 | Actions Speak Louder than Words "Today, at this moment, as I perform the same act as Jesus by washing the feet of you twelve, we are all engaged in the act of brotherhood, and we are all saying: 'We are diverse, we are different, we have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and sisters and we want to live in peace.' This is the act that I carry out with you. Each of us has a history on our shoulders, each of you has a history on your shoulders: so many crosses, so much pain, but also an open heart that wants brotherhood. —Pope Francis Perhaps no action by Pope Francis has generated as much astonishment in the press (and perhaps in the Church!) as his washing the feet of prisoners—men, women, Christian, Muslim. A ritual that has at times become an honor for the elite once again returns to what Jesus intended: "As I have done, so you must do." In his preaching on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis draws attention to the difference between the acts of Judas and Jesus at the Last Supper. The Holy Thursday liturgy is marked by the ritual gesture of the washing of the feet. We think of it as the institution of the Eucharist, and it is that as well. But the central action of service reminds us that our communion is more than a meal, more than nourishment for our bodies and souls. It's the act of taking on the mission, the ministry, the very body of Christ. And it is a challenge to us to remain in communion not only with one another, but with all people of the world. Our unity is far from perfect, but today's liturgy reminds us that if we are not always working toward that unity, then, like Judas, we are finding excuses to betray Christ's ideals. Today we enter into the holiest days of our Church year. We celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the act that changed the very nature of human reality. Take some time to explore the way other religions similarly call their people to do loving acts of service for others. The more we know about those whose faith differs from ours, the more we will discover the common bonds that unite us. — from the book The Hope of Lent: Daily Reflections from Pope Francis, by Diane M. Houdek |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire."
— St. Vincent Ferrer † Meditation of the Day
"The soul that does not attach itself solely to the will of God will find neither satisfaction nor sanctification in any other means, however excellent by which it may attempt to gain them. If that which God Himself chooses for you does not content you, from whom do you expect to obtain what you desire? ...It is only just, therefore, that the soul that is dissatisfied with the divine action for each present moment should be punished by being unable to find happiness in anything else."
—Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p. 14
An Excerpt From
Abandonment to Divine Providence .................................
Today's Feast Day
Feast Day Holy Thursday On Thursday of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday) the Church celebrates the three pillars of the Catholic Church instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper: the priesthood, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Holy Eucharist. This is the traditional day for priests to gather with their bishop at the Chrism Mass, to receive oils blessed by the bishop and to publicly renew their priestly promises. In the evening the Church celebrates the Mass of the Lord's Supper. After this Mass the altar is stripped bare and the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the Tabernacle and processed to a separate altar of repose. Here the Blessed Sacrament is adored until late in the night to commemorate the time Jesus spent in Garden of Gethsemane in agonizing prayer, the start of his Passion. The Blessed Sacrament is then taken away and hidden until the Easter Vigil in memory of Our Lord's death and burial.
. . . . . . †Verse of the Day
"Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication. In the day of my trouble I call on thee, for thou dost answer me."
Psalm 86:4-7 |  click to read more | | Bl. Anacleto Gonzalez Flores Bl. Anacleto Gonzalez Flores (1888–1927) was the second of twelve children born to a poor family in Jalisco, Mexico. He was baptized the day after his birth. As he grew, a priest recognized his intelligence and recommended that he enter the seminary. Anacleto studied there for a time before discerning that he was not called to the priesthood. Instead he became an attorney, husband, and father, as well as an activist for his Catholic faith. He was a prolific writer and dedicated catechism teacher, and attended daily Mass. He joined the Catholic Association of Young Mexicans (ACJM) in addition to starting another Catholic lay organization committed to resisting the fierce persecution of the Catholic Church under the infamous Mexican dictator, Calles. Initially he participated only in the non-violent resistance against Calles, until four members of the ACJM were murdered in 1926. Their deaths spurred Anacleto to lend support to the armed resistance movement. Anacleto did not take up arms but instead gave speeches to encourage Catholics to support the Cristeros, the Catholic army fighting against Calles. Anacleto was captured during the Cristero War on April 1, 1927, and was brutally tortured before being martyred by firing squad. His feast day is April 1st. | Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper Lectionary: 39
Reading I Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;
you shall reckon it the first month of the year.
Tell the whole community of Israel:
On the tenth of this month every one of your families
must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb,
it shall join the nearest household in procuring one
and shall share in the lamb
in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month,
and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present,
it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. "This is how you are to eat it:
with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,
you shall eat like those who are in flight.
It is the Passover of the LORD.
For on this same night I will go through Egypt,
striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast,
and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!
But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you. "This day shall be a memorial feast for you,
which all your generations shall celebrate
with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution." Responsorial Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 R. (cf. 1 Cor 10:16) Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ. Reading II 1 Cor 11:23-26 Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Verse Before the Gospel Jn 13:34 I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you. Gospel Jn 13:1-15 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper,
fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples' feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
"Master, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later."
Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet."
Jesus answered him,
"Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me."
Simon Peter said to him,
"Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well."
Jesus said to him,
"Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over;
so you are clean, but not all."
For he knew who would betray him;
for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean." So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another's feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do." | Daily Meditation: John 13:1-15 He loved them to the end. (John 13:1) In Jewish families, the youngest child plays an important role at the Passover seder. The child asks, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" And so begins the family's remembrance of all God did to save the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Today we also celebrate a night different from all others. With awe and gratitude, we remember the night that Jesus entered his passion. The night he saved us from slavery to sin and death. The night he loved us "to the end" (John 13:1). "Lord Jesus, I marvel at your humility. On this night, though your heart was heavy with the suffering to come, you didn't think of yourself. Instead, you took on the role of a servant. You, who sustain the very universe, knelt and washed the feet of men who would betray you, deny you, and abandon you in your hour of need. You humbled yourself and showed us what it means to be great in the kingdom of God. You showed us how to love. You loved us to the end. "Lord Jesus, I stand amazed at your generosity. On this night, knowing that you were returning to the Father, you broke bread and shared wine with your disciples. You, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, gave us your own Body and Blood in the Eucharist. You held nothing back. You gave yourself to us, a sacrifice that nourishes us and unites us to you and the Father until you come again. You loved us to the end. "Lord Jesus, I am silenced by your obedience. On this night in Gethsemane, you prayed in agony and abandoned yourself to your Father while your disciples slept. You, who could have summoned legions of angels to save you, embraced your Father's will to save us. You freely gave yourself into the hands of sinners, knowing that it would mean accepting death on a cross. You looked upon your betrayer, your fleeing disciples, your accusers, your torturers, as well as us. You, who never sinned, chose to offer yourself for our sins. Like a sheep to the slaughter, you loved us to the end. "Thank you, Jesus, for loving me to the end." Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 | Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18 | 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 |  clickable | Living gratefully requires practice. It takes sustained effort to reclaim my whole past as the concrete way God has led me to this moment. For in doing so I must face not only today's hurts, but the past's experiences of rejection or abandonment or failure or fear.
— Henri Nouwen | my2cents:
"This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution."
And the memorial feast for all generations continues, this time, in Heavenly union with our Lord and God our Father.
And you are invited, believe it or not, to this Sacred Feast, which was instituted with Israel and now Christ, on Holy Thursday. And every day the feast is opened to those who would like. It's called...Holy Mass the Eucharist being the ultimate Summit of our Catholic Faith. And there are different occasions the Mass is offered, and tonight...for none other than the institution of priests, the Lord's institution of the Holy Eucharist and what is known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. And for the life of me, I cannot get why it is not obligation. Perhaps, because the obligation is moved to Sunday, every single Sunday of the year, which is right, but tonight is so very special. We wash each other's feet. And we eat. | We pray today: "To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ."
The Holy Sacraments are vows. They are institutions. They are promises. They are an incorporation. And they are the institution of Grace. Think of this when we receive Him. It is a renewal of our nuptial vow with Him. He is the groom, not erotic or romantic, but bound with us in the Holy Eucharist and Sacraments. He binds Himself to us. And we wrap our mouth around Him in the Eucharist. And He enters our soul. It is sweet and sour. Sweet to the palate like honey, but sour to the stomach, because bones begin to moan, and He cannot sit still, He desires to envelop the world on fire. | Our Lord said:
"What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later."
And He washed their feet. We never hear about when the disciples actually understood the washing of the feet. Was it when He explained "If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." Did they understand then? Do you understand what this model means? We may think we do, and we may have a hint. But there's more to it I bet. It must go deeper. It becomes a message of slavery. Oh the world hates that term, because it means submitting to another person's will. Our libertarian world wants freedom from morality. They want laws to say whatever they want, and not what God really wants. Yet, our Lord left the model intact. "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." And that would be the message of the washing of feet. Only a slave knows what it is like to be beat up for no reason. Only a slave knows what it is like to be falsely accused. Only a slave has whipping scars on their back. Only a slave is forced to feed the Master even though they just came in from working all day in the field, starving to death. Only a slave waits on the Lord until he is finished and is expected to be a good servant the entire time. Do you understand a little more now my child? | Holy Scripture says that our Lord washed the feet because we are not all clean. And they say it is because He knew one would betray Him. Yet, our Lord washed his feet. Didn't He? What is it like? I remember washing feet of prisoners in a retreat, and by the end of the retreat, I felt one of them really disliked me, because I had spoken with truth "you are not ready for freedom". Bitter hatred made the Muslim puff up and swell up with what seemed guttural hatred towards me. And that was proof of what I said. I didn't threaten him. I didn't insult him. I simply saw the truth, and for that, I would be punished it seemed. And so our Lord was treated. He didn't threaten, didn't insult anyone, but they felt insulted because of the respect they thought was due to them, and proof of this is when our Lord was indeed backhanded across the face for seemingly insulting a "High Priest". Our Lord answered "Jesus replied, "If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?". Yet, our Lord washes the feet of Judas. He stoops "so low" as people say. Most wouldn't stoop that low for a sinner. But Jesus does. He does it so that as it says in the Bible, "that we might be saved". In hindsight we would say it is destiny. But that's not how things work. We have a choice. I spoke at my brother in law's funeral service last night and I mentioned that we are all free to choose our Lord or not. Judas chose not. Some would argue otherwise, but when we sin, when we go against our Lord, it is to not choose Him. And to not choose Him means to choose the darkness of the night.
Unless, we repent. I was pondering this week as I released a video about confessions, look for it called "My Father's Miracle quick call" on Youtube. I was thinking about how Confessions have changed my life. Like prunings of a tree as it grows. Can a tree go to prune itself? This one can. You can prune yourself of sin that causes death, that darkness we spoke about.
And the other Sacrament? The Holy Eucharist. Nourishment for the tree at its core. Only then does life begin to grow. Because our Lord attaches Himself to the tree. And then we are set free. It is called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Holy Eucharist. He cleans our feet, and then we eat. What a slave.
What a slave of great Love! Lord, You My Father wash my feet. You are amazing and I'm forever grateful. May I learn to be a slave like You, every day and forever more. Thank You. Eucharist means Thank YOU! | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian | Random online bible verse from a random verse generator: WOW!!!
Romans 12:10
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
