March 31, 2015 Tuesday: Holy Week
A lenten Pilgrimage
Tuesday of Holy Week
March 31, 2015
In two ways, Jesus tried to dissuade Judas from betraying Him. First, Judas was certainly seated or was reclining nearest the Lord for our Lord would not have been able to speak to Judas in private without the others overhearing the conversation. The sign is clear that such an arrangement during the Last Supper indicated that our Lord considered Judas an intimate friend. Second, our Lord’s gesture of offering Judas a morsel of food was, in the Jewish society, an act done by one who considered the other a genuine friend. Very sadly, Judas rejected these acts of our Lord’s reaching in love and compassion.
How often have we ourselves rejected God’s invitation to conversion? On this Holy Tuesday, indeed during these days of Holy Week, this reaching out of God to us is most vividly portrayed. Let us grab such a blessed opportunity. Such an opportunity can come in a form of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation during one of these days. It may be a call to offer a form of sacrifice like giving up some pride on our part and forgive someone whom we have been at odds with for quite some time. Of course, praying should characterize these holy days. Truly, the words said when we began the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday “Repent and believe the gospel” ring most true and loud for all of us during these holy days. (Fr. Emmanuel Meguito, SVD Bible Diary 2004)
Tuesday of Holy Week
March 31, 2015
In two ways, Jesus tried to dissuade Judas from betraying Him. First, Judas was certainly seated or was reclining nearest the Lord for our Lord would not have been able to speak to Judas in private without the others overhearing the conversation. The sign is clear that such an arrangement during the Last Supper indicated that our Lord considered Judas an intimate friend. Second, our Lord’s gesture of offering Judas a morsel of food was, in the Jewish society, an act done by one who considered the other a genuine friend. Very sadly, Judas rejected these acts of our Lord’s reaching in love and compassion.
How often have we ourselves rejected God’s invitation to conversion? On this Holy Tuesday, indeed during these days of Holy Week, this reaching out of God to us is most vividly portrayed. Let us grab such a blessed opportunity. Such an opportunity can come in a form of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation during one of these days. It may be a call to offer a form of sacrifice like giving up some pride on our part and forgive someone whom we have been at odds with for quite some time. Of course, praying should characterize these holy days. Truly, the words said when we began the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday “Repent and believe the gospel” ring most true and loud for all of us during these holy days. (Fr. Emmanuel Meguito, SVD Bible Diary 2004)
