the faithful; “O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart” inferring that the path of faithfulness is always difficult.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

R. (see 7) In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
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Commentary on Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

Psalm 18 is a hymn of thanksgiving for God’s salvation. While in its full form it is in thanks for victory following a physical battle, here we see that thanks given in the form of heavenly aid in difficult situations.

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Gospel: John 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?"
The Jews answered him,
"We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God."
Jesus answered them,
"Is it not written in your law, 'I said, You are gods"'?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
"John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true."
And many there began to believe in him.
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Commentary on Jn 10:31-42

Jesus is in the Temple at Jerusalem once again on a festival day (Probably the Feast of the Dedication or Festival of Lights). He has just finished his discourse on the Good Shepherd and a number of those present are pressing him to declare that he is the Messiah. Immediately preceding this reading, he answered them “The Father and I are one.” Now his enemies pick up stones.

Instead of leaving immediately, Jesus tells them to look at his works, the signs he has performed and judge if he is not doing the Father’s work. When they tell him it is not his works they challenge but his assertion that he is God, Jesus tells them; “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods'?” This is a reference to the judges of Israel who, since they exercised the divine prerogative to judge (Deuteronomy 1:17), were called "gods"; cf Exodus 21:6, besides Psalm 82:6 from which the quotation comes.

Jesus continues to point at his salvific actions but the agents of the Sanhedrin do not accept this argument although many in the crowd do since we hear “…they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped their power.” This would seem to imply that they feared intervention from the crowd. Jesus leaves followed by “many” and continues to teach, across the Jordan.

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Reflection:

At the very beginning of St. Paul’s rendition of the Kenotic Hymn in Philippians 2: 5-11 he says; “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus.” This attitude is very clearly presented in the Gospel of St. John as Jesus is confronted in the Temple by those who want him killed. It contrasts very nicely with the Prophet Jeremiah who is in similar circumstances depicted in the first reading.

Jeremiah is being persecuted. His family and friends have turned against him and he fears for his life. What does he do? As the faith-filled prophet he is, he turns to God with confidence that he will be vindicated, that his enemies will not succeed and that they themselves will feel the punishment of God. The prophet even longs to see the punishment God will visit upon those who plot against him (“Let me witness the vengeance you take on them”).

We contrast this attitude with the attitude of Christ that we as his followers are enjoined to assume. Jesus has come to Jerusalem, to the Temple, and there is confronting the Jewish Leadership who are tasked with remaining faithful to the Law and Prophets, waiting for the Messiah to come as promised who will lead them to the peace and salvation promised. Jesus is being urged by those who have seen the signs and long for the salvation of God to come out and announce that he is this long awaited Messiah. But, recognizing that this expectation is misplaced; that what they hope for is born of human desire, not the divine plan he has come to fulfill, he defers. Instead he takes a much more dangerous path, he tells them of his divine origin.

At once he is placed in a much more dangerous position than the one in which Jeremiah found himself. This is where we see the attitude of Christ. He does not flee, nor does he call upon the Father to punish the unbelieving people who call themselves Priests of God. He tries to open their eyes so that they can see that he is indeed the Son of God. “Believe the works” he begs them, not to save himself but to save them. Indeed the attitude of Christ is love. He expresses his love through his invitation even in the face of their hatred.

Alas the time of fulfillment has not yet come and he leaves, going to where it all began – where St. John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan. Soon though we see the attitude of Christ fully exposed. Soon now, God calls him home.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is from St Wolfgang Altarpiece: “The Attempt to Stone Christ” by “Michael Pacher
1479-81
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.