1 March 30- April 4: March 30 Monday: (Holy Week)L n 12: 1-11: 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. 8 The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." 9 10 The context: The scene depicted in today's Gospel reading took place exactly one week before the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was anointed on two different occasions -- first, at the start of His public ministry, in Galilee, as recounted by St. Luke (7:36-50: anointed by repentant sinful woman in the house of a Pharisee), and, second, towards the end of his life, in Bethany, reported here by St. John. Instead of brooding over the sufferings and death waiting for Him, Jesus, along with His Apostles, enjoyed a party given for His friend, Lazarus by his family and friends. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. Probably He halted in Bethany, both because Jerusalem was overcrowded, and because Jesus wanted to spend time in with His closest friends. The Gospel summarizes two attitudes: Mary s and Judas. Mary expressed her love for Jesus and her gratitude to God by an extravagant action. Before all the Apostles, she anointed Jesus feet with nard, a very costly perfume worth the wage of a laborer for 300 days, then wiped them with her hair. Her lovely deed shows the extravagance of love. Judas on the other hand criticized Mary for spending so much on perfume, suggesting that the money could have been used to help the poor. Mary s action was extravagant, but her motive justified it. However, Judas motive in suggesting the good action of helping the poor was selfish and impure, spoiling the action. Life messages: 1) How are we planning to express our love and gratitude to Jesus during this Holy Week for what He did for us centuries ago and for what He continues to do for us? a) He poured out His Blood for us and for our salvation. b) He anointed us with His Holy Spirit and made us the Temple of His Spirit. c) He continues to nourish us with His Body and Blood through the Holy Eucharist. 2. We can express our love and gratitude to our Savior Jesus during Holy Week a) by spending more time in prayer and adoration, b) by doing acts of penance for our past sins and c) by actively engaging in acts of loving and humble service.
2 March 31 Tuesday: John 13: 21-33, 36-38: 21 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; 24 so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks." 25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 38. The context: In today s Gospel, we hear Jesus loving appeal to two of his chosen Apostles, Judas and Peter, who represent hard-heartedness and repentance respectively. Judas was a perfect actor and an accomplished hypocrite who could hide his motives from all except Jesus. He deliberately betrayed Jesus for money. Peter on the other hand was simple at heart, a deeply emotional disciple who really loved Jesus. (A) Judas a model of hard-heartedness: Jesus showed his last act of love for Judas a) By allowing him to sit at His left so that Jesus could rest His head on his chest during the Last Supper. b) By giving him the first piece of bread from Jesus plate, as a sign of honor. c) By making Judas the treasurer of the group and the keeper of money received as an offering to the rabbi from the people, thus giving everyone a sign of His trust and confidence in Judas. But Jesus could not save Judas because of his hard-heartedness and greed for money. Judas probably expected the triumphant Messiah in Jesus and hoped to rule Israel with Him as His finance minister. If so, he must have been totally disillusioned when Jesus predicted His suffering and shameful death. This might have prompted him to betray Jesus. We, too, can become hard-hearted like Judas when we have become addicted to evil habits, and we can refuse Jesus call for repentance and conversion even during Holy Week. (B) Peter a model of true repentance: Peter showed good will and generosity in repenting of his sin denying Jesus out of weakness by weeping bitterly and finally by suffering a martyr s death for his Faith in Jesus. Life messages: 1) Let us imitate Peter by repenting of our choices against Jesus and His ideals in our day-to-day lives. 2) Let us also ask God to liberate us from our evil habits and addictions before they make us hard-hearted. 3) Just as Jesus considered death on the cross as His glory, let us consider humble, committed and sacrificial service for others as our glory and learn to love others as Jesus loves us.
3 April 1 Wednesday: Matt 26: 14-25: 14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21 and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. 24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." The context: Today is traditionally known as Spy Wednesday, and was known to Christians as early as 250AD as the the day of betrayal. Today s Gospel describes how Judas secretly planned to betray Jesus for thirty silver pieces (the price of a slave), and how he was seeking an opportunity to betray his master. We also learn how Jesus made arrangements for celebrating His last Passover supper with His disciples in a house prearranged by Him. In Jesus' time, the Passover supper was celebrated on the first day of the week of Unleavened Bread. During the meal, Jesus dramatically declared that one of the disciples was planning to betray Him and hinted that it was Judas. Bible scholars suggest three reasons why Judas betrayed Jesus. The primary reason seems to have been his greed for money. John tells us that Judas used to steal from the common fund. Bitter hatred due to disillusionment might have been a second reason. As a zealot who hated the Romans, Judas might have expected that his master would overthrow the Romans using His divine power. A third reason may have been that Judas dreamt that his betrayal would give Jesus an occasion to fight back and conquer the Romans. That may be the reason why he committed suicide when he saw Jesus arrested without any resistance from Him. Life messages: 1) We, too, can betray Jesus and His ideals for money, for power and influence and for selfish pleasure. 2) Holy Week is the time to assess our life, examine our conscience, do penance for our infidelity and make practical resolutions to reform our lives with God s help.
4 April 2: Holy Thursday: HOLY THURSDAY EVENING MASS (April 2): Homily Synopsis- L-15 Introduction: On Holy Thursday we celebrate three anniversaries: 1) the anniversary of the first Holy Mass, 2) the anniversary of the institution of ministerial priesthood in order to perpetuate the Holy Mass, convey God s forgiveness to repentant sinners and preach the Good News of Salvation, 3) the anniversary of Jesus promulgation of His new commandment of love: Love one another as I have loved you. Today we remember how Jesus transformed the Jewish Passover into the New Testament Passover. The Jewish Passover was, in fact, a joint celebration of two ancient thanksgiving celebrations. The descendants of Abel, who were shepherds, used to lead their sheep from the winter pastures to the summer pastures after the sacrificial offering of a lamb to God. They called this celebration the Pass over." On the other hand, the descendants of Cain, who were farmers, held a harvest festival called the Massoth in which they offered unleavened bread to God as an act of thanksgiving. The Passover feast of the Israelites (Exodus 12:26-37) was a harmonious combination of these two ancient feasts of thanksgiving, commanded by the Lord God to be celebrated yearly by all Israelites in order that they may thank God for the miraculous liberation of their ancestors from Egypt and their exodus from slavery to the Promised Land. Scripture lessons: In the first reading, God gives the Hebrews two instructions: prepare for the moment of liberation by a ritual meal and make a symbolic mark on your homes to exempt yourselves from the coming slaughter. In the second reading, Paul suggests that the celebration of the Lord's Supper was an unbroken tradition from the very beginning of the Church. By it, Christians reminded themselves of the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Today s Gospel describes how Jesus transformed the Jewish Passover into the Eucharistic celebration. After washing the feet of His Apostles and commanding them to do humble, loving service for each other, Jesus concluded the ceremony by giving His Apostles His own Body and Blood under the appearances of bread and wine as spiritual food and drink, in addition to serving the roasted Paschal lamb. Life Messages: 1) A challenge for humble service. Our celebration of the Eucharist requires that we wash one another s feet, i.e., serve one another, and revere Christ's presence in other persons. In practical terms, that means we are to consider their needs to be as important as our own and to meet their needs, without expecting any reward. 2) A loving invitation for sacrificial sharing and selfgiving love. Let us imitate the Self-giving model of Jesus Who shares with us His own Body and Blood and Who enriches us with His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. It is by sharing our blessings our talents, time, health and wealth - with others that we become true disciples of Christ and obey his new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. 3) An invitation to become Christ-bearers and Christ-conveyers: "Go forth, the Mass is ended," really means, Go in peace to love and serve one another We are to carry Jesus to our homes and places of work, conveying to others around us the love, mercy, forgiveness and spirit of humble service of Christ Whom we carry with us.
5 April 3 Good Friday: One page synopsis of Good Friday homily on "It is finished" Tetelestai: At three o clock, Jesus said He was thirsty. A soldier fixed a sponge on a spear and held it up to His lips. He took it (John 19: 30). Then, straining to raise His head and to look up to heaven Jesus said: m shaalam "It is finished." Then he bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John wrote his Gospel in Greek, and those last words of Jesus are just one word in Greek tetelestai (pronounced te-tel-es-sty).the expression "It is finished," or tetelestai was well known to the Palestinians because it was a part of everyday language. When Jesus had put the final touches on an agricultural instrument in his carpentry shop, he would stand up and declare to his mother in Aramaic, m shaalam" (tetelestai in Greek), -- is lunch ready, Mom?" When the Palestinians paid their tax, the officer would say tetelestai, paid in full. What did Jesus tetelestai mean? 1) Tetelestai - A perfect sacrifice of atonement is finished: What Jesus really meant was that His job of saving the world had been completed by His offering of Himself on the cross as a perfect sacrifice. Jesus had paid the price in full he had cancelled all of the debt mankind owed to God. His sacrifice had been a perfect one, acceptable to the heavenly Father. That is why Isaiah 53:10 calls our Savior a guilt offering; John the Baptist calls Him the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29); and Paul calls him a sacrifice of atonement, (Romans 3:25), a sin offering, (Romans 8:3). 2) Tetelestai - Reconciliation is accomplished: Sin had separated us from God, and if we were to have any hope of going to heaven to be with God, then someone, both human and Divine, had to deal with sin in order to restore our relationship with God. So God sent his Son into the world for this very purpose. Jesus died on the cross to get rid of the power of sin to condemn us. "For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). 3) Tetelestai - The ransom is paid: In his Gospel, Mark uses this Roman legal terminology for the freeing of slaves when he quotes Jesus: "the Son of Man came... to give his life as a ransom for many." The only way in which the satisfaction could be made for the debt we owed to Divine justice by our sin was by the coming and death and resurrection of a Redeemer Who was both God and man. 4) Tetelestai - An exemplary atonement is made demonstrating the depth of God s love for man. St. Paul writes: "God has shown us how much He loves us it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! We were God's enemies, but He made us His friends through the death of His Son." (Romans 5:8, 10). 5) Tetelestai - God s solidarity with suffering humanity is demonstrated. Although God could have saved humanity in any number of ways, He allowed a cruel execution for His only Son to show His solidarity with suffering humanity. This gift enables us to find meaning for our own sufferings in the sufferings of Christ. Jesus' announcement, tetelestai, "It is finished" is clear and simple. Jesus had completed His task of reconciling sinful humanity with God thus enhancing our eternal salvation. Let us pray for the grace to welcome our crosses, as Jesus did, for the atonement of our sins and those of others, and let us experience that sacrificial love and share it with others. (Fr. Tony) L/15
6 April 4 Holy Saturday: Holy Saturday: (Mt 28. 1-10) synopsis I- A day to remember the burial of Jesus. (The early Church commemorated the death of Jesus on Good Friday, the burial of Jesus on Holy Saturday and the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday) II- Church. Good Friday and Holy Saturday were days of full fasting in the early III- A day for Baptism. After A.D. 313 when the Church got freedom of religious practice from Emperor Constantine, Holy Saturday was the day to receive the catechumens into the Church after their three years of preparation. The ceremony was meant to remind them that they had become dead to their former Gentile life by immersing themselves in water and that they had emerged in to a new life in Jesus Christ by rising up from the water. IV- A day for blessing Baptismal water. The catechumens returned the Book of Creed (catechism book) to the Bishop in a morning ceremony. In the evening the Bishop blessed the Baptismal water. V- A day for lighting the Easter candle. The Bishop re-ignited the fire extinguished on Holy Thursday and lit the Easter candle to represent Jesus as the Light of the world." Imitating the Jewish custom of the ceremonial lighting of Sabbath lamps on Friday evenings, the early Christians lighted and displayed lamps on Saturday evenings to honor Jesus as the Light of the world. VI- A day to read I Peter 2:9 reminding the people of their worth and dignity as the chosen people of God, sanctified, appropriated by God and honored with the royal priesthood. VII- A day of renewing the Baptismal promises. The people were asked to repeat their Baptismal promises, rejecting Satan and his empty promises and accepting Jesus as the Lord and Savior and then to revest with the new man after they had removed the vestments of the old man. Life Messages: 1) We need to receive God s message of expectation, change of heart and new life. 2) We need to lead a new life with the Risen Lord by dying to sinful life. 3) We need to live this new life recognizing the nobility of Christians as children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus and members of the Mystical Body of Jesus.