Claire Smith

Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Good Friday came alive for me the year one of my sons was an 8^th grader, and his class was acting out the Stations of the Cross. He was chosen to drive the nails in Jesus’s hands and feet. I had been pursuing a relationship with Jesus and was closer to Him than I had ever been in my life. When Jesus came by the pew I was sitting in, dragging the cross, He fell in the aisle right next to me, and I burst out crying. His falling hit me deeply because this was the first time I had gone through the events of Holy Week with Jesus as my best friend. It was all I could do to stay in my pew and not jump up to help Him.

Then when they finally got to the front of the church and my son had to nail Jesus to the cross, I lost it again. I felt ashamed that my son was the one inflicting that unspeakable pain onto Jesus and yet I was also convicted that I was the one nailing Him to the cross because of my sins. We all helped nail Jesus to the cross and we all need a savior. The most amazing thing about His sacrifice is that “He died for us while we were yet sinners”.  He loves us so much that He chose to endure the pain of His passion and death because of His amazing love for each of us. Thank you Jesus!

As a mom, I was hoping my son would portray Jesus, and yet I think it was more powerful for me because he didn’t. Also, as a mom, it’s nearly impossible to imagine what Mary went through as she stood at the foot of the cross and watched her only Son die such a shameful and agonizing death. It seems to me that most moms suffer as much if not more when they have to watch their children suffer. And so we thank you too Mary, for your example of trusting in God’s plan, even when it seems hopeless and useless. May we all learn that kind of trust and cling to You, Lord when things in our own lives don’t make sense and life seems unbearable.

Lord we bow before you today and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your sacrifice and for your willingness to die so that we can live with You forever.

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Matthew 26:14-25

Reflection:

Today, the Wednesday of Holy Week, has traditionally been known as “Spy Wednesday,” prompted by the gospel accounts of Judas’ tragic betrayal of Jesus.  It so happens that this year Spy Wednesday falls on April 1, known as “April Fools Day,” a day celebrated in many countries and cultures as a time for practical jokes.

The gospels certainly don’t see Judas’ action as any kind of practical joke.  It is remarkable, in fact, that the gospel accounts should count among the disciples, the inner circle of Jesus’ original followers, one who would betray him in such a grievous way.  It is hard to imagine that Early Christian tradition would include such an occurrence if in fact it did not have some historical basis that could not be ignored.

The readings for today have a somber, even tragic tone.  The reading from Isaiah speaks of opposition to God’s servant.  He is the subject of insults and even physical violence, being beaten, his beard plucked, and his face spit upon.  The reading anticipates the torments Jesus will endure in his passion when after his condemnation the soldiers abuse him and mock him for his supposed pretensions to royalty.  The lament of the Psalm 69 in the Psalm response echoes this same motif.  The psalmist speaks of the suffering he has to endure, even from his own brethren so much so that he has become “a stranger to my mother’s sons”—reminding us that Jesus’ betrayal will come from one who is close to him, as Judas was.

In the Gospel selection from Matthew’s passion narrative, the disciples are instructed by Jesus to go into Jerusalem and make the preparations for their final Passover together.  But prior to this time, Judas had already gone to the chief priests and agreed to betray his Master for “thirty pieces of silver,” the price set to compensate the owner of a slave who has been gored by an ox in Exodus 21:32.  At the meal itself, just as the Passover celebration gets underway, Jesus reveals to his startled disciples that “one of you will betray me.”  “Surely, it is not I, Lord?” each of them exclaims. But Jesus tells them that the one who has broken bread with him and “dipped his hand into the dish with me” is the one who would betray him.  Judas himself attempts to hide his guilt—“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”  But Jesus knows his disciple’s wayward heart: “You have said so.”

Why did Judas betray Jesus?  John’s Gospel suggests Judas was a thief and used to steal from the common purse that had been trusted to his care.  So the age-old motive of money may have been in play, something also hinted at in the payment of “thirty pieces of silver” to Judas.  But Matthew casts the story of Judas in terms of broken friendship.  At the Last Supper Judas calls Jesus ‘rabbi” and when the moment of betrayal comes in the garden, Judas will identify Jesus to the armed band with a kiss of betrayal.  For Matthew’s Gospel, then, the tragedy is not simply that of greed but of love betrayed.  Judas is poignantly identified as “one of the Twelve.”  Whatever prompted his betrayal, the tragedy rests in this errant disciple’s turning away from the love and trust that Jesus had placed in him.

In the Passion narrative other disciples besides Judas also fail.  Peter denies he even knows Jesus; all of the disciples flee and leave Jesus alone among his enemies at the moment of his arrest—with Mark’s Gospel indicating one of them even left his clothes behind to flee in a naked panic (Mark 15:51). But later Peter weeps tears of repentance and the disciples will regroup in the upper room and there encounter the Risen Christ and take to heart his words of reconciliation—“peace to you.”  But Judas forgets God’s forgiving love and, as Matthew’s Gospel reports, turns back in despair to the religious leaders with whom he had formed his plot.  It was not a matter of Jesus ceasing to love Judas, even in the midst of betrayal, but of Judas underestimating the unconditional love of Jesus for him:  “Love your enemies, pray for your persecutors.”  That is the gospel message for Spy Wednesday.

 

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P,. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

 

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 49:1-6
John 13: 21-33, 36-38

Reflection:

I was walking from my office to the church a few nights ago, going in to prepare for the evening Mass, when I heard it.  It wasn’t loud, but definitely I heard it.  So I back-stepped a ways and looked and looked and looked.  Quiet.  Nothing.  So I turned back, continuing on my path to the sanctuary, and then heard it again!  Sounds of scratching nails on metal – a peep or two – and the bustle of something confined and trapped.  And then, a grunt.

I had never heard a squirrel grunt before.

True, I’ve heard them make sounds, but not a grunt.  This little animal had, somehow, wormed her way into the space between the wheel and brake-disc on the rear tire of my car.  And she was stuck.  And afraid, no doubt.  Her little claws had no traction on the aluminum.  No space to turn around and go back the way she came.  She couldn’t move and was struggling to free herself from this thing which she’d gotten herself into.  But it was no use.  There was no hope.

I had to run into Mass then.  I thought “I’ll just come out afterward, pull the wheel off the truck, and she’ll be ok,” but the entire time, I could think of nothing but that poor little life.  I knew that I was the only one aware of her plight and so I was the only one that could help… and that leaving her there, even for an hour, was the same as me torturing her.  I had to go help.

How often have we crawled into something bad?  How many times have we made a decision that ended up trapping us, and having us feel as though there’s no hope?  “I can’t tell anyone how I really feel, or what I’ve done.”  How often have you turned from the people that love you – from God – and rolled the stone in front of a tomb of your own making?  I have.  And I’ll tell you, it’s awful.

But God is always walking by, on His path, waiting to hear our “grunt.”  Our call, our cry to Him to save us.  He, alone, is our savior.  The one who cannot stop thinking about us in our pain, wanting nothing but to help.  He who pulls the wheel off so we can be free; who causes the rocks to burst into dust, stretches out his hand to help us out of our despair and brokenness.

No matter what our scars look like, to Him, they’re beautiful.

Need proof?  God sent His only Son into the world.  He seeks us out, meets us where we are, and walks with us.  Jesus Christ shows us how the most fabulous and vibrant life can come from what seems like a hopeless crucifixion.

Dear God of the most amazing love, thank you for always finding us, no matter where we’re stuck.  Grant us the grace to take your hand, stand up, and live a new and beautiful life with you.

Amen.

 

Paul Puccinelli is Director of Liturgy & Music at St. Rita Parish in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center.

 

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Scripture:

Mark 11:1-10
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Mark 14:1-15:47

Reflection:

Before going out somewhere, I usually ask myself how I should prepare; what to wear, what to bring, how do I get there, what time does it start, etc.  As we begin Holy Week, maybe we should spend some time on prayerful preparation.  What should my frame of mind be as I begin this journey?

Perhaps a good question to begin with is “why am I here, why are we here, why are we all pointed towards Good Friday?”  Don Senior, C.P., in his book “Why the Cross?”, helps me understand.  “For Luke the death of Jesus on the cross is a “necessity” (“the Messiah had to suffer…”), not as a grim stroke of fate but as the outcome of a prophetic and redemptive mission of healing, inclusion, and justice for the salvation of the world.”

We are here as a natural outcome of what we endeavor to do all the time.  We are here because we seek healing in our divided world; a world where we experience each other in an “either and or” rather than a “both and and” context.  We are here because we include everyone at the table; we don’t exclude people who are different or hold different opinions than ourselves.  We are here because we fight for justice in an unjust society; a society often supported by economic, cultural and racial injustices.  People who heal, include and share find themselves pointed towards Good Friday.

As we begin Holy Week, as Passionists we remember the words of our Founder Paul of the Cross.

“Give your trials lovingly to God and pray in this way, “Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will”  (Mt 11:26)!  “Father,…not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42)!  This was the prayer of Jesus Christ.  When you have prayed this way, be quiet and fear nothing.”

 

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 20:10-13
John 10:31-42

Reflection:

The prophet is never accepted in his own home…

Oftentimes, when reading a morning homily of Pope Francis, or one of his apostolic exhortations or speeches, I feel as if I am hearing Jesus preach or teach. I cannot help but be challenged and inspired by his prophetic words and provocative lifestyle.

Contemporary biographers of Jorge Bergoglio agree that The Great Reformer (the title of Austen Ivereigh’s recent biography of Pope Francis) has been highly influenced by theologian and Vatican II architect, Yves Conger, O.P.  Congar found that true reform was always rooted in pastoral concern for ordinary faithful people. It was oriented to, and shaped by, what Pope Francis later calls the “existential periphery,” not the center. False reform, according to Congar, is driven by ideas in self-enclosed groups distant from the ordinary faithful. With false reform, the Church becomes a battleground of competing elite projects, and what follows is disunity and the loss of identity.

Maybe that is why reading Ivereigh’s biography of the pope was like reading the lives of the saints. True reform sends us to the margins and binds us together in community. That is today’s Gospel.

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.”

It is much easier to entrench ourselves in our personal ideologies. It is much more difficult to work for God’s dream of communion.

So today I think I’ll meditate on a couple of photographs: Pope Francis riding the bus with priests and bishops returning from their recent Lenten retreat, or washing and kissing the foot of a young inmate at the Holy Thursday liturgy last year.

 

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is the director of the Office of Mission Effectiveness.  He is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.