Holy Week 2023 - Tuesday - Holy Oils and the beloved disciple

 

Tuesday of Holy Week is always a special day in the diocese of Cleveland. This evening, surrounded by his priests, deacons, and members of the faithful throughout the diocese, the bishop will celebrate the Chrism Mass. It is so called, of course, because at the Chrism Mass, the Bishop blesses the oils that will be used for the celebration of the sacraments throughout the diocese. And there are three such oils.

The first oil is the oil of the sick that will be used in hospitals, nursing homes, at death beds and healing services. Through the use of the oil of the sick, the infirmed and dying are united to the suffering Christ, comforted by his closeness, and given strength to bare their cross in union with him.

The second oil blessed at the Chrism mass is the oil of catechumens. As we heard yesterday, the Lord Jesus was anointed at Bethany by Mary before his death. So too, those preparing for baptism are anointed before they go down into the waters to die with Christ so that they may be raised with him. 

The third oil is the sacred Chrism. And that fragrant oil is used after baptism to more deeply associate the new Christian with Christ—the anointed one. Sacred Chrism is used at confirmation, to seal us with special gifts of the holy spirit for the carrying out of our Gospel mission, witnessing with our lives, like Christ to the Good News. Sacred Chrism is also used in Holy Orders, that deacons, priests, and bishops might pour themselves out in service to God and the Church, like Our Lord. 

It is fitting that during Holy Week we celebrate the Chrism Mass and the blessing of these oils, because these oils all remind us to more closely unite ourselves to Christ, and that’s certainly one of the themes of Holy Week. 

In the Gospel today, Peter boasts of how he will follow the Lord even unto death. But we know because of his human weakness and cowardice, Peter flees from the cross. Rather, it is the beloved disciple John, who reclined on the breast of Our Lord, near to his heart.

The Sacraments, especially those involving the oil that is blessed today, all help us to be more like John. John has placed his ear, his mind, his eyes, his senses as close to the heart of Jesus as possible, and he is filled with light and strength and courage to follow where none of the other apostles were able to go.

Please pray for the priests today we gather with the bishop, not only to witness the blessing of the oils, but also to renew our priestly promises. And pray for the Church of Cleveland today as a whole, that through the lasting effects of the holy anointings we have received, we will be ever-more united to Christ who is faithful to his Father’s will unto death for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Catechumens who will be baptized and confirmed this easter, that these final days of preparation may purify and enlighten them to follow Christ always and everywhere.

For the priests of the Diocese gathering today, that their time together will strengthen them, deepen their bonds of charity and faith, and renew them in their priestly commitments.

That in these final days of Lent we may have the strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Week 2022 - Tuesday - Song of Suffering and Glory

In the days of Holy Week, the Church presents select passages from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. These particular passages are known as the “Servant Songs”, and in these passages the prophet Isaiah depicts the Messiah as God’s faithful Servant through whom God would deliver the world from the prison of sin. There are four of these servant songs.

Yesterday, we heard from the first of the servant songs from Isaiah chapter 42: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased… I formed you, and set you… To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” God’s servant has a mission, and that first servant song foretells how that mission will be successful. 

Today we read a selection of the second servant song from isaiah chapter 49. Isaiah foretells how, God's servant will be successful and victorious in carrying out his mission, but he will also experience some difficulty, even feelings of failure. “I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength.” There were points in his ministry, where the Lord’s miracles and preaching were met, not with conversion and belief, but with hardness of heart and attempts to silence him. And then it appears that the servant feels defeated in the midst of this overwhelming task assigned to him by God. And yet, his discouragement is quickly transformed into confidence as he acknowledges that all he is doing and will do is for God’s sake and mission. Despite initial difficulties, the servant proclaims, “I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength!”

Now notice in the Gospel today, at the last supper, St. John tells us, Jesus was deeply troubled, he had intuited that one of his closest friends was going to betray him, and that the head of the apostles, Peter was going to deny him. After all this time, after all the miracles they had witnessed, how could these closest ones not get it. The words of the servant song, perhaps piercing his heart, “I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength.”

But just like the servant song, after speaking of discouragement, the Lord speaks of glory. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Even if his own friends betray him and abandon him, he will glorify God, God’s merciful love will be made known in Jesus’ Passion of Death, the mission will be victorious. 

It is good for us to ponder what was going on in the heart of the Lord during Holy Week, at the last supper, during his Passion. He, like us, knows what it means to overwhelmed, and troubled, and discouraged. But like Him, it is important to remember that when we are faithful, if we do the work, God will be glorified. In those low moments, like the suffering servant, we are to renew our confidence in God, that our reward is not an earthly one, but a heavenly one; that through our trials, God is our strength; and in our sufferings, we will be glorified with Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Week 2021 - Tuesday - 3 Responses to the Cross

 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, when discipleship becomes difficult and costly, 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. 

We’ve 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, a greed for money and material things that keep us from charity towards the poor.

How will we ever overcome our fear of the cross like Peter? How will we finally overcome those moments, when we, like Judas prefer darkness and sin to faithfulness and trust?

First, we must ask the Lord to increase our faith. Faithfulness to Jesus must become more important than anything else—any earthly pleasure, relationship, or activity. Pray to the Holy Spirit for faith. For Peter’s faith does not truly become rock-like, until the descent of the Spirit on Pentecost.

Secondly, practicing fasting,  abstinence, mortification, acts of humility, and acts of mercy, not just through Lent but throughout the whole year, increases our hope. Our hope is not in the passing things of earth, but in the promises of Christ. As hope increases our fear of the cross decreases. So, small sufferings and humiliations prepare us for willingness for sacrifice in larger things, and increase our hope for life eternal. 

Thirdly, we must like John, lay our heads on the chest of Jesus in daily prayer.  In prayer, our love for Jesus in increases. If you are not putting your ear next to Jesus heart, how can you learn to love him and love others as he loves? Getting serious about prayer, especially fervent devotion to the Mother of Jesus, like St. John, will help increase our love.

Faith, hope, and love. The three theological virtues unite us with the life of God.

As we enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum—may our faith, hope, and love increase, that we may have the courage to journey with Jesus to the cross, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to grant all necessary graces to the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Week 2019 - Tuesday - The Confidence of the Suffering Servant

In the days of Holy Week, the Church presents select passages from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. These particular passages are known as the “Servant Songs”, and in these passages the prophet Isaiah foresees the service, suffering, and exaltation of the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. The four Servant songs of Isaiah depict the Messiah as God’s faithful, meek and gentle Servant. He is a royal figure, representing Israel in its ideal, most faithful form; He is the high priest, atoning for the sins of the world. Isaiah predicts that this Servant of God would deliver the world from the prison of sin.

Today’s passage is from the second of the four Servant Songs. Where in the first song, we are introduced to God’s servant as the restorer of Israel and a light to the nations, in this second song, there is a discordant note. Though he labors faithfully for the Lord, it appears at times, that his labors are in vain, his work is obstructed. He laments, “I have labored in vain; / I have spent my strength for nothing at all” He feels useless in the midst of this overwhelming task assigned to him by God. And yet, his discouragement is quickly transformed into confidence as he acknowledges that all he is doing and will do is for God’s sake and mission.

This servant song gives us a glimpse into the heart of Jesus the Messiah, who faces opposition from the powers of darkness, even from within his own band of friends, as we hear in the Gospel today. From his closest companions he will experience betrayal and denial. And the cross will appear to many as failure. But we know, that the cross does not end in defeat. And that those who believe in him, “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Being a Christian, following Christ often feels like an overwhelming task. How can I possibly love my neighbor as he loves? How can I possibly overcome my tremendous temptations? How can I possibly fulfill the demands my vocation makes on me? Or how often does it feel like defeat when family members continue to live outside of the Church after all of our prayers and efforts.

And yet, in those low moments, like the suffering servant, we are to renew our confidence in God, that our reward is not an earthly one, but a heavenly one, that through our sufferings we are “made glorious”, and that in our trials, “God is now my strength.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For increased faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity.

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For the conversion of our persecutors, for the grace to forgive our enemies, and forbearance in our trials.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Week 2018 - Tuesday - The Greed of Judas and the Love of Jesus

When Jesus announced that one of his disciples would betray Him, the 12 were befuddled. How could one of their own be responsible for betraying the master? Each of the apostles had their flaws, of course. Some were a bit hotheaded or slow to understand Jesus’ mission and identity. But, who would willingly and knowingly place their own will in competition with Christ’s? No one would be that arrogant, would they?

The Apostle Judas was likely a very capable young man. He was given a position of some importance, to carry the money purse. He was trusted by his fellow apostles. He had been sent out, by Jesus, just like the others: to heal the sick and cast out demons and preach repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God. He was trusted, loved, he was called “friend” and “brother.”

How did Judas go from trusted apostle to committing the worst of betrayals?

Yesterday, we heard how Judas objected to the extravagant display of affection for Jesus, when Mary anointed the Lord’s feet with expensive oil and dried them with her hair. The oil, Judas explained, could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor. St. John tells us, his objection was not because Judas actually cared for the poor, but because he was a thief—he stole, he was greedy.
Judas’ selfishness and greed became the opening for Satan to enter Judas, to use Judas as his instrument. Satan, who himself betrayed God, who sought to obstruct the plans of God, attempted to use Judas for the same end.

If it can happen to an apostle, it can happen to us. The devil will always try to exploit our selfishness. He uses human selfishness to cause divisions in marriage, friendships, faith communities anywhere there is good, he will try to pervert--through even the small acts of selfishness you try to justify to ourselves.

Judas’ greed is contrasted in the Gospel with the lavish love that should flow from faith, as seen yesterday in Mary of Bethany’s generosity in anointing Jesus, which is seen ultimately, in Jesus’ self-donation on the Cross, his embrace of suffering for us poor sinners.

Judas “cared not for the poor,” only for himself.

In these final days of Holy Week, may we acknowledge our selfishness, our failure to emulate Jesus’ outpouring of love, and pray and do penance for those times, those relationships in which we’ve allowed greed to reign.

We trust the Lord does forgive us, when we repent, as Judas failed to do, because the Lord loves us, and desires not the death of the sinner, but his conversion.

May we open our hearts to growing in the selfless charity of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our Bishop, priests, and all of the faithful who will gather this evening for the Chrism Mass, and that the Charity of the Church of Cleveland may overflow like precious oil.

That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity.

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.