Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Thursday '23

The Book of Exodus 12:1-14

The Gospel of John 13:1-7, 31b-35

           For the Passover, God, through Moses and Aaron, promised protection to all whose homes displayed the blood of a sacrificed lamb and proclaimed it a day of remembrance forever. It is celebrated this year before sundown on April 5 and ends after nightfall on April 13. It is a Festival of Liberation remembering the Jews’ Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

         On this Thursday, Jesus knew his earthly life was coming to an end. In his final Passover supper with the Disciples, he gave them ~ and us ~ the mystery of the sacrament of His Body and Blood ~ the Eucharist ~ as a New Covenant with God, a perpetual remembrance of Him for the redemption of us all. On this night, Jesus surprised his Disciples by washing their feet, as a servant would do, to show them humility. And on this night, he told them that Judas would betray him, and, that Peter would deny him 3 times.

        The phrase “Last Supper” never appears in the Christian/New Testament as for Jesus and his followers, this was Passover, which coincidentally, has just begun this week in this year. The name for this day in our time varies with Christian worship traditions: Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, or even Thursday of Mysteries. The Anglican/Episcopal tradition calls it Maundy Thursday which some say comes from the Latin mendicare for beg or, from mandatum for mandate or command. We now enter the solemn Easter Triduum [trid-oo-um], a period of three days, that in its fullest extent, begins with a Liturgy tonight after sundown, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or a sunrise service on Easter Day, and concludes with Evening Prayer on Easter night. Counting from sundown to sundown: Thursday to Friday is 1 day, Friday to Saturday is 2, and Saturday to Sunday is the 3rd day.  

         However your Faith Tradition names it, on this night, Jesus said, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God,

         Gathering for Holy Eucharist is always our primary remembrance of You. Tonight, we remember You in the Garden of Gethsemane with the disciples who could not stay awake with You for even one hour. In ordinary human existence it isn’t that hard to imagine escaping into sleep as someone else is praying for something you don't quite understand. Would I have had the prayer words I'd need? Do I have them now? How much time are we willing to give on this night, and in any day or night, to remember You in moments of joy, or in everyday life paying bills, grocery shopping, filling the car with gas?  

         Lord Jesus, my Savior, thank You for all You have done for me and for all of us. Help me to be a reflection of Your love and humility in this world so that I may rightly be known as a disciple, as a Christian. As a small token of remembrance before I turn to sleep, whatever the day has brought, I offer these words as I take a slow deep breath in: Lord Jesus, Son of God, and as I slowly breathe out, Have mercy on me. 

        And, Lord Christ, keep us ever aware and mindful of You as we come across all the people and all the activities of everyday life that we usually overlook as unimportant. Let us love one another every day close in and at a distance, family, friends, and strangers alike, and especially all with whom we disagree. Let us love You by who we are and how we are in this world. amen.

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Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Wednesday '23

The Gospel of John 13:31-32

                 On this Wednesday, Judas Iscariot has conspired with the Sanhedrin to support their efforts to trap Jesus. He is paid the sum of 30 pieces of silver, enough to purchase a slave or a good potter's field. How much money is enough to sell someone's life to an enemy ~ what if the seller is a trusted friend? But of course, Jesus knew it would be Judas...
                Paul's letter to the Hebrews says: Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart [Hebrews 12:3]. When I have felt the world is against me, or life is just too hard, or I simply cannot cope with one more thing going wrong ~ did I ever once think of the suffering of Jesus at the hands of others? Have I ever thought of Judas if I did someone a wrong turn to benefit myself, even if "only" in a small way?  Perhaps Jesus is too big in my mind to compare myself to and perhaps Judas is too bad...  
               On this Wednesday in our time some churches mark this evening ~ or some others will on Maundy/Holy Thursday or Good Friday ~ with a service called Tenebrae [ten-eh-bray].  The name comes from the Latin and means shadows or darkness.  The service consists of readings and chanted/sung Psalms while candles are extinguished in sets between readings and chants until the church is completely darkened. Often at the end, in the dark, a sudden loud noise ~ a gong, slamming a large book, or stamping of feet ~ is heard as a symbol of the earthquake that signaled the death of Jesus. Holy Wednesday in Holy Week, hearkens back to the penitence of Ash Wednesday just a few weeks ago, as the solemnity of the mood of this Week of Weeks deepens.

        O Jesus, the Light and Redeemer of us ALL ~ this night reminds us of the story of Judas conspiring with the Sanhedrin and selling you out. This night makes us wonder how he could have done that to You. This night makes us shudder about ways we might have betrayed another for our own benefit even if in seemingly lesser ways. This night calls us to ponder true forgiveness ~ You have forgiven us for all of our sins and trespasses. But have we ever forgiven Judas, the only Apostle never called "saint," the only original Disciple to have died a remorseful death at his own hand, the only one Satan entered [John 13:2] to do the bidding that fulfilled the prophecy of our coming Messiah?  Who is a Judas in our own lives that we have not forgiven? In whose life have we been a Judas? Can we take a first step, this night, and breathe the life of forgiveness into Judas Iscariot? Certainly Jesus has. God has. The Holy Spirit has. If we can take that very small first step, then, with Your love and help, perhaps we can look at forgiving the Judas closer to home and being forgiven ourselves.  amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Tuesday '23

The Gospel of John 12:20-36

        On this Tuesday, disciples Philip and Andrew told Jesus some visiting Greeks wanted to see him and he replied cryptically, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified...unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit... [John 20:24-26] 

       When he met with the Greeks he told them, "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say, 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." When the voice came some of the people only heard thunder while others thought it was an angel speaking to Jesus. Jesus told them that the voice was for them to hear, not him.  

       Some  questioned Jesus about who he was and what he was all about. He told them the light would be around a little bit longer and to walk in the light because if you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. If you believe in the light, he told them, "you may become children of the light." And with that, he went off and hid.

Dear Jesus, our Prophet and our Lord

         What must your words sound like to those who haven't read The Book or just don't know how things turn out? Sometimes I'm confused by those words and I have read them many times. On this Tuesday in Your lifetime, You told everyone what was happening in what seems like very plain words yet the message is not quite plain enough for us to grasp well. You were talking to God and the people around you were confused. Help us understand. 

        On this Tuesday in my lifetime it was a day like any other ~ a trip to the bank and then the supermarket trying to remember what was on the list for Sunday’s feast. Your list was clear enough in one sense ~ walk in the light ~ Your Light ~ and our believing will lead us to be Your children of Your light. It all sounds so easy and so hard at the same time. 

        Help me to be one who hears the voice of God instead of the thundering rumblings of the naysayers and the woe-begones around me. Give me the courage to stay with Your light and not wander off into the darkness of a life with no faith-filled purpose beyond chocolate bunnies, paper plates, and jellybeans. And after the conversation on that Tuesday in Your time, You hid away...as I should do more often to spend time with You and think about how to live my life as a single grain of wheat, that grows in faith and purpose, and one day fills another field with its fruit. amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com