The Catholic Church in East St. James Parish

Jesus accepted the suffering of His Passion because of his confidence in His Father’s love.  We, too, are loved by God who is our strength in times of suffering.

watch video: Fr Vincent's reflections on Wednesday of Holy Week

Read his reflections:

Wednesday of Holy Week 2020

In the Name of the Father . . . .

The Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

           the Love of God our Father

           and the Communion of the Holy Spirit

           be with you all.

Thank you for coming back – glad I haven’t scared you off – as we continue this video reflection series for Holy Week.  As I said before, if you missed any of the earlier videos, you can find them on the Cluster website.  I think it best if you watch them in sequence.

Let us begin with the Our Father.  Our Father who art in heaven . . . .

We start today with the Opening Prayer for the Mass for Wednesday of Holy Week:

          O God, who willed your Son to submit for our sake to the yoke of the Cross,

          so that you might drive from us the power of the enemy,

          grant us, your servants, to attain the grace of the resurrection.

          Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son,

          who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

          one god for ever and ever.

Now, let us listen to the First Reading of Wednesday’s Mass, taken from the Prophet Isaiah.  If you want to look it up in your Bible and follow along, it is Isaiah 50:4-9a, (please read the passage before continuing).

This is the third of Isaiah’s “Suffering Servant” oracles.  Even though it was written some 600 years plus before Jesus’ time, it is phenomenal how we can see Jesus in every line of the text.

Today, Wednesday of Holy Week, we want to reflect on Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise to save humanity from sin and re-establish that perfect relationship of the Father to each of us as son or daughter.  Let’s consider the oracle of Isaiah in some of its verses as to what Jesus is doing to bring us back into the filial relationship to our Heavenly Father.

“how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.”  Jesus comes to us as we are – weary and overwhelmed by this world and all that is happening, not just with the pandemic, but in all our brokenness and discouraging experiences.  So much disappointment in ourselves and others, so much conflict and failure.  We all can feel tired at times and ready to give up.  We ask ourselves, “What’s the use of trying? I’m only going to fail again!”  But, when we listen to Jesus, truly listen to his message, we get out of our downward spiral and find that courage to try again; we find the strength to seek better for ourselves and others.

“I gave my back to those who beat me . . .”  Jesus literally did give his back, to the scourging at the pillar on Good Friday.  But it’s also a image of the conflict between the ways of this world and what faith calls forth from us.  It’s not easy being a child of God, to turn our back on all the allurements of this life – it’s how we get ourselves into trouble (remember yesterday’s reflection on our need to face our sin and ask for forgiveness).  Jesus shows us how to remain firm in faith and to choose our relationship with God, even if it means being beaten by those who do not understand.

“He is near who upholds my right,” and “the Lord God is my help.”  Jesus could face the Sanhedrin, He could face Pilot, He could face Herod, and not give in to their condemnation and malice because his mind and heart remained firm in the truth that God was his help.  You and I need that sense of connection to God if we are to make it through all that wants to destroy us.  It is not easy; it wasn’t easy for Jesus.  But we can survive because we are not alone.  God is at our side, protecting our heart and soul in times of distress.

I often like to share this meaning of “Holy.”  While it does primarily mean, “being set apart,” I find it more encouraging to me when I think of it meaning, “belonging to God!”  This Holy Week belongs to God, it is a time set apart, for us to contemplate all that God has promised and all that God fulfills through His Son, Jesus Christ.  The fulfillment of God’s promise in Jesus is made real for me and for you when we allow ourselves to become “holy,” belonging to God as His son or His daughter.  Embrace the truth that you are a child of God, and you will find within yourself the grace to persevere and with Jesus become victorious in the Resurrection.

After watching this video, I invite you to look into a mirror and repeat to yourself, “I am a child of God, a beloved son/daughter.  I am never alone.”  Keep saying it until you can believe it – it is the truth, and it is God’s promise fulfilled in Jesus for you!

Tomorrow begins the Sacred Triduum.  We will have some special videos prepared for you to celebrate Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.  I believe you will enjoy them, so don’t forget to come back.

Before you turn this off, let me advertise something I have found wonderfully helpful for all of us who cannot gather for the liturgies of the Triduum.  It is a series of “At Home” ways to celebrate Holy Week.  You can find the link here to print these for you at home and use for the next few days for family prayer.  Please make use of them; they are great!