Lenten Meditations – 20 March – With Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ”
“Short Meditations for Lent”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Thursday after the Second Sunday in Lent
The Apprehension of Jesus
Read St John xviii:2-11
(Posted at the end)
+1. When Judas had given to his Master the traitor’s kiss, Our Lord, knowing that His hour was come, boldly advanced to meet His enemies and told them that He was Jesus of Nazareth. At this word, they recoiled backward and fell to the ground. If this was the result of Our Lord’s presenting Himself to them in His humiliation and abasement, what will be the terror and the dread of sinners, when He comes again in all His glory?
O my God, grant that I may have no sin upon my soul no debt still to pay when I appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ!
+2. The soldiers then advanced to seize Jesus. St Peter, with impetuous courage and loyalty, draws his sword and attackrf the servants of the high -priest and in the affray, cuts off the ear of one of them. But Our Lord rebukes him and bids him put his sword back into the scabbard. His loyalty was natural, not supernatural and it did not endure long in the face of danger.
Natural motives, however good, will not serve the cause of God.
+3. When Our Lord was in the hands of His enemies, all the Apostles forsook Him and fled. Not one was found to remain by His side in His abandonment. It was the Will of God that He should suffer alone.
“I looked about and there was none to help; I sought and there was none to give aid.”
Christ then suffered alone and He can sympathise with that loneliness in suffering which adds so much to its bitterness.
[2]There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, who is called Didymus, and Nathanael, who was of Cana of Galilee, nd the sons of Zebedee and two others disciples. [3] Simon Peter saith to them: I go fishing. They say to him: We also come with thee. And they went forth and entered into the ship and that night. they caught nothing. [4] But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore, yet, the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. [5] Jesus ,therefore, said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered him: No.
[6] He saith to them: Cast the net on the right side of the ship and you shall find. They cast, therefore and now, they were not able to draw it, for the multitude of fishes. [7] That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved, said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him, (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea. [8] But the other disciples came in the ship, (for they were not far from the land but, as it were two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes. [9] As soon then, as they came to land, they saw hot coals lying and a fish laid thereon and bread. [10] Jesus saith to them: Bring hither of the fishes which you have now caught.
[11] Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty-three. And although there were so many, the net was not broken. [John 21:2-11]
AnaStpaul 