April 7 reflection by Deacon Jerry
April 7th Reflection for Tuesday of Holy Week
Isaiah 49:1-6 John 13:21-33,36-38
Today is Tuesday of Holy Week. Fr. John in his reflection on April 4th reflects on the holiness of Holy week, and how it pertains to us as Catholics. If you did not listen to it I encourage you to do so.
Today’s readings begin to dig a little deeper and draws us closer to the events that will change the course of humankind. This past Sunday, Passion Sunday we heard the story of Jesus’s betrayal, suffering and death.
All of humankind played an integral part in Jesus’s death. I think that this is very important to understand and to accept. Sin, mankind’s sin nailed Jesus to that tree, and that should make us feel uneasy, sorrowful, and heartbroken.
Holy Week though gives us hope, it gives us the strength, courage, and a softening of heart to accept that, without the crucifixion, there cannot be resurrection, that without death, there would not have been opened the window for new life, eternal life with God.
The Prophet Isaiah in todays first reading speaks to any number of persons, he might have been speaking to the nation of Israel, he could have been speaking about Jesus himself as “servant”, Isaiah might be speaking to us. Since this Holy Week is going to be one like that we have never experienced before we have been gifted with some extra free time and an unreal stillness to read and reflect on Isaiah’s words and how we can live our life in this crazy time according to God’s plan. Hear these words, feel these words, be these words.
“ The lord called me from birth, from my mothers womb he gave me my name.”
He created us, he named us, and he knows us. What does he expect of us?
“He made me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow. You are my servant, through whom I show my glory.”
Like Peter and Judas, God created us and we have been given the grace of free will, but
by the fall of man, through Adam, sin entered the world, we are born with sin, and sin and the evil one is still with us today, trying to dull the edge of our spiritual and earthly life by the separation from our faith community, from the Eucharist and by our presence at the sacrifice of the mass.
Jesus’s death and resurrection triumphs over sin and death, the gates of heaven, which were closed by the sin of Adam, will now be thrown open for us by the resurrection. We all should want to walk with and be with Jesus in these next few days. To watch and pray, to be there when they nailed him to the cross, to be there when they laid him in the tomb.
We may seem alone during this brief pause of our lives but know and understand that we are still a community, a holy and catholic community bound together by Gods mercy and love. If we continue to pray, to reflect, and to live as his servant who has been sharpened and polished by our creator, we will all experience His goodness of Easter morning.
St. Augustine said, “The Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the hope of glory and a lesson in patience.”
Peace and God’s love to all of you and know that you are missed.
Deacon Jerry
P.S. Attached is a rendition of a hymn that moves to tears me every Good Friday.