HOLY WEEK 23

HOLY WEEK 2023, 03 – 05 APRIL, HOLY MONDAY TO HOLY WEDNESDAY, HOLY LITURGY REFLECTIONS 03 APRIL 2023: HOLY MONDAY: ISAIAH 42.1-7; JOHN 12.1-11 (REFLECTION 1) INDICATIVE: God never ceases to offer us His grace and the possibility to respond positively and cooperate with Him actively. Our judgment depends on the type of the response and cooperation we give 1. We are on the Monday of the Holy Week. The days are preparing so dramatically for the end of Jesus’ life and mission. In the first reading, we have the figure of the prophet Isaiah, the suffering servant of Yahweh. In him, we find an allusion to Jesus. The words referring to the prophet would perfectly apply to Jesus. Certainly, God would pronounce the same words about Jesus: 2. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations… He will not grow faint or discouraged till he has established justice on the earth… I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon” 3. The Lord like the prophet is on the last days of his human journey of mission on earth. He encounters a response that is both positive and negative. The positive response is represented by the Bethany family of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary and some believing Jews. The negative response is represented by Judas Iscariot and the Pharisees and scribes 4. The family of Bethany is an abode and ambience of love, intimacy, and service. Mary loves him passionately. She sits at Jesus’ feet, anoints his feet with the costliest ointment, and wipes them with her hair. Martha cares for and serves him so warmly and lavishly. Lazarus shares the table with him in intimate vicinity 5. On the other hand, we have Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. His three years in close company with Jesus would have no effect on him. There are also the Pharisees and scribes who maliciously plot to kill Jesus. IMPERATIVE: Jesus never ceases to come to us both personally and collectively, both alone and together. What is our response? Do we welcome him wholeheartedly and treat him with love and service? Or do we fall to betray and abandon Jesus? (REFLECTION 2) INDICATIVE: Both the categories, that is, persons of God and faith, and persons away from God and faith encounter the same grace in the same situations and opportunities. But the difference is how they respond and react to them. The first category responds positively and the latter, negatively 1. We have at first positive figures in the intimate family of Bethany - Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. We also have some Jews on the positive side. They believe in Jesus, experiencing the power and impact of Jesus' presence, words and actions. 2. They are always so open and welcoming. They give immense value to the person and the presence of Jesus. They nurture a profound bonding with him, in intimacy and loyalty. They relish his company and his teachings. Jesus too feels totally at home with them. He feels a sense of belonging and warmth with them 3. How intimate are our families with Jesus? How freely and frequently Jesus is invited to be a welcome guest and family friend? How much does Jesus feel at home with us in our families? 4. We have the figure of Mary. She spends so much on perfume for Jesus. True love counts no cost. Person and love are more important than money and material concerns. She anoints his feet with the perfume and wipes his feet with her hair. These are truly signs and expressions of intense love for Jesus 5. How personal, deep, and intense is our love for Jesus? What and how much do I spend on him – my time, my talent, my energies, my money, and resources, my goodness? Am I generous toward Jesus or do I become very calculative and stingy when it is a matter of giving to the Lord? 6. We have Martha who does serving to the Lord. She is so hospitable and treats the Lord in the best way possible with the best dishes. How do I serve the Lord? Do I offer him the best, and prepare the best dish for him? Do I feel happy to wait on the Lord promptly and eagerly? 7. We have Lazarus, an intimate friend of Jesus. He sits with Jesus at the table. He receives new life from Jesus. Do I share company with Jesus? Do I sit together with him and experience his companionship? Do I carry within me the new life that I have received from Jesus? 8. Then, we have the negative figures: First, Judas Iscariot, the traitor finds fault with Mary's gesture of love. He is so much dominated by monetary interests and fails to appreciate the love that goes far beyond. He also pretends a false concern for the poor, a hypocritical show of goodness 9. What about our love and loyalty to the Lord? Three years in the intimate vicinity of the Lord as a disciple does not guarantee honesty and fidelity. Are we also the same as Judas, so self-interested and unstable, unfaithful and betraying? 10. The Pharisees and scribes get hardened and become evil-intentioned and criminal. They plot to terminate Jesus, out of jealousy and malice. What is our attitude and approach toward good persons and the good of others? IMPERATIVE: Let our hearts and families be welcome homes for Jesus. Let us nurture a deep personal love for him, in passionate Intimacy with him and fidelity to him 04 APRIL 2023: HOLY TUESDAY: ISAIAH 49. 1-6; JOHN 13. 21-33, 36-38 (REFLECTION 1) INDICATIVE: Betrayal is the most painful experience in human life. Lack of love and faith may be more tolerable and bearable than the betrayal of love and faith. This is the experience of Jesus 1. Jesus was deeply troubled in his spirit because he knew that he would be betrayed by one of his own core group. Jesus declares, “It is he to whom I will give the morsel of bread when I have dipped it”. Betrayal causes unbearable pain, especially when it is by one who was so close to us, whom we have trusted so much, whom we have given so much 2. What anguished him so much was not that he was betrayed but who betrayed him. Judas Iscariot had been specially chosen by the Lord; lived closely with Jesus; was taught a lot; also was entrusted with a key responsibility of money management as the procurator 3. But yet he betrayed. Why? The reason is also very clear in the gospel episode. “It was night” when Judas Iscariot left the company of Jesus. And night always has the connotation of darkness. So obviously, Judas who was walking in darkness betrayed Jesus who is the true light. Therefore, whenever we walk in the darkness, we will go against Jesus and become betrayers like Judas Iscariot 4. Judas was under the spell of Satan as it is mentioned, “Satan entered into him”. But it is disturbing to note that this happened “after he had taken the morsel”. Jesus shared the bread with him. It was a sign of closeness and belongingness. But this in no way prevents him from the evil act. This clearly indicates that mere external allegiance to Jesus is no guarantee of loyalty. Only a deeper and personal commitment can seal the relationship with Jesus 5. We also find the boastful claim of Peter, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you”. Jesus brings him to his senses, saying, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times”. This again shows that there are no guarantees for our unfailing loyalty. We are fragile and we can never depend totally on our own strength and claim to remain unshaken. IMPERATIVE: Our vulnerability will be much exposed and we will be prone to fall, especially in times of trial. So, it is better to cast our care on to the Lord and seek our strength from him (REFLECTION 2) INDICATIVE: God knows our human fragility and instability. He knows our wavering and fluctuating loyalty. He knows our tendencies for forsaking him and betraying him. Truly God is anguished. Yet, he never ceases to love us and keep us close to him 1. What a noble and indiscriminating heart of Jesus! He knew the mindset and hearts of his disciples, he knew about the impending denial and betrayal but he accepted all of them. He shares his love and closeness with them. He is deeply agonized and disturbed. But God never rejects us despite our unworthiness. He always offers us ample opportunities to be converted 2. What a heart-rending experience that there is treason from among the very close circle of Jesus itself! Judas Iscariot stayed with the Lord for 3 years. But, still, he could betray him. Being with Jesus, the true Light of the world did not lighten the life of Judas Iscariot. He continued to live in the "night" and "darkness". It is very interesting to note the detail that “after Judas shared the bread and wine with the Lord, Satan entered into him” 3. Therefore, it becomes very clear to us that mere external acts of moving together around Jesus or celebrating some spiritual or social moments with Jesus are no guarantee of closeness with Jesus. Let us not be presumptuous that our external allegiances to Jesus vouchsafe our fidelity 4. Then, like Peter, we too may be overconfident and over-complacent about the stability and fidelity of our discipleship. His denial clearly reminds us of our own fluctuating loyalties and unsteady faith. Mere feelings and sentiments, mere great desires, mere tall promises will not make us strong or prove us as faithful disciples 5. Let us humbly admit our human fragility. Let us feel and experience personally the anguish and inner trouble of Jesus on our behalf, due to our instability and infidelity. Let us surrender ourselves to the Lord and depend on him to strengthen our weak faith IMPERATIVE: Let us lay aside all our pretensions and presumptions in following the Lord. Let us be humble and honest to realize and admit our fragilities and fluctuations. Let us seek the Lord to solidify us. 05 APRIL 2023: HOLY WEDNESDAY: ISAIAH 50. 4-9; MATTHEW 26. 14-25 INDICATIVE: Evil forces will rise up against us more powerfully when we stand for God and His mission. Often all the evil forces will join together as a united force to combat the godly force 1. The scene is preparing rapidly for terminating Jesus. Judas Iscariot joins hands with the chief priests. He enters into a deal with them. Thirty pieces of silver for delivering Jesus over to them. How ironic it is that he is offering to kill the author of life! How ungrateful it is to do evil to the one who did only good to him! How cruel it is that a disciple who must constantly seek every opportunity to defend his master, is now seeking an opportunity to kill him! 2. But for his part, Jesus’ approach and dealing with him does not change. He knew the betrayer. He knew his evil intention and plans. Yet, he does not react or retort. He does not expose him. He does not betray him in the public. The disciple might fail but the master never fails 3. The figure of the suffering servant of Yahweh in the first reading perfectly fits Jesus. He is not rebellious. He did not turn backwards. He does not hide his face from disgrace. He is prepared to accept and bear everything. But it is not out of helplessness. He is not frustrated or depressed. He is composed 4. This composure and mental strength were possible only because of his total surrender and abandonment to God. He embodies the same depth of trust and entrustment of the suffering servant. “But the Lord God helps me. He who vindicates me is near. I will not be put to shame. Who will contend with me? Who is my adversary? Who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment” IMPERATIVE: When we meet with problems and suffering, what is our attitude and response? What is our approach and behaviour toward those who do harm to us? When tested, do we continue to trust and entrust ourselves to God? (REFLECTION 2) INDICATIVE: Adversities and afflictions will certainly assail us, especially when we stand with and for Jesus. But blessed is he who does not falter and defect from the path of the Lord! 1. We have a vivid picture of the suffering servant of Yahweh in the first reading from Isaiah. He faces enormous suffering and persecution. But he does not retaliate. He does not lose heart. He does not give up. Because he is deeply convinced that he is chosen and consecrated by God. He knows that it is God’s mission he is entrusted with. He knows that he will be guided and fortified by God’s own light and power. He is firmly rooted in God and is totally surrendered to Him. When God does assist him, nobody can resist him 2. Like the suffering servant, Jesus too is firmly rooted in God and committed to his mission. When God is his help, no opposition or affliction can deter him or shatter him. Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees gets intensified and aggravated. While Jesus' conviction to walk the way of his mission gets stronger, the evil intention of the Jewish authorities to persecute and kill him also gets more and more confirmed 3. Jesus very clearly analyses the grounds and reasons for his pathetic fate. The greatest reason is the contrast between them and him: they are from below, he is from above; they belong to the world, he belongs to God; they do not listen to God, do not please Him, while he listens to the Father and does what is pleasing to Him; they are enslaved to sin and die in sin, while he is the truth that sets us free and he gives the life of grace 4. Those who are focused on Jesus, raised on the cross, will live for eternity, while those who are caught up with the world, will remain bound and unliberated. Unless we live contrasting lives like Jesus, we cannot be liberated and receive salvation. IMPERATIVE: Suffering in itself is not meritorious. We suffer not because we are miserable people. But our suffering on behalf of God and good is meritorious and praiseworthy because it is salvific and relieves the burden of sin