Monday, April 10, 2017

Monday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)

The philosopher Blaise Pascal, a fervent Catholic, wanted to receive the Eucharist on his death bed.  Because he could no longer keep any food down, he proposed a workable substitute.  He asked that some poor people be brought into his presence.  Since he could not communicate with Christ, the Head, he reasoned, then he would “communicate at least with the body.” In the gospel Jesus points to the poor as being perennially on hand to assist.

Curiously, the passage has been understood as an excuse not to address poverty.  “Why bother?” some would ask if even Jesus testifies that the poor will always be around.  Then, we might ask, why bandage a wound if someday something will kill us or, for that matter, why eat lunch?  In another gospel Jesus identifies himself with the miserable by saying that what is done for them is actually done for him.  John’s gospel is more subtle here.  Jesus feeds the hungry masses and washes the feet of his disciples saying that they are to wash “one another’s feet.”  We should interpret this remark as meaning that he wants us to look on all people as “one another.”

During Holy Week we sense a special call to holiness.  This certainly means added time in prayer but also more consideration of the needy.  Perhaps we can visit to a nursing home or make a check to charity.  Such deeds will enhance our worship.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Monday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)

The philosopher Blaise Pascal, a fervent Catholic, wanted to receive the Eucharist on his death bed. Because he could no longer keep any food down, he proposed a workable substitute. He asked that some poor people be brought into his presence. Since he could not communicate with the Head, he said, then he would “communicate at least with the body.” In the gospel Jesus points to the poor as being perennially on hand to assist.

Curiously, the passage has been understood as an excuse not to address poverty. “Why bother?” some would ask if even Jesus testifies that the problem of poverty will never be resolved. Then why do we bandage a wound if we are someday going to die or, for that matter, why eat lunch? In the Gospel according to St. Matthew Jesus actually identifies himself with the miserable by saying that what is done for them is actually done for him. John’s gospel is more subtle. Here Jesus feeds the hungry masses and washes the feet of his disciples saying that his followers are to so serve one another.

During Holy Week we sense an emphatic call to holiness. This certainly means added time in prayer but also more consideration of the needy. Perhaps we can submit our Rice Bowls or make a visit to a nursing home. Such deeds will enhance our worship.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Monday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)

When Judas grumbles that the nard used to anoint Jesus might have been sold with the proceeds going to the poor, he commits an error common today and perhaps throughout history. Judas, like many of us, fails to recognize Jesus as a poor person. Marked for immenent death, Jesus suffers a particularly virulent form of poverty for even the rich need time to enjoy the consumption of their wealth.

Jesus tells Judas that the poor will always remain on the earth. In another gospel passage Jesus says that he too will be with his people “always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We do well to connect these statements with another saying of Jesus perhaps even more familiar, “...whatever you did for one of these least brothers (and sisters) of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). These quotations remind us that Jesus remains among the poor so that if we would treat him well, we must take care of the needy.

The “preacher to the papal household,” Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., considers service to the poor part of true Eucharistic devotion. He writes that in adoration of the Eucharist, Catholics worship Jesus as true God, and in assisting the poor, we worship him as true human. To exemplify Jesus’ close identification with the poor, Fr. Cantelamessa cites a final episode in the life of the famous French Catholic philosopher, Blaise Pascal. As he lay dying unable to keep down even a tiny part of a host as Viaticum, Pascal proposed a workable substitute. He asked that some poor persons be brought into his presence. Since he could not communicate with the Head, he said, then he would “communicate at least with the body.”