Homily: Tuesday of Holy Week 2016 - 3 Holy Week Responses to Jesus

Each of the Gospels relate scenes from the night before Jesus died.  On this Tuesday of Holy Week, we are taken to the table of the Last Supper, where Jesus predicts his death and his betrayal.

Three characters have three different responses to Jesus: John, the beloved disciples lays his head on Jesus’ chest .  Peter, confesses his desire to follow Jesus even unto death, but at the sight of the cross flees in fear.  And Judas, with betrayal in his heart goes into the night. 

Sometimes we are like John: we have moments of great intimacy with Jesus, of deep prayer and unshakable love for the Lord.  Of all the apostles, it is John who stands at the cross with the Blessed mother. 

Sometimes, we are like Peter: we can be so pious and enthusiastic one moment, saying, “Master, I will lay down my life for you”, and then the next moment we are running away in fear.

And then sometimes we are like the silent Judas, rejecting the light and slinking off into the darkness—to sin.

At this Holy Mass, we are like those disciples at the Last Supper: some of us are drawing near to Jesus as we should, like John, some of us are enthusiastic initially, like Peter, but at the sight of the cross, we run away, and some of us may even be like Judas, not willing to give up our sin.

We have all been like Judas, from time to time. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we betray him often for so much less, a moment of passing pleasure, a juicy morsel of gossip shared on social media, sports practice instead of attending Sunday Mass. 

How will we ever stop acting like Judas and more like John, however will we get over our fear of the cross, and instead of lip service, like Peter, we really do come to lay down our life for the Lord?

First, we must count our faith, our relationship with Jesus more valuable than anything.  Being faithful is more valuable than any sports trophy, than any passing pleasure.

Secondly, we must like John, lay our heads on the chest of Jesus in daily prayer.  If you are not putting your ear next to Jesus heart, how can you learn to love him and love others as he loves?

Thirdly, practicing fasting and abstinence and acts of mercy, not just through Lent but throughout the whole year, helps us to overcome our fear of the cross. When we can practice sacrifice in small things, we become more willing to practice it in larger things.

As we prepare to enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum, may we continue to be strengthened in our love for him as we journey with him to the cross, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.