Friday, April 15, 2022

 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

(Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42)

Only the Gospel of John pictures Jesus’ beloved disciple and his mother at the cross.  Jesus tells his mother that the disciple is her son.  He likewise tells his disciple that Mary is his mother.  This action assures that Jesus’ (presumably) widowed mother will be cared for.  More than that, by the dual presentation Jesus makes the church – the community of his disciples -- into a family.  At the same time he turns his family into a church.

The Church is a family in the sense that its members deeply love and support one another.  For this reason, “going to mass on television” – as we did during the height of the pandemic -- could never be the norm.  By sharing of faith and cooperating on mutual concerns, church relations become more supportive than blood relatives.

Once a professor asked his students how many of them said grace before family meals.  He was surprised to hear that few of the students ate regularly with their families.  When families become church, they do more than pray together at meals.  They share deeply and often about how the Lord affects their lives.  They also support one another in living the values Jesus taught. 

In the passion Pilate asks Jesus, “What is truth?”  This is ironic because he is looking truth in the face.  Jesus -- the way, the truth, and the life – shows us how we are to sacrifice ourselves for the good of others.  For our families we forsake independence so that children, parents and siblings may become more caring and responsible.  For our church community we give support and encouragement so that it might reflect Christ’s love for the world.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

 

Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

(Exodus 12:1-8.11-14; I Corinthians 15:23-26; John 13:1-15)

War brings out the best and worst of human beings.  The present war in Ukraine reflects this principle.  In the city of Bucha the Russian military tied, tortured and shot Ukrainian civilians.  On the other hand, in the city of Chortikiv parish priests opened their rectory to a refugee family.  This kind of communal love has been multiplied thousands of times over.  In Ukraine, its neighboring countries, and now faraway places people are harboring in their homes strangers from the beleaguered warzone.  In doing so, they fulfill the mandate Jesus gives after washing his disciples’ feet: “’…as I have done for you, you should also do.’”

In the Gospel of John, the foot washing replaces Jesus’ offering of bread and wine found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  Although the actions are very different, they have the same meaning: Jesus sacrifices himself for the sake of others.  In all the gospels he tells participants to repeat what he has done.  Both actions are symbolic of the total sacrifice Jesus will make the following day.  On Friday he will allow himself to be crucified for the redemption of the world from sin.  This sacrifice will save the people who repeat what he has done from everlasting death.  As assuredly as the blood on the lintels saved the Israelites from death in Egypt, they will experience eternal life.

We come together this evening to carry out Jesus’ command.  Shortly we will take the bread and wine that has become Jesus’ body and blood.  When we leave church, we should have on our minds how we will serve one another.  We might also think of ways we can wash the feet of Ukrainian refugees.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

 Wednesday of Holy Week

 (Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25)

 Of the four gospels Matthew’s gives the most complete report of Judas’ betrayal.  As a matter of fact, he is the only witness of much of the chilling story.  Matthew shows Jesus bargaining with the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver in exchange for Jesus.  He pictures Judas defying Jesus during the Last Supper and in Gethsemane by calling anyone “Rabbi.”  Matthew shows Judas’ treachery reaching a low point when he uses a kiss as a signal to capture Jesus.  Then Matthew concludes his account of Judas by showing him returning the money to the high priests and hanging himself.

 Judas betrays Jesus out of greed.  The thirty pieces of silver comprise one hundred twenty days of wages for a skilled laborer.  In the end Judas appears remorseful when he goes back to the chief priests.  But he is not really expressing contrition for his sin. He offended Jesus, not the chief priests.  If he were truly repentant, he would have sought Jesus’ forgiveness. 

Judas was greedy, defiant, and disloyal.  We may possess these or similar character flaws.  Hopefully, we pray every day that God will correct them.  We never want them to cause us to betray our friends.  Most of all, let them never move us to betray Jesus, the best of our friends.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

 Tuesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 49:1-6; John 13:21-33.36-38)

Few prophecies foreshadow Jesus’ experience better than the four “Servant Songs” of Isaiah.  Found in the second part of the Book of the Prophet, they are relayed systematically in the liturgies of Holy Week.  The first song or oracle, read yesterday, echoes the voice of God. It says that his servant will bring justice to the whole world by mercy, not by violence.  In the second, proclaimed today, the prophet himself relates how he once felt discouraged.  Then God’s voice lifted his spirits.  It declared that through him not only Israel but all nations will be reconciled with God.

In the third song, read in Palm Sunday’s mass, the prophet again speaks.  He describes how he endured trials to proclaim the will of God.  The final song is reserved for Good Friday’s service.  It summarizes the work of the prophet: of humble origins, the prophet took on the sins of the world by his suffering and death. Certainly, all four evangelists had the “Servant Songs” in mind when composed the story of Jesus Christ.  They emphasized how the events of Jesus’ life and especially his death correspond to the experiences of this prophet.

Who is the person of whom the Book of the Prophet Isaiah speaks?  Scholars have different theories.  Some say Jeremiah; others. the author of the second part of Isaiah’s book; still others, the suffering people of Israel, a composite person.  Although each of these positions can be defended with ample texts, for us the question is mostly academic.  For us Jesus, better than anyone else possibly could, personifies God’s Servant.

Monday, April 11, 2022

 Monday of Holy Week

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

Everyone is familiar with Martha and Mary.  In Luke’s gospel Jesus famously visits their home.  Martha complains to him that Mary has left her with the work.  Meanwhile Mary listens attentively to Jesus.  Today’s gospel shows what appears to be another visit to Martha and Mary’s home.  Martha is characteristically serving while Mary shows that she has probed at least part of the mystery of Jesus.

John’s gospel is supremely aware that Jesus’ death literally crowns his life.  His offering of self, much more than sacrificial bulls on the altar, atones for human sin.  Without it the world is condemned.  Mary acknowledges the awesomeness of Jesus’ death before it happens.  She anoints Jesus with an immense amount of precious oil to recognize the value of Jesus’ self-giving. 

We are aware of the debate over the question: do we do good works because we are saved or are we saved by our good works?  Mary’s anointing of Jesus and, indeed, the Gospel of John leave no doubt that we can do good works because of Jesus’ salvific death.  it sets us free from evil’s tenacious grasp so that we can truly love.  Like Mary does in today’s gospel, we will recognize this mystery in the reading of the Passion on Friday.