Thursday, April 18, 2019

Saints + Scripture: Paschal Triduum — Holy Thursday

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!


The Popish Plot
vLent 2019: "Holy Thursday 2019"

'Tis Holy Thursday (A.K.A. Maundy Thursday), the Thursday of Holy Week, act one of the Paschal Triduum (A.K.A. Easter Triduum): Holy Week-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Week, Holy Thursday-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Thursday, Wikipedia-link Paschal Triduum.


Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Chrism Mass
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-one, verses one, two, three(a), six(a), eight(b), & nine;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses twenty-one & twenty-two, twenty-five & twenty-seven;
The Book of Revelation, chapter one, verses five thru eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter four, verses sixteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Wikipedia-link Chrism Mass. Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel recounts Jesus’ inaugural address in his hometown synagogue. Jesus reads words from the prophet Isaiah that he felt best summed up who he was and what his mission was. Therefore, it behooves us to listen carefully.

Jesus first says, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me." The
Ruach Yahweh, the breath of God, the spirit that hovered over the surface of the waters at the beginning of time, the life energy of God—this is what has seized and animated Jesus.

Animated by the
Ruach Yahweh, what does Jesus do? He brings "glad tidings to the poor," "liberty to captives," and "recovery of sight to the blind." In other words, he brings God’s love to those who are marginalized by injustice, freedom to those who are imprisoned in sin, and healing to those whose very self has been broken.

After the Paschal Mystery and Resurrection, he breathed on his disciples, communicating to them something of this spirit—and drawing them into this mission.

Reflect: Through baptism, we take up Christ’s mission during our lives. How have you brought "glad tidings to the poor," "liberty to captives," and "recovery of sight to the blind"?
Mass Readings—Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
The Book of Exodus, chapter twelve, verses one thru eight & eleven thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, verses twelve & thirteen, fifteen & sixteen(b/c), & seventeen & eighteen;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eleven, verses twenty-three thru twenty-six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter thirteen, verses one thru fifteen.

Commentary: Reflection from Array of Hope:
“He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end” (John, 13:1). Oftentimes this statement is overlooked. This beautiful, profound quote is in reference to the incredible mystery of Christ’s divinity being fully Man and fully God. Like us, Jesus had friends and family who He loved dearly. Despite the fact that most would abandon Him during His Passion, He still cared for each of them. Knowing that He was going to die and they would watch, truly broke His heart. They were His friends; He didn’t want them to suffer, but He knew it would happen. So, He washed the Apostles’ feet and commanded them to do the same to others. He wanted them to know that He served out of love and He desired them to follow His example and do the same.

We may never understand the magnitude of Christ’s love for us. It is unlike any other love on earth and goes beyond our human comprehension.We are His own in the world. He loves us to the end. Despite how many times we’ve sinned or betrayed Him, we are still loved and seen as His priceless sons and daughters. Jesus gave up everything for you and me. He held nothing back. Why do we do the opposite?

We are about to enter the Triduum; the final three days of Lent. In these final days, let us look to Christ and hold nothing back. As we await in the darkness, let us remain awake and journey with Christ as He begins to prepare for His passion, death and resurrection. Let us pursue lives of love and sacrifice as He did and think of ways we can honor and glorify Him in our own lives. Today, think of one thing you can do to change someone else’s life. It doesn’t have to be anything too extraordinary. The smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest impacts. Jesus washed our feet as a servant, so let us in turn wash one another’s feet.
Video reflection by the Reverend Daniel Merz: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Video reflection by Sister Tonia Borsellino (uCatholic): Maundy Thursday.


Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 88
The Book of Numbers, chapter thirteen, verses one, two, & twenty-five thru thirty-three;
The Book of Numbers, chapter fourteen, verses one, two, three, & twenty-six thru thirty-four.

Commentary: Spies Sent into Canaan (Numbers, 13:1-2 & 25-33), the People Rebel (Numbers, 14:1-3), & God's Punishment of the Disobedient (Numbers, 14:26-34).



Otherwise, 18 April would also be the commemoration of Saint Perfectus of Córdoba, Priest & Martyr (died 850), martyred in the reign of the Andalusian king Abd ar-Rahman II, one of the forty-eight Martyrs of Córdoba: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Córdoba.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the commemoration of Blessed Giacomo Oldo, Priest, T.O.S.F. (1364-1404, Anglicized as James Oldo): Blessed-link ūnus & Blessed-link duo.

'Twould also be the commemoration of Blessed Marie of the Incarnation, Religious, O.C.D. (1566-1618; A.K.A. Barbara Avrillot, Barbara Acarie): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Not to be confused with St. Marie of the Incarnation, O.S.U. [30 April].

'Twould also be the commemoration of Blessed Roman Archutowski, Priest & Martyr (1882-1943), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 63); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Papal Quote o' the Day
"With the institution of the Eucharist, we enter into the very heart of humanity's drama. Will it be life directed toward death, or life open to eternity!"
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
Little Flower Quote o' the Day
"O Jesus, I know it, love is repaid by love alone, & so I searched & I found the way to solace my heart by giving you Love for Love."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"In the course of my life I have dealt with all kinds of people, with those who have been sinners & returned to the Lord & suffered much & had an indescribable joy. One of the most joyful figures I ever met in my life was a leper woman in Jamaica. She had lost her arms & half of her legs, but she was always smiling & happy & saying, 'But there's going to be a resurrection, & I will then have a glorified body.' That must be our attitude."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

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