Thursday 6 April
Maundy Thursday - Evening Mass First reading - Exodus 12:1-8,11-14 Passover is the feast of the God entering into our life. “I will go through the land of Egypt”. He says, “I will pass over you”. God entering into the history of mankind. And the blood of the sacrifice saves from the destroying plague. The blood of the sacrifice is the blood of Jesus Christ which saves us from the destroying plague of sin. The blood of the unblemished lamb of God. He sacrificed Himself to save us. He shed His blood to protect us. We must mark our life with that precious blood of Jesus Christ. That happens in the sacrament of Eucharist which also is instituted by Jesus Christ. He sacrificed himself and then he instituted the sacrament of Eucharist so that His sacrifice is continuously renewed at the altar, and we are saved by His Blood. It’s not just protection. It is a sharing of His life. It is not just the door marked with the blood. It is becoming part of His body. Eucharist turns the Passover into an eternal cohabitation of Lord with us. Let’s reflect: Do we really understand the meaning of Eucharist?
Wednesday 5 April
Wednesday of Holy Week First reading - Isaiah 50:4-9 “Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away”. In these words of Prophet Isaiah, we can see the relationship which we must develop with the Lord. He wakes us up each morning. Each morning! He does not leave us alone even one day. Each morning He wakes me up. Being awaken by the voice of the Lord. How beautiful! He does not only wake me up but also wakes me up to hear, to listen like a disciple. He wakes me up to be a disciple. From the darkness of the night, He wakes me up to the light of a disciple. And my response to this is my complete surrender to Him. “For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away”. I am completely guided by Him. The Lord has opened my ear. I hear His voice and I follow the Good Shepherd. I feel His help, and nothing frightens me. This is the relationship we must have with our Lord who gives His love in the Cross. Let’s reflect: Am I waking up to His voice and following Him?
Tuesday 4 April
Tuesday of Holy Week First reading - Isaiah 49:1-6 In the words of the Prophet we can see how much God cares for us and how much God the Father sees each one of us in His beloved son Jesus Christ. “The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name”. This love of God is personal and the relationship of God with each one of us is personal. God takes care of us. “He hid me in the shadow of his hand”. How personal it this! The Lord strengthens us and protects us. “He made me into a sharpened arrow and concealed me in his quiver”. This personal love of God is manifest in the story of Israel. But the Lord say, “It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”. It is not enough that you are my servant. I want to make you my sons and daughters. So God sent His only Son to become like us and make all of us His sons and daughters. This love of God is in the Person of Jesus Christ who is the Light. Let’s reflect: How much I understand Jesus Christ as light to the nations?
Monday 3 April
Monday of Holy Week First reading - Isaiah 42:1-7 In these words of Isaiah, we can see the mission of Jesus Christ. We must meditate more about the person of Jesus Christ. What is His mission? He brings true justice to the nations, He opens the eyes of the blind, He frees captives from prison and from darkness. How He accomplishes His mission? He does not cry out or shout aloud. He acts in silence. He acts in our heart. He acts within us. He is the Lord who created the heavens and spread them out. He gave shape to the earth. He gave breath to people. This same Lord who has taken you by His hand and has formed you has the mission to salve you, to redeem you. He is sent by the Father as a covenant of the people and light to the nations. The person of Jesus Christ is the covenant for us, and He is the light for the us. The love of God is that brings true justice to us. Our covenant is not something written but it’s a person of Jesus Christ who wants to bring justice, who wants to free us from darkness. Let’s reflect: How much I understand Jesus Christ as my covenant of redemption?