Tuesday
of Holy Week
Lectionary: 258
Lectionary: 258
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.
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.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 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.
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.
Verse
Before The Gospel
Hail
to you, our King, obedient to the Father;
you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
GospelJN 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.”
“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.”
Meditation: Betrayal and faltering loyalty to
Jesus
Jesus' disciples were
put to the test as Jesus prepared to make the final and ultimate sacrifice of
his own life for their sake and for all the world. What was different between
Peter and Judas? Judas deliberately betrayed his Master while Peter, in a
moment of weakness, denied him with an oath and a curse. Judas' act was cold
and calculated. Peter, however, never meant to do what he did. He acted
impulsively, out of weakness and cowardice. Jesus knew both the strength of
Peter's loyalty and the weakness of his resolution. He had a habit of speaking
with his heart without thinking through the implications of what he was saying.
The treachery of Judas,
however, is seen at its worst when Jesus makes his appeal by showing special
affection to him at his last supper. John says that Satan entered into Judas
when he rejected Jesus and left to pursue his evil course. Satan can twist love
and turn it into hate. He can turn holiness into pride, discipline into
cruelty, affection into complacency. We must be on our guard lest Satan turn us
from the love of God and the path which God has chosen for us.
The Holy Spirit will
give us grace and strength in our time of testing. If we submit to Jesus we
will walk in the light of his truth and love. If we turn our backs on him we
will stumble and fall in the ways of sin and darkness. Are you ready to follow
Jesus in his way of the cross?
"Give me, O Lord, a
steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag downwards; an unconquered
heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart which no unworthy
purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to
know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that
may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Prayer of Thomas
Aquinas)
A Daily Quote for Lent: Fight sin and
put up with trials, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Your first task is
to be dissatisfied with yourself, fight sin, and transform yourself into
something better. Your second task is to put up with the trials and temptations
of this world that will be brought on by the change in your life and to persevere
to the very end in the midst of these things." (excerpt from Commentary
on Psalm 59,5)
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, JOHN
13:21-33, 36-38
Tuesday of Holy Week
(Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 71)
Tuesday of Holy Week
(Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 71)
KEY VERSE: "Amen, Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me" (v 21).
TO KNOW: During the Passover meal, Jesus made a solemn declaration that one of his own disciples would betray him. Reclining at table (the Greek style of dining of the day), John leaned his head on Jesus' chest in anguish. Just as Jesus reposed in the heart of the Father, the disciple abided in the bosom of the Lord. Although Judas was preparing to betray him, as a last gesture of love Jesus handed him a morsel of bitter herbs dipped in salt water (a symbol of the tears shed by the slaves in Egypt). Judas took the offering and quickly departed. To illustrate Judas' dark deed, John wrote poignantly, "and it was night" (v 30). Jesus warned Peter that he would also betray him by denying knowledge of him. Peter protested that he would lay down his life for his Master, but Jesus knew that Peter would fail him. It was left to Jesus to make this final journey alone.
TO LOVE: Am I able to reconcile with someone whom I have hurt or who has injured me?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, forgive me for the many ways I betray your love.
Tuesday March 22 2016
Tue
22nd. Tuesday in Holy Week. Isaiah 49:1-6. I will sing of your salvation—Ps
70(71):1-6, 15, 17. John 13:21-33, 36-38.
Enlightening
Suffering and Weakness.
‘The
ends of the earth’ is literally where God us to be, yet in each moment of great
opportunity, there will always be a sense of failure and hopelessness. For all
their weaknesses, it is hard to imagine that there was a serious problem within
Jesus’ inner circle. ‘Troubled in spirit’, Jesus, with the handing over of a
piece of bread dipped in bitter seasoning, identified Judas as the one who
would betray him. Though deeply hurt, Jesus rises above the pain as he knows
his Father is always beside him. Among all the suffering what pains us most is
the suffering that comes from our relationships with those whom we love. Let us
pray that we, like Peter and Judas, may be forgiven for all the wrongs we have
done.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Admiration
|
It’s a good idea to reflect regularly on the wonderful qualities
of Our Lord—his great power, unconditional love, approachability, and so on.
Let’s not take the Lord of the universe, our Redeemer and Savior, for granted!
March
22
St. Nicholas Owen
(d. 1606)
St. Nicholas Owen
(d. 1606)
Nicholas,
familiarly known as "Little John," was small in stature but big in
the esteem of his fellow Jesuits.
Born
at Oxford, this humble artisan saved the lives of many priests and laypersons
in England during the penal times (1559-1829), when a series of statutes
punished Catholics for the practice of their faith. Over a period of about 20
years he used his skills to build secret hiding places for priests throughout
the country. His work, which he did completely by himself as both architect and
builder, was so good that time and time again priests in hiding were undetected
by raiding parties. He was a genius at finding, and creating, places of safety:
subterranean passages, small spaces between walls, impenetrable recesses. At
one point he was even able to mastermind the escape of two Jesuits from the
Tower of London. Whenever Nicholas set out to design such hiding places, he
began by receiving the Holy Eucharist, and he would turn to God in prayer
throughout the long, dangerous construction process.
After
many years at his unusual task, he entered the Society of Jesus and served as a
lay brother, although—for very good reasons—his connection with the Jesuits was
kept secret.
After
a number of narrow escapes, he himself was finally caught in 1594. Despite
protracted torture, he refused to disclose the names of other Catholics. After
being released following the payment of a ransom, "Little John" went
back to his work. He was arrested again in 1606. This time he was subjected to
horrible tortures, suffering an agonizing death. The jailers tried suggesting
that he had confessed and committed suicide, but his heroism and sufferings
soon were widely known.
He
was canonized in 1970 as one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.
Comment:
Nicholas was a clever builder and architect who used his skills to protect endangered priests. Without his help, hundreds of English Catholics would have been deprived of the sacraments. His gift for spotting unlikely places to hide priests was impressive, but more impressive was his habit of seeking support for his work in prayer and the Eucharist. If we follow his example, we may also discover surprising ways to put our skills to God’s service.
Nicholas was a clever builder and architect who used his skills to protect endangered priests. Without his help, hundreds of English Catholics would have been deprived of the sacraments. His gift for spotting unlikely places to hide priests was impressive, but more impressive was his habit of seeking support for his work in prayer and the Eucharist. If we follow his example, we may also discover surprising ways to put our skills to God’s service.
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 13,21-33.36-38
Lectio Divina:
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Lent Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ
had to undergo the humiliation
of being betrayed and denied
by those he called his friends.But he made his suffering and death
into instruments of love and reconciliation.
Make us with him people-for-others,
who accept difficulties, even betrayals
and misunderstanding of our best intentions,
and turn them into sources of life and joy
for those around us.
Keep us faithful to you and to one another
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
your Son Jesus Christ
had to undergo the humiliation
of being betrayed and denied
by those he called his friends.But he made his suffering and death
into instruments of love and reconciliation.
Make us with him people-for-others,
who accept difficulties, even betrayals
and misunderstanding of our best intentions,
and turn them into sources of life and joy
for those around us.
Keep us faithful to you and to one another
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - John 13, 21-33.36-38
Having said this, Jesus was deeply
disturbed and declared, 'In all truth I tell you, one of you is going to betray
me.' The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he meant. The disciple
Jesus loved was reclining next to Jesus; Simon Peter signed to him and said,
'Ask who it is he means,' so leaning back close to Jesus' chest he said, 'Who
is it, Lord?' Jesus answered, 'It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread
that I dip in the dish.' And when he had dipped the piece of bread he gave it
to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At that instant, after Judas had taken the
bread, Satan entered him. Jesus then said, 'What you are going to do, do
quickly.'
None of the others at table understood why he said this. Since Judas had charge of the common fund, some of them thought Jesus was telling him, 'Buy what we need for the festival,' or telling him to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. It was night. When he had gone, Jesus said: Now has the Son of man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon. Little children, I shall be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and, as I told the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come.
Simon Peter said, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Now you cannot follow me where I am going, but later you shall follow me.' Peter said to him, 'Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' 'Lay down your life for me?' answered Jesus. 'In all truth I tell you, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.'
None of the others at table understood why he said this. Since Judas had charge of the common fund, some of them thought Jesus was telling him, 'Buy what we need for the festival,' or telling him to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. It was night. When he had gone, Jesus said: Now has the Son of man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon. Little children, I shall be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and, as I told the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come.
Simon Peter said, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Now you cannot follow me where I am going, but later you shall follow me.' Peter said to him, 'Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' 'Lay down your life for me?' answered Jesus. 'In all truth I tell you, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.'
3) Reflection
• This is the third day of Holy Week.
The texts of the Gospel of these days place before us the terrible facts which
will lead to the imprisonment and condemnation of Jesus. The texts not only
present the decisions of the religious and civil authority against Jesus, but
also the betrayal and the negotiations of the disciples which rendered possible
for the authority to arrest Jesus and contributed enormously to increase the
suffering of Jesus.
• John 13, 21: The announcement of the betrayal. After having washed the feet of the disciples (Jn 13, 2-11) and having spoken about the obligation that we have of washing each other’s feet (Jn 13, 12-16), Jesus is profoundly touched. And it is no wonder. He was fulfilling that gesture of service and total gift of self, while at his side one of the disciples was planning how to betray him that same night. Jesus expresses his emotion saying: “In all truth I tell you one of you is going to betray me!” He does not say: “Judas will betray me”, but “one of you”. It is one of his group who will betray him.
• John 13, 22-25: The reaction of the disciples. The disciples are frightened. They did not expect that declaration, that is, that one of them would be the traitor. Peter makes a sign to John to ask Jesus which of the twelve would be the traitor. This is a sign that they did not know one another well, they could not succeed in understanding who could be the traitor. A sign, that is, that the friendship among them had not as yet reached the same transparency that Jesus had with them (cf. Jn 15, 15). John reclined near Jesus and asked him: “Who is it?”
• John 13, 26-30: Jesus indicates Judas. Jesus says: It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread that I dip in the dish. He took a piece of bread, dips it in the cup and hands it over to Judas. This was a common and normal gesture which the participants at a supper used to do among themselves. And Jesus tells Judas: “What you are going to do, do quickly!” Judas had charge of the common fund. He was in charge of buying things and of giving the alms to the poor. This is why no one perceived anything special in the gesture and in the words of Jesus. In this description of the announcement of the betrayal is evoked the Psalm in which the psalmist complains about the friend who betrays him: “Even my trusted friend on whom I relied, who shared my table takes advantage of me” (Ps 41, 10; cf. Ps 55, 13-15). Judas becomes aware that Jesus knew everything (cf. Jn 13, 18). But even knowing it, he does not change his mind but keeps the decision to betray Jesus. This is the moment in which the separation between Judas and Jesus takes place. John says at this moment Satan entered him. Judas rises and leaves. He places himself at the side of the enemy (Satan). John comments: “”It was night”. It was dark.
• John 13, 31-33: The glorification of Jesus begins. It is as if history had waited for this moment of separation between light and darkness. Satan (the enemy) and darkness entered into Judas when he decides to carry out what he was planning. In that moment the light was made in Jesus who declares: “Now the son of man has been glorified, and in him God has been glorified also. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon!” Everything which will happen from now on will be in the regressive way. The decisions had already been taken by Jesus (Jn 12, 27-28) and now by Judas. The facts follow one another hastily. And, Jesus announces it: “Little children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and, as I told the Jews, where I am going you cannot come”. There is little time left before the Passover.
• John 13, 34-35: The new commandment. Today’s Gospel omits these two verses on the new commandment of love, and begins to speak about the announcement of the denial of Peter.
• John 13, 36-38: Announcement of the denial of Peter. Together with the betrayal of Judas, the Gospel also speaks of the denial of Peter. These are the two facts which contribute the most to Jesus suffering and pain. Peter says that he is ready to give his life for Jesus. Jesus recalls and reminds him of reality: “You are ready to lay down your life for me? In all truth I tell you, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times”. Mark had written: “Before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times” (Mk 14, 30). Everybody knows that the cock crows rapidly. When in the morning the first cock begins to sing, almost at the same time all the cocks crow together. Peter is more rapid in his denial than the cock in crowing.
• John 13, 21: The announcement of the betrayal. After having washed the feet of the disciples (Jn 13, 2-11) and having spoken about the obligation that we have of washing each other’s feet (Jn 13, 12-16), Jesus is profoundly touched. And it is no wonder. He was fulfilling that gesture of service and total gift of self, while at his side one of the disciples was planning how to betray him that same night. Jesus expresses his emotion saying: “In all truth I tell you one of you is going to betray me!” He does not say: “Judas will betray me”, but “one of you”. It is one of his group who will betray him.
• John 13, 22-25: The reaction of the disciples. The disciples are frightened. They did not expect that declaration, that is, that one of them would be the traitor. Peter makes a sign to John to ask Jesus which of the twelve would be the traitor. This is a sign that they did not know one another well, they could not succeed in understanding who could be the traitor. A sign, that is, that the friendship among them had not as yet reached the same transparency that Jesus had with them (cf. Jn 15, 15). John reclined near Jesus and asked him: “Who is it?”
• John 13, 26-30: Jesus indicates Judas. Jesus says: It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread that I dip in the dish. He took a piece of bread, dips it in the cup and hands it over to Judas. This was a common and normal gesture which the participants at a supper used to do among themselves. And Jesus tells Judas: “What you are going to do, do quickly!” Judas had charge of the common fund. He was in charge of buying things and of giving the alms to the poor. This is why no one perceived anything special in the gesture and in the words of Jesus. In this description of the announcement of the betrayal is evoked the Psalm in which the psalmist complains about the friend who betrays him: “Even my trusted friend on whom I relied, who shared my table takes advantage of me” (Ps 41, 10; cf. Ps 55, 13-15). Judas becomes aware that Jesus knew everything (cf. Jn 13, 18). But even knowing it, he does not change his mind but keeps the decision to betray Jesus. This is the moment in which the separation between Judas and Jesus takes place. John says at this moment Satan entered him. Judas rises and leaves. He places himself at the side of the enemy (Satan). John comments: “”It was night”. It was dark.
• John 13, 31-33: The glorification of Jesus begins. It is as if history had waited for this moment of separation between light and darkness. Satan (the enemy) and darkness entered into Judas when he decides to carry out what he was planning. In that moment the light was made in Jesus who declares: “Now the son of man has been glorified, and in him God has been glorified also. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon!” Everything which will happen from now on will be in the regressive way. The decisions had already been taken by Jesus (Jn 12, 27-28) and now by Judas. The facts follow one another hastily. And, Jesus announces it: “Little children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and, as I told the Jews, where I am going you cannot come”. There is little time left before the Passover.
• John 13, 34-35: The new commandment. Today’s Gospel omits these two verses on the new commandment of love, and begins to speak about the announcement of the denial of Peter.
• John 13, 36-38: Announcement of the denial of Peter. Together with the betrayal of Judas, the Gospel also speaks of the denial of Peter. These are the two facts which contribute the most to Jesus suffering and pain. Peter says that he is ready to give his life for Jesus. Jesus recalls and reminds him of reality: “You are ready to lay down your life for me? In all truth I tell you, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times”. Mark had written: “Before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times” (Mk 14, 30). Everybody knows that the cock crows rapidly. When in the morning the first cock begins to sing, almost at the same time all the cocks crow together. Peter is more rapid in his denial than the cock in crowing.
4) Personal questions
• Judas, the friend, becomes the
traitor. Peter, the friend, denies Jesus. And I?
• I place myself in Jesus’ situation and I think: how does he face the denial and the betrayal, the contempt and the exclusion?
• I place myself in Jesus’ situation and I think: how does he face the denial and the betrayal, the contempt and the exclusion?
5) Concluding Prayer
You are my hope, Lord,
my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood.
On you I have relied since my birth,
since my mother's womb you have been my portion,
the constant theme of my praise. (Ps 71,5-6)
my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood.
On you I have relied since my birth,
since my mother's womb you have been my portion,
the constant theme of my praise. (Ps 71,5-6)
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