Good Friday 2009 Reflection: "A Saga of Love"

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION

10 April 2009 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (B) - Red

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31 "Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit."
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42

A SAGA OF LOVE

Jesus Christ is dead. This is the mystery of Good Friday. We come together as one family and reflect on the death of Christ on the cross. We wonder and adore the wood of the cross on which hung the Savior of the world. But let us not focus our reflection for this afternoon on the very sad and inhumane death that the Lord has experienced. Let us focus ourselves on the very essence of Good Friday - LOVE.

Jesus' death on the cross demonstrated his immense love for all of us. He died the most inhumane and excruciating death on the cross as compensation for our sins. Jesus Christ was a ransom - the worthy lamb - for our sins, debts and failures. He knew that he was leaving. He didn't want to leave his disciple orphans. And so on the cross, Jesus gave us Mary, her Mother, to be our Mother. "Woman, behold your Son," Jesus uttered to John the Beloved. John represented all of us - humanity. He told John, "Behold your Mother." Jesus entrusted all of us to the care of her Mother, our Mother.

To end our reflection, let's turn to Jesus and his great love for us. I have come across a song that moved me so much. This is the perfect example of Jesus' love song for us on the cross. The words of the song are so impactful that they ought to summarize the entirety of Jesus' suffering on the cross. Even without speaking these words, Jesus wants us to know that his death will bring forth life. Such was the intensity of the song that it made me remember Jesus crucified on the cross uttering, his brethren, as his final message of hope and love, the following words:

Hindi ka kailangang magbago kahit ito'y mas ibig ko
Hindi ka kailangang magsikap ng husto upang ika'y ibigin ko.

Iniibig kita, manalig ka sana
Ako'y kapiling mo kahit ako ma'y mapalayo.

Jesus, whoever and whatever we are, will love us to the end. This is Jesus' love story for us.

Holy Thursday 2009 Reflection: "Living the Memory of Holy Thursday"

HOLY THURSDAY REFLECTION

09 April 2009 Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (B) - White

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116 "Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

LIVING THE MEMORY OF HOLY THURSDAY

Memory. In everything that we do, we always want to be remembered. In today’s world, being remembered or a memory of someone is equated to leaving a legacy. When I was in high school, I always want to be remembered for my achievements, for my special projects, and what I want to be known to others. In short, I want others to remember my self – sometimes verging into being selfish. When I stepped into college, everything changed. I joined organizations that cater to helping others. I want to be remembered for how I contributed to society. Moreso, I want to be remembered as someone who helped students adjust to college life in simple ways – everyday talk and conversations, giving smiles and cheers when we pass by other students and acquaintances, and helping others build their character.

Tonight we celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper; we enter into the Solemn Paschal Triduum of the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. We remember in vivid imagery, unified action and devout celebration the very night when Jesus gave himself to humanity.

Our first reading takes us back to Ancient Egypt, when the Angel of the Lord passed over the Israelites. This Jewish Passover commemorates that very night when the Israelites are freed from the slavery and forced labor of Egypt; when the angel of death passed over the houses sprinkled with the blood of lamb as the Lord commanded Moses. The last paragraph of our reading reminds us of the Lord’s command – “This day shall be a memorial feast for you.” The Lord is remembered in the celebration of Jewish Passover. This event served as a memory to the Jewish people on how God delivered them from the plague. This memory – according to the Lord – is a pilgrimage of the Jewish family. It is a perpetual institution.

Our second reading complements the first reading. We hear about the new Passover. This time it’s not about sprinkling lamb’s blood on doorposts and not about passing over houses by the angel of death. This time, it is about Jesus offering himself in the Last Supper. The Jewish Passover is God’s covenant to the House of Israel. The New Passover is God’s covenant to us Christians and to the entirety of humanity. Jesus offered himself in the form of bread and wine – our Eucharistic species. He explicitly states that the bread becomes his body and the wine becomes his blood offered for the salvation of the world. Just as the first reading, the narration of the Last Supper, according to St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, ends with “Do this in remembrance of me.” As often as we celebrate the holy mass, we do this is memory of Christ. Jesus left the world with something that will make us remember him – the Eucharist.

Our gospel reading, still in the theme of memory-giving, takes us into the Johannine perspective of the Last Supper. Jesus and his disciples were at supper when the former stood up, removed his cloak, bent down and washed the feet of his disciples. From being master to servant, Jesus showed his immense love for his disciples by stooping down and washing their feet. The gospel ends with, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do (Jn. 13:15).” Jesus gave us an example to follow – not literally washing the feet of our brethren but serving, in our own little way, our brothers and sisters. Jesus does not only give us an example but he does command us strictly to love our brothers and sisters in this fashion. Jesus is remembered as a model to be followed by washing the feet of his disciples. And so must we.

May tonight’s liturgy not only invite us to be one with Christ in his passion through prayer. May tonight’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper make us love one another as Jesus loved us. May we be inspired by the Eucharist, by the body and blood that Christ offers us. May we come to be with Christ in his passion through loving our brothers and sisters.

Handa ka na bang samahan si Kristo sa Kalbaryo?

And so, Christ wants to be remembered not for his teachings nor for his good works but for his revolutionary method of serving and remembering God – loving our brothers and sisters especially the last, the lost and the least. We should follow his example. There and then, we become worthy to partake in His Solemn Paschal Triduum.

How do you want to be remembered in return?

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.



Elijah Justin Santiago Segovia
4/8/09

Easter Vigil 2008 Reflection: "The Cross and the Resurrection"

EASTER VIGIL REFLECTION

Liturgical Note: The Easter Vigil, the most solemn of all nights, is the Mother of all vigils, the perfect model of all Christian celebrations. We use the Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon) during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

22 March 2008 Solemn Mass of Easter Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection (A) - White

First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:2
Responsorial Psalm I: Psalm 104 "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."
Second Reading: Genesis 22: 1-18
Responsorial Psalm II: Psalm 16 "You are my inheritance, O Lord."
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15 – 15:1
Responsorial Psalm III: Exodus 15 "Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory."
Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Responsorial Psalm & Alleluia: Psalm 118 “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!”
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

The Cross and the Resurrection

I want to start my reflection with an anecdote by Andrew Ma. Almonte. It is entitled “The Cross and the Resurrection.”

Paul of the Cross is a zealous preacher who gives fiery sermons about the Passion and Death of our Lord. To his great chagrin, however, his listeners get fewer each day. Perplexed and discouraged, Paul of the Cross goes to his bishop to ask for a possible explanation for the phenomenon.

“It is most beneficial to preach the sufferings of Christ. But you forget something very important,” the bishop tells him.

“What is it?” Paul of the Cross is bewildered. “I begin with Christ’s agony and end with his crucifixion.”

“That’s it!” the bishop replies. “You preach Christ’s passion, but do not say anything about his resurrection. To preach the cross without the hope of resurrection will only make people afraid.”

Very beautiful indeed! We Filipinos are known for our devout practices during the penitential season of Lent. We have different ceremonies and activities during this time of the Liturgical Year. From the very long and grueling reading of the Pabasa to the very vibrant and festive procession of the saints during Holy Week, we see how much Filipinos commemorate the death of the Lord, with true devotion.

Sometimes, we do forget about the resurrection. People flock to the Church during the Easter Triduum. A lot participate in the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Most of these people still join Good Friday’s Celebration of the Lord’s Passion and Death. Sadly, just a few of these people are seen awake and participative during the Easter Vigil which is the Mother of all Vigils in the Church, the perfect celebration of the Lord’s mystery.

We tend to focus more on the passion and death of Christ that we forget the cornerstone of our faith; that is the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Very evident in Filipinos – for forty days we go through a lot of tradition, but after the Easter Salubong – the fifty days of Easter, we no longer see tradition. We go back to the ordinary of our lives – work, school, entertainment, and wherever field.

We cannot truly live the passion and death of the Lord without celebrating his triumphant victory over sin and death – his Resurrection. We cannot preach the passion and death of the Lord without knowing and understanding Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. We cannot truly participate in Lord’s passion and death without living his successful combat over evil. Our Christian faith – everything including doctrine, moral and worship – depend on the Resurrection.

This is what tonight’s celebration tells us. We started in darkness and journeyed through the readings of the Old Testament. We wonder with awe and spectacle at the works of God, our Creator. Then now, we stand, living in the light of the Risen Christ – who fulfills the works of the Creator and defines the mystery of our salvation. We remember with open hearts the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, celebrating the most important doctrine of our Christian faith, living in the light that the Lord Jesus Christ has provided for us.

We are now called to witness in Christ’s gift of his Resurrection. Yes, we went through the most holy days of the year. We witnessed and shared in His passion and his death. Now, we are summoned to share, celebrate, and live his Resurrection; for only by doing this can we find meaning to what we’ve celebrated during the Lenten season. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Blessed Easter to one and all!

Elijah Justin Santiago Segovia

Good Friday 2008 Reflection: "Jesus’ Friendship is the essence of Good Friday"

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION

21 March 2008 Good Friday – Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (A) - Red

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31 "Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit."
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42

Jesus’ Friendship is the essence of Good Friday

During the mandatum of Holy Thursday, the reenactment of the Washing of the Feet, the choir sang this very beautiful song which actually reflects the very essence of Good Friday. This song is entitled “Pagkakaibigan.” Basically, it vividly recalls Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet by being a servant-friend. More importantly, the song captures the title itself – friendship. This pagkakaibigan is the very essence of Good Friday.

The opening line goes: “Ang sino man sa Aki'y mananahan, mananahan din Ako sa kanya. At kung siya'y mamunga nang masagana, siya sa Ama'y nagbigay ng karangalan.” This is the promise of Christ at the Last Supper table – whoever remains in me, I remain in him. On the way to Calvary, Jesus also says this: whoever joins me on the way of my cross, I join him in his own sufferings. What a beautiful image of a friend! And because we are his friends, Jesus makes sure that we bear fruit, that this friendship bears fruit. He calls us to friendship and asks us to be one with him in his suffering and death. He asks us, his friends, to keep watch over him as he goes through the way of his cross.

And as Jesus hang on the wood of the cross, Jesus may be telling the world: “Mula ngayon kayo'y Aking kaibigan hinango sa dilim at kababaan. Ang kaibiga'y mag-aalay ng sarili niyang buhay; walang hihigit sa yaring pag-aalay.” He accepted the cross not because he wanted to show the world he is mighty. He accepted the cross because he loved us so much. He is our friend. He died for us – his friends. He tells us that we are his friends – who were in darkness but have seen great light in him. And the greatest mystery that Jesus’ example of friendship is this: that I will give my life, my own life, and nothing is greater than that. The greatest love story of all is commemorated today – Jesus’ love for us is so immense that in order for us to be saved, he gave his own life. Because he so wanted us to be with his Father in heaven, he gave himself to be spitted on by the Jews, jeered on the passers-by, and mocked by the outsiders. Our own friendship with our friends is nothing compared to the friendship Jesus made with us.

Today, as we venerate the cross on which hung the Savior of the world, we remember with special devotion the friendship Jesus has made with us. Jesus is our friend. Without this friendship, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing.

The song ends with the challenge for today’s celebration of the Lord’s Passion: “Pinili ka't hinirang upang mahalin nang mamunga't bunga mo'y panatilihin. Humayo ka't mamunga nang masagana, kagalakang walang hanggang ipamamana.” After all, the death of Jesus on the cross, his friendship, comes down to one gift – the happiness of eternal salvation. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Elijah Justin Santiago Segovia

Holy Thursday 2008 Reflection: "In the Eucharist, we become Priests who live in Love"

HOLY THURSDAY REFLECTION

20 March 2008 Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (A) - White

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116 "Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

In the Eucharist, we become Priests who live in Love

The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, celebrated on Holy Thursday afternoon, signals the Church’s entry into the Solemn Paschal Triduum of Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. We say goodbye to the penitential season of Lent; we now join the Lord Jesus Christ on his suffering, death and his salvific Resurrection.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper highlights three important pillars of our Eucharistic Celebration: the Holy Mass, the gift of priesthood, and the commandment of Brotherly Love. These three things actually make up what we celebrate daily, and for most of us, every Sunday.

First, the Holy Mass. Today we commemorate the solemn institution of the Most Holy Eucharist. Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, joined his disciples for supper – a special supper – that he actually planned, prepared, and celebrated. In the gospel of St. Luke, we see Jesus summoning some of his disciples to prepare the Upper Room, for them to celebrate this holy meal, with wine and unleavened bread. This actually is a commemoration of the Jewish Passover – from the slavery of Egypt to freedom into the Promised Land. Jesus took seat at the supper table and offered bread and wine which he promised to be his body and blood. He gave these species to his disciples, telling them that as often as they do this, it will be in his remembrance. Two thousand years from that time, we now celebrate the Holy Mass – our own celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper – our celebration from sin to new life in Christ.

Second, the gift of Priesthood. During the Last Supper, Jesus called his disciples to be part of his total giving-out of himself to others. Thus, the disciples were the first priests who witnessed the first celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Now, we are called to priests – to spread the Good News to others, to celebrate and live the Holy Eucharist, and to be Christ’s representative in this world. We are called to be Christ-like – to take up our own crosses on the way to Calvary, and to join Christ in the victory of his Resurrection.

Lastly, Christ’s commandment of Brotherly Love. Today we witness the mandatum – the reenactment of the Washing of Feet. In today’s gospel, we hear in full detail the account of Jesus’ Last Supper and washing of the feet. St. John tells us that Jesus, stripped off his cloak and washed the feet of his disciples. Jesus was humble. Jesus showed that the dirty act of cleaning the dirtiest part of the body can be done – even by the Son of God. In Jewish culture, this act is the dirtiest, only done by the servants to their masters. Jesus showed this great love by serving our brothers and sisters. We are called tonight to be servant-lovers – to serve our brothers and sisters means to love them; to offer them our lives. We are called to wash one another’s feet. We are called to humility – to divest of our own riches, glamour, and personality to share our lives with our brothers and sisters.

Tonight, as we transfer Jesus in the Altar of Repose, we watch over with him, we pray with him, we stay with him. Like his disciples, we join him in prayer. As we remember the sufferings of the Man on the cross, we offer ourselves to the Lord, offering ourselves to our brothers and sisters.

Let us be worthy to enter the Paschal Triduum by keeping watch and praying with Jesus that through the Eucharist, we become priests of God sharing the love and humility that Jesus modeled for us. We pray in this Eucharist that we may be cleansed from our sins and be with Christ in his agony in the garden, in his trial, his passion, his death on the cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Elijah Justin S. Segovia

Ash Wednesday 2008 Reflection: "By His Wounds We are Healed"

Ash Wednesday Reflection

6 February 2008 Ash Wednesday (A) - Violet

First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Reponsorial Psalm: Ps 51 "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Imposition of Ashes: Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED

Once again we start the penitential season of Lent with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. This day we will be reminded of our humanity, of our wounds, of our frailties, through the ashes that will be imposed on our foreheads. We belong to the earth. We will return back to the earth.

Jesus was also part of this earth. He actually came forth to heal all our wounds, frailties, and sins. Through his death on the cross, we have been saved. Through the wounds on his body, we have been healed.

Let us remember with grateful hearts the sufferings of the Messiah. Let us remember to rend our hearts to him. What is more important is that we strip off our materiality and pride, and that we give to the Lord our life and our being. This is the challenge of Lent - to come back to the Lord with all our heart, mind and being.

And we must always remember that through the wounds of the Christ, we have been healed; through the blood of the Christ, we have been cleansed; through the death of the Christ, we have been saved.

A blessed Ash Wednesday to one and all.

- EJ Segovia
5 February 2008

----------
Today is a day of FASTING and ABSTINENCE.

Imposition of Ashes
P - Dear friends in Christ, let us ask our Father to bless these ashes which we will use as the mark of our repentance. (Pause)
Lord, bless the sinner who asks for your forgiveness and bless (+) all those who receive these ashes. May they keep this Lenten season in preparation for the joy of the Easter.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All - Amen.

Easter Sunday 2007 Reflection: "Christ our Light"

EASTER SUNDAY REFLECTION

April 8, 2007 Solemnity of Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (C) – White

First Reading: Acts 10: 34a, 37-43
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”
Second Reading: 1 Cor 5: 6b-8
Sequence: Victimae Paschali Laudes
Gospel: Jn 20: 1-9

Christ our Light

“Christ our Light! Thanks be to God.” (Procession of the Easter Candle, Easter Vigil) These are the words we echoed during last night’s celebration of the Easter Vigil, when we celebrated the passing over of Jesus from death to life. Christ, our Light, has indeed risen from the dead! Because of his rising from the dead, we should be as much thankful to God as we are joyful. The resurrection of Christ brought us three things that make sensible our Christian life.

1. Light. Out of the darkness of sin and worldliness, Christ brought us into the wonderful world of light. The light of Christ’s Resurrection is ever radiant in our hearts as Christians for this is the foundational stone of our faith. This light of Christ is symbolically represented by the burning flame of our Paschal Candle. Christ is our Paschal Candle, bringing us light of hearts and minds and warmth of faith and life. The challenge for us is how to be of light to others. By preaching the Gospel, practicing it and living by it, we become light to others. We become models of Christ’s light in the world.

2. Love. Christ showed his immense love for us through his suffering on the cross. Out of love for man, Christ chose to die rather than vindicate himself so that salvation will be possible for all of us. The liturgy of Holy Thursday called us to love our brothers by our selfless dedication to the service Christ has left us. The liturgy of Good Friday showed us a model of the perfect love the world has seen in the image of Christ crucified. The liturgy of Easter Vigil showed us God’s immense love to the human nature through the entirety of salvation history. Today, we are called to follow the love brought by Christ’s Resurrection. We are called that in order to love others, we must be able to live by Christ’s Resurrection worthily by following Christ’s mandate of brotherly love, shown in our simple service to our brothers and sisters.

3. Life. Christ brought new meaning to life by his resurrection from the dead. Life is not about living out to the fullest but life is giving up oneself so that others may live. This beautiful image is concretized by Christ himself through the Paschal Mystery we celebrate. The challenge for us now is how to give life to others or simply how do we share our lives with others.

We have a lot of reasons to be thankful to the Father. We thank Jesus for being our light amidst darkness. We thank God for his ultimate plan of salvation. We thank Jesus for giving us three essential things through his resurrection that make sensible our Christian life.

Christ overcame the darkness of death and brought us into the wonderful radiance of light. And so we have the courage, with the apostle Paul, to mock death: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54-55). Christ will be our light always!

- E.J. Segovia
March 31, 2007
During the Spiritual Exercises for Holy Week 2007

Easter Vigil Reflection 2007: "Living the Mystery of the Resurrection"

EASTER VIGIL REFLECTION

April 7, 2007 Solemn Mass of Easter Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection (C) - White

First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:2
Responsorial Psalm I: Psalm 104 "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."
Second Reading: Genesis 22: 1-18
Responsorial Psalm II: Psalm 16 "You are my inheritance, O Lord."
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15 – 15:1
Responsorial Psalm III: Exodus 15 "Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory."
Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Responsorial Psalm & Alleluia: Psalm 118 “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!”
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

Living the Mystery of the Resurrection

“This is our passover feast…and rose triumphant from the grave…This is the night when Christ, the true Paschal Lamb, was slain.” (The Exultet)

Tonight, we wonder at the history of humanity. We wonder at the works of our Lord, from the time of creation, his greatest masterpiece, to the time when Christ was crucified and died for our salvation, until the time when we, present here tonight, are called Christians, professing one faith in one Lord. Tonight, we wonder at God’s supreme love for all humanity – his allowing of his only Son to be crucified and his raising of him from the dead, whose mystery we celebrate with profound love in this mass. Tonight is the night of our salvation – when we die with Christ to sin and rise with him to new life. We thank God for the entire history of salvation we recalled during the prolonged Liturgy of the Word.

Tonight let us reflect on the beautiful imagery of darkness and light, very well captured by our liturgy of light, when we blessed the fire of Easter and prepared the Paschal Candle, which symbolizes Christ, our pillar of light. The mystery of Good Friday brought gloom and darkness because of the death of the Son of God. Tonight, this darkness is replaced by light because Christ, our paschal lamb, is risen from the dead. The beautiful image of darkness transforming to light symbolizes our hope in the Resurrection, in our own Resurrection from the corruption of worldy sin into the glory of our heavenly salvation. Christ makes us hopeful that through his Resurrection we will be reborn and will be ready for our own salvation. Christ wants us to stop entertaining sin and start a new life in him. The darkness that looms over our old selves should be transformed into light that shines among others. The very beautiful images of darkness and light invite us to become better Christians in the Lord – that through our Lenten observance, we have been changed into worthy people of God, like the Israelites in our readings. Are we ready to live the Resurrection of Christ in our lives?

Tonight, we rejoice at our namesake – Christians. The Liturgy of Baptism that we will celebrate in a while invites us to become one with Christ in Baptism. Through the renewal of our baptismal promises, we are reminded of our participation in God’s plan of salvation. As Christians, we should be able to live a Christian life by our loving service to our brothers and sisters by virtue of our own baptism.

Tonight, we rejoice at the Resurrection of the Lord. With the psalmist, we say with grateful hearts, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!” (Ps. 118)

- E.J. Segovia
March 31, 2007
During the Spiritual Exercises for Holy Week 2007

Good Friday Reflection 2007: "The Greatest Betrayal and Denial the World has ever seen"

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION

April 6, 2007 Good Friday – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (C) - Red

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31 "Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit."
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42

The Greatest Betrayal and Denial the World has ever seen

“He was spurned and avoided by people, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom people hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem.”

The Passion of the Christ, released three years ago by acclaimed director Mel Gibson, gives a vivid and striking narration of the last twelve hours of Jesus before his death on the cross. Today, Good Friday, we once again commemorate the last twelve hours of our Lord. But now, we focus our reflection on the two acts that led to the cross – two acts that pierced the heart of Jesus.

The film opens at the Garden of Gethsemane, when Christ, like any human being, agonized over the coming events and prayed for strength and conviction. However, the more poignant event happens. Judas the Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, enters and kisses his master on the cheek – a sign of selling his Lord and Master to the world. More agonizing to Jesus are his words, “See, my betrayer is here,” (Mk14:42), alluding to one of his closest collaborators. Hence, the hardest to Jesus’ heart is the fact that his disciple betrayed him and sold him “like a slave.” There is no corporal torture that happened here to Jesus but there is this emotional torture that took place. This betrayal will lead to a more serious set of events that will eventually lead to the cross.

Another striking sequence but not given much importance in the film is Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus Christ. We know and see that after the arrest of Jesus by the Jewish guards, the apostles fled away except for Peter who followed the procession of Jesus towards the city. While Jesus was being tried in mockery, Peter stayed outside of the high priest’s palace. Three times, Peter was asked if he was with or knows Jesus. He said no. Peter denied his master three times. Peter, who was “the closest to Jesus”, denied him. What a painful thing to know that you were denied by your closest collaborator. Once again, there was no corporal torture that took place. It was the emotional torture that spoke loudly and struck Jesus the most. This denial would leave Jesus alone to suffer, after what he did for his disciples.

Betrayal and denial – two acts that led to the cross. These two acts led to his eventual suffering and death. The suffering of Jesus physically was intense. But what was more intense was the fact that Jesus was tortured, Jesus’ heart was pierced by two of his closest collaborators. These two acts were the most painful to Jesus during his passion.

The question is now posed on us – Are we going to betray and deny Jesus just as his disciples did? Are we going to leave Jesus to suffer alone? This is what Good Friday is about – challenging us to become better disciples of Christ, being with Christ on his way to Calvary, helping him carry his cross.

- E.J. Segovia
March 26, 2007

during the Spiritual Exercises for Holy Week 2007

Holy Thursday Reflection 2007: " We must have faith, hope, and love in accompanying Christ to Calvary"

HOLY THURSDAY REFLECTION

April 5, 2007 Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (C) - White

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116 "Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

We must have faith, hope, and love in accompanying Christ to Calvary

“This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution.”

This very night the Lord Jesus Christ started his paschal mystery. Brothers and sisters, welcome to the Paschal Triduum of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the memorial feast that the Lord has instituted upon us, his Church. This is the very night when Christ offered himself as a ransom for our sins. This is the very night when Christ had to endure all pains and malicious vulgarity that his people imposed upon him. This is the very night when Christ had to undergo the greatest betrayal the world has ever seen. In short, this is the very night when Christ humbly accepted his glorious suffering. Welcome to the Paschal Triduum of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper brings to our attention three things that Christ instituted on the night he was betrayed. On the Last Supper table, Christ broke bread and poured wine for all of his disciples - hence, the institution of the Holy Eucharist. After which Christ rose from the supper table, took off his cloak and washed his disciples’ feet – hence, the institution of Priesthood and Service. After the washing of the disciples’ feet, Christ discussed and taught about Christian Love – hence, the institution of brotherly love. These three foundational institutions are essential to this evening’s celebration and are the keys to understanding Christ’s eventual death on the cross.

The Holy Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s everlasting gift of himself. The bread we break is symbolic of our breaking of Christ’s body. The wine we drink is symbolic of Christ’s blood which flowed out for the salvation of the world. Our second reading (1 Cor 11:23-26) recounts to us in a vivid way the very words Christ uttered during the institution of the Eucharist in the Last Supper. “Do this in remembrance of me.” The Holy Eucharist is a symbol of our faith. In the Holy Eucharist, we celebrate our lives as Christ’s disciples, accompanying him on the road to Calvary.

The institution of Priesthood and Service is discussed in detail in our gospel (Jn 13:1-15). Jesus got up from supper, removed his garments, and took a pitcher and basin and started washing his disciples’ feet. Priesthood is not limited to the clergy alone. Priesthood is open for all. We can be priests in our own little way. We, too, are invited by Christ to get up from our comfort zones, to divest ourselves of our earthliness, and start serving our brothers and sisters in need. All of us, by virtue of our baptism, are priests. We are called to service. “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” We are called to have in us the virtue of hope that through our service of others, we will be in full communion with Christ, accompanying him on the road to Calvary.

Brotherly Love or Christian Love seems to be the hardest of all love the world has known. In order for one to love, he must give up what he has and offer it for his brother or sister in need. Not really. Christian Love means to love as Christ did – selfless love. As long as we live a life of love and service for others, we love like Christ. It does not mean that we should be slaves. It means that we should serve others in need. By the simple offering of a bus seat to an elderly person who is sick, we love like Christ. It is like offering our simple joys to the less fortunate. Hence, we show our symbol of love for others. Through this love, we accompany Christ on the road to Calvary.

These three institutions we celebrate tonight make us understand this evening’s celebration in a vivid way. This night is not a simple gathering. This night is the night when Christ prepared us, through these symbols, for his passion and death. In order for us to have a greater understanding of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, we must have faith, hope and love. With these three virtues, we will surely accompany him on the road to Calvary. And with great appreciation, we will be able to celebrate with acknowledging hearts and minds this perpetual institution he gave us.

Welcome, once again, to the Paschal Triduum of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

-E.J. Segovia
March 24, 2007