THE PASSION OF OUR LORD Photo Courtesy by G Irma Frakes
Reflections of Holy Week—The Passion of Jesus Christ
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
If Jesus told you, that you would deny him three times, what would you say? I’d be shocked. Would you? Imagine how Peter felt. Stunned. Would you run out weeping like he did?
Today is Palm Sunday and important events will unfold before us once again. Remember, every time we sin, we deny Jesus. Ask yourself, is the frequency more than three? Our journey now follows our Shepard and his final days on earth. His last hours with his apostles. Soon a great sorrowful joy will befall mankind.
As you and I walk with Him, let us ask for the grace to forgive oneself, forgive others and repent all our sins. Ask for a clean heart.
Victory over sin, and death is on the horizon. Fear not and be joyful of the Risen Lord. He is almost here.
Peter said to him, “Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be.” Then Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” But he vehemently replied, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly. Mk 14:29-31
Monday of Holy Week
Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. Scripture tells us Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ feet with an expensive oil and dried them with her hair. What humility she displayed. Offering her love through such a simple act.
What would you do if you were given a terminal health diagnosis? Initial thoughts? Who would you call? What preparations would you take? What humble acts would be revealed to you by a family member or a friend?
Would you humble yourself before Jesus and what would be your first words to him?
Jesus had plenty on his mind and much preparation to do. He undoubtedly had to prepare his apostles. He would reveal the Eucharist and priesthood to them. He would shock them with a traitor among them and one who would betray him three times. And finally, how the Son of God would be turned over to be crucified and where He was going, they could not go. Yes, he worried for them, for they were his brothers, and they too would suffer and die for Him.
Consider this holy week the virtue of Humility; ask God for that blessing during your sufferings and meditate on Jesus’ journey alongside yours. Meditate on Holy Thursday, his last supper. Good Friday, his crucifixion and death. Holy Saturday, mourning and Easter Sunday, joyful to His Resurrection.
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. Jn 12:3
Tuesday of Holy Week
How would you feel if you discovered one of your closest friends was not to be trusted? Somehow, you got advanced notice he/she was going to betray you on a special night.
Disappointed? Heartbroken? Don’t you think your other close friends would want to know who that person is?
Well, Jesus experienced it. One of his trusted apostles betrayed him. He went as far as to kiss him on the cheek as the signal. This is the One.
This Lenten journey probably brought out the best and worst in us. Maybe, others saw a different side of us. I pray we all prayerfully repented.
As we journey through this Holy Week, pardon the person who betrayed you, who disappointed you for he/she may not have known what they did. Give kind words of encouragement. They may have experienced a crisis in faith.
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. Jn 13: 25-27
Wednesday of Holy Week
“My appointed time draws near.” Mt 26:14-18
What heaviness Judas must have carried on his shoulders when he traded his love for Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. He was one of the Twelve. He had turned his back on Jesus.
My brothers and sisters, pray for a true conversion of heart, so that you may turn permanently away from all that separates you from the love of God.
Then 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?’ Mt 26:14-16
Holy Thursday-Evening Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper
Tonight, we commemorate Jesus’ last supper. So holy was that Thursday night, He shared with his apostles the last days of his life on this earth. He instituted the Eucharist, and the Priesthood, the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He was truly the best example to follow. He obeyed and respected his Father. He gave his entire self to a crucifixion for the many and personified humility. He cared for the sick and poor and lovingly forgave with deep love. What else could we want?
Today, spend time in church during Adoration or in your quiet room feeling him deep in your heart and soul, praying with him. Keep him company in the Garden of Gethsemane while He awaits the suffering He is to endure for you and me.
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. Jn 13:12-15
Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord
Judas betrayal.
Peter’s denials: 1. Denied being one of Jesus’ disciples.
2. Denied being one of Jesus’ disciples again.
3. Denied being in the garden with Jesus.
The Trial: Pilate could not find guilt in Jesus.
Custom at Passover: one prisoner released-Barnabas freed.
Jesus scourged, beaten, spat on, and humiliated.
Jesus crowned with thorns and clothed in a purple cloak.
Crucify Him! Crucify Him! The crowd shouted.
Jesus carried his cross. Your sins. My sins. The Worlds sins.
Jesus crucified. Five wounds.
Jesus dies. His last breath released for you, me, everyone.
It Is Finished.
Predestined pain and knowledge of bearing the weight of all our sins, Jesus undertook in humble fashion, for he loved so much you, me and everyone else.
Sin is a revolt against God. It is the earthly enemy of all that is holy, an adversary of virtuousness. Treachery and madness, instruments of the people toward internal purity toward one another. Jesus took it all on as mankind decided he was guilty, the insults, assaults on his person from his adversaries. He was the one real victim for us all as humanity refused his merciful love, his agonizing heart and soul cried internally. The Son of God was betrayed by the very people he loved.
We are the Judas’ every time we sin against God. Our human weaknesses failed us and drove the nails into Jesus hands and feet and the lance into his side. How many times have we crucified Jesus? Too many times. Now we walk alongside him toward Mt. Calvary. Scripture fulfilled as he took his last breath for you, me and everyone.
It is now finished.
If you are able, attend a Good Friday service today, or offer an additional act of penance. Add more to your fasting for today.
Read scripture: Jn 18:19-42
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Jn 19:30
“They will look upon him whom they have pierced.” Jn 19:37
Scriptural Stations of the Cross | USCCB
Catholic Prayers: Stations of the Cross [from a Douay-Rheims Bible] (scborromeo.org)
stations-of-the-cross.indd (saintanneshelper.com)
Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
One can only imagine how grief stricken the apostles were after they saw Jesus crucified and die on the cross. I’m sure they felt lost. To no longer see Jesus. Lost in their sorrow, they remembered not what He had told them; that on the third day the Son of Man would rise after being handed over to sinners and crucified.
The prophesy fulfilled, a glorious daybreak, the Vigil of Jesus’ Resurrection.
Daybreak, and all that was found were his burial cloths.
Holy Saturday. Do you think just a quiet day? Are you feeling sorrowful like the apostles? We should feel sad. Think about what he endured for you and me.
How will you prepare for Easter morning? I will rise knowing he saved me, a poor sinner, through his suffering and death.
Are you filled with great anticipation? My soul is filled with love and eagerness for Jesus. A day I will proclaim He is Risen.
What kind of hope does Jesus’ Resurrection give you? Eternal Life.
We are almost at the end of our journey, but really, just the beginning. A new day is on the horizon. Let us rejoice and live in Jesus Christ.
Today, meditate throughout the day on the Death of Jesus for your Salvation.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/16 Mk 16:1-7
And, “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.” Lk 24:12