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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 28 March – Maundy Thursday – Your Attitude Must Be That of Christ

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 28 March – Maundy Thursday – 1 Corinthians 11:20-32, John 13:1-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

Blessed Guerric of Igny (c1080-1157)
Cistercian Abbot

He was in the form of God,” equal to God by nature, since He shared in God’s power, God’s eternity and God’s very being … He did the job of a servant “by humbling Himself, obeying His Father even to death, death on a Cross.” (cf Phil 2:5-8). One might consider it to be trivial that, as God’s Son and His equal, He served His Father as a servant. More than that, He served His own servant more than any other servant. For the human being had been created to serve His Creator. What could be more just for you, than to serve him who made you, without Whom you would not be? And what could be more blest, than to serve Him, since to serve Him is to reign? But the human being said to His Creator: “I will not serve.” (Jer 2:20)

Then the Creator said to the human being: “So I will serve you! Go sit down at the table; I will serve. I will wash your feet. Rest. I will take your pains upon myself; I will carry your weakness… If you grow tired or are burdened, I will carry you, you and your burden, so as to be the first to fulfil my law: ‘Carry one another’s burdens’ (Gal 6:2)… If you are hungry or thirsty… here I Am, ready to be sacrificed, so that you might eat My Flesh and drink My Blood… If you are taken into captivity or, if you are sold, here I Am… Redeem yourself by paying the ransom you will get from Me. I give Myself as ransom… If you are sick, if you fear death, I will die in your place, so that from My Blood you may make for yourself, a life-giving remedy!…”

O my Lord, what a price Thou paid to ransom my useless service! … What a way Thou has, full of love, of gentleness and of kindness, to win back and submit this rebellious servant, by triumphing over evil through good, by confounding my pride with Thy humility, by filling this ungrateful person, with Thy kindness! This! This is howThy Wisdom triumphed!” – (1st Sermon for Palm Sunday),

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, MAUNDY THURSDAY, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 April – ‘… Walk in Him …’

One Minute Reflection – 9 April – Maundy Thursday, Evening Vigil Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Readings: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14, Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-15

Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not know now but afterward, you will understand.”   Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.”   Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” … John 12:7-8

john 13 8 if i do not wash you you have no part in me - maundy thursday holy 9 april 2020

REFLECTION – “Jesus, fully aware that the Father had put everything into His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God, rose from supper.”   That which had not been in Jesus’s hands before is put into His hands by the Father – not just some things and not others but everything.

David had said:  “The Lord says to my lord:  Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps 109[110]:1).   The enemies of Jesus shared out, as it were, that ‘all’ which He knew His Father was giving Him. (…)   On account of those who were far away from God, He was separated from God who, by nature, did not wish to leave the Father.   He left God, so that all who have been separated from God, should return to God with Him, in His hands, according to His eternal design. (…)

So what was Jesus doing in washing the feet of His disciples?   By washing them and wiping them with the towel around His waist wasn’t Jesus making their feet beautiful at the moment when they were going to have to proclaim the good news?   It was then, in my opinion, that the prophetic word was fulfilled:  “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news!” (Is 52:7; Rm 10:15).   But if, by washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus makes them beautiful, how can we express the genuine beauty in those whom He immerses fully “in the Holy Spirit and in fire” (Mt 3:11)?   The feet of the apostles were made beautiful so that (…) they might set out along the holy road and walk in Him who said:  “I am the Way” (Jn 14:6).   For whoever has had his feet washed by Jesus and he alone, follows that living way that leads to the Father.   That way has no room for dirty feet! (…)   In order to follow this living, spiritual way (Heb 10:20) (…) they had to have their feet washed by Jesus who set aside His garments (…) so as to take upon His own body, the dirtiness of their feet with the towel which was His only garment, for “he bears our infirmities” (Is 53:4). … Origen (c 185-253) Father of Church, Priest, Theologian – Commentary on St John’s Gospel

the feet of the apostles were made beautiful -origen 9 april 2020

PRAYER – Love of You, with our whole heart, Lord God, is holiness. Increase then Your gifts of divine grace in us, so that, as in Your Son’s Death, You made us hope for what we believe, You may likewise, in His Resurrection, make us come to You, our final end. Listen we beg, to the prayers of Your holy ones and may the Blessed Mother walk along with us and keep our hand, ever in hers.   Through Jesus Himself, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God with You, forever and ever, amen.

mother of sorrows pray for us 16 nov 2019