Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week  - Sacred Triduum

Easter of Hope is a Lenten reflection and video series by Array of Hope. Daily reading and a Lenten reflection including tips on how to live out the hope of Christ's resurrection. Sundays you will receive a short inspirational video from one of our Array of Hope Presenters.  
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08 April

Wednesday of Holy Week - Spy Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-25

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
“What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?”
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?”
He said,
“Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
‘The teacher says, My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘“
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
“Surely it is not I, Lord?”
He said in reply,
“He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”
He answered, “You have said so.”

Reflection ...... In Today’s Gospel,  Jesus is foretelling Judas’ betrayal.  It was during this feast of Passover that Judas sells Jesus for the price of a slave. Thirty pieces of silver was the selling price for a human slave in Jesus’ time. Slavery was not a practice engaged by the Israelites, as it was offensive to enslave anyone after they, themselves, had suffered bondage. However, the Romans regularly bought and traded slaves from countries they had conquered. The chief priests engaged in this barbaric Roman practice by “procuring” Jesus for the price of a human slave. This is indicative of how much they had been influenced by the evil within their culture. Rather than remaining untainted by the sin of the Romans, small compromises had paved the way to this moment in which the Son of God, the Messiah would be bought as a slave by the chief priest, sold by his own disciple. 

In what ways do we rationalize sin or make compromises? In what ways can we turn back to Jesus and be more faithful? It is very easy to give into small compromises in our own lives, especially when it comes to the practice of our faith. We can rationalize our sins, and excuse such behaviors by saying “Well, I deserved a break”, or “It’s no big deal”, or “I don’t want to stand out.” We may never end up engaging in the kind of betrayal that Judas and the chief priest did, but our slowly descending compromises can lead us to make the ultimate compromise and sell Jesus for pleasure, greed, or an “easier life.” 

Today’s Tip: Spend some time with Our Lord through prayer. Take out your journal and write down all the ways you may have settled or rationalized sin for convenience. Reflect on what you have written down and lay these moments at the feet of Christ. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you write down ways you can rise above and combat these temptations. 

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07 April

Tuesday of Holy Week 
John 12:1-11

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus' side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to him,
"Master, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it."
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
"Buy what we need for the feast,"
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
'Where I go you cannot come,' so now I say it to you."
Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?"
Jesus answered him,
"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later."
Peter said to him,
"Master, why can I not follow you now? 
I will lay down my life for you."
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times."

Reflection ...... In Today’s Gospel we begin to see a contrast between Peter and Judas. Both will betray Jesus, but we see that only one will seek forgiveness for his actions. The other will fall into despair because he does not trust in Christ’s saving power of forgiveness. 

Who are you more like? Are you like Judas who lacked faith in the love of Jesus and the greatness of His mercy, or are you like Peter, who is quick to repent and return to the Lord? Both were apostles, both betrayed Jesus, but only one knew Jesus’ Heart and trusted in His merciful love.

Today’s Tip: Reread this Gospel passage and ask our Lord to open your heart to His love and mercy. If you are able at this time to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, do so. If you are not currently able to see a priest, Pope Francis gives us wise instructions on what we can do in this video. Do an Examination of Conscience and make an interior Act of Contrition and rest assured that the Father hears you. We all turn away from Christ at times, however, He is always waiting for us with arms wide open to lovingly forgive us. Are you going to despair and run away like Judas, or will you run to Jesus for mercy like Peter? 

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06 April

Monday of Holy Week 
John 12:1-11

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with Him. 
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 

Then Judas the Iscariot, one of His disciples,
and the one who would betray Him, said,
"Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages
and given to the poor?"
​
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.

So Jesus said, "Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

The large crowd of the Jews found out that He was there and came, not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

​And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of Him.
​

Reflection ...... In Today’s Gospel, we see the great humility and faith of Mary as she places herself at the feet of Jesus. She offers Him the finest perfumed oil, which is symbolic of sacrifice. As Judas pointed out, it’s very expensive, but for her Lord, Mary spared no expense. Because of this great act of faith, Mary was uplifted and healed by Christ. 

Are we grateful for the ways Christ has impacted our lives? Would we fully offer ourselves as a pure gift to Christ, giving Him our all? Lent serves as a time for us to reprioritize and keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. Like Mary, we must recognize our sins, lay them at Christ’s feet, and seek His forgiveness, mercy, and love. Once we open our Hearts to Him, our lives will begin to radically change for the better.
 
Today’s Tip: Enter into the suffering of Christ by praying and meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

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07 April

Tuesday of Holy Week 
John 13: 21-33, 36-38

Reclining at table with His disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus' side.
So Simon Peter nodded to Him to find out whom He meant.
He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to Him,
"Master, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it."
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
Now none of those reclining at table realized why He said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
"Buy what we need for the feast,"
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself,
and He will glorify Him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
'Where I go you cannot come,' so now I say it to you."

Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?"
Jesus answered him,
"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later."
​
Peter said to Him,
"Master, why can I not follow you now? 
I will lay down my life for you."
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times."

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08 April

Wednesday of Holy Week - Spy Wednesday
Matthew 26: 14-25 and Isaiah 50:4-9

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together.
Who disputes my right? Let him confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?