Fr. Nicholas Gruner ~
May 4, 1942 - April 29, 2015
I would like to offer something in the way of a personal
tribute to Fr. Gruner. I never knew him,
I heard him speak twice, and actually had a brief but pleasant conversation
with him last September over a barbecue of all things. I also had one brief Facebook message
exchange with Fr. Gruner when I sent him a simple Facebook "friend"
request. Though he didn't know me, he
took the time from his busy schedule to exhort me - just a soul who happened
across his path to learn and live the message of Fatima. He exhorted me to
attend the Fatima Conference in Boston when I mentioned I was thinking of
going. It was quite apparent he was a great motivator and had the heart of an
Apostle.
I didn't know him, yet his influence over my life has been
great. I returned to a belief in the Catholic Church in the late 1970s - a
conversion that I entirely attribute to the good graces of Our Lady of
Fatima. When I read about Fatima, I was
very excited about it, which soon turned to dismay, as I soon realized how
universally the words of our Blessed Mother are ignored. There were then, as
there are now, various forces at work that seek to suppress the full message of
Fatima. Calls for conversions as well
are often unpopular with the world. Then
Fr. Gruner came along. He, along with
others who rallied around this inspirational figure, shone a light on the
message of Fatima - all of it. When the
Pharisees asked Our Lord to rebuke His disciples for proclaiming the Kingship
of Jesus Christ, Jesus told them that if they would be quiet, then the very
stones will cry out. So it is today -
Fr. Gruner was one of those stones who cry out loud and clear the message of
Our Lady of Fatima when the wolves and the hirelings scatter the sheep. Efforts
to suppress God's message by the worldly powers and by spiritual forces -
principalities and powers - may cause great destruction, but ultimately are
doomed to failure. Regarding the message of Fatima, the bell can not now be
unrung. Fr. Gruner cooperated with grace and sent out the clarion call. Now it
is incumbent on each of us to respond.
The message of Our Lady of Fatima is clear. She is our mother, she does all for us that
our natural mother would do and more.
She is the faithful advocate for her children before the throne of God,
calling down on her children the mercy of God.
We have nothing to fear if we seek her motherly assistance. We need to recognize and follow her
direction, so as to be guided safely one day to Paradise to reign forever with
her and her son. Our world has need as
never before for those courageous souls, who have the heart of an apostle, a
heart like Fr. Gruner did to zealously live the Catholic life, informed by the
message of Our Lady of Fatima to the faithful of our time.
As I reflect on his life, I see that ... up to now ... I
know that I have done very little for Our Lady, who has done so much for
me. Let me resolve this day to change.
As we reflect on his life and pray for the repose of his soul, we realize that
we are in need of good holy priests who will encourage and exhort us to follow
Our Lady up to Calvary, in the footsteps of her son. Let us pray that Our
Blessed Mother will send apostles of her Son to continue his work. Moreover, we
especially pray that we may increase our efforts on her behalf, and show
ourselves faithful sons and daughters of her Immaculate Heart. May Our Lady,
having faithfully guided the soul of Fr. Gruner to the heavenly gates, shower
graces on our poor world on his behalf.
In those days: I heard a voice from Heaven, saying to me: Write,
blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth now, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them. (Apocalypse 14:13)
Peter Weeping Before the Virgin on Holy Saturday - Guercino (1647)
HOLY SATURDAY ~ Dom Gueranger, Passiontide and Holy Week
On this day,
by her firm and unwavering faith in her Son's Resurrection to come tomorrow, Blessed Mary resumes within her single self the whole
Church. How sacred is this Saturday, which, notwithstanding all its sadness, is
such a day of glory to the Mother of Jesus! It is on this account that the
Church has consecrated to Mary the Saturday of every week.
Now, at
last, we understand what sin has done: By sin, death entered into the world;
and it passed upon all men. Though Jesus knew no sin, yet has he permitted
Death to have dominion over him, in order that he might make it less bitter to
us, and, by his Resurrection, restore unto us that eternal life, of which we
had been deprived by sin. How gratefully we should appreciate this Death of our
Jesus! By becoming Incarnate, he became a Servant; his Death was a still deeper
humiliation. The sight of this Tomb, wherein his Body lies lifeless and cold,
teaches us something far more important than the power of death: — it reveals
to us the immense, the incomprehensible love of God for man. He knew that we
were to gain by his humiliations; — the greater his humiliations, the greater
our exaltation: this was his principle, and it led him to what seems like an excess!
Let us, then, love this sacred Sepulcher, which is to give us Life. We have
thanked him for having died for us upon the Cross; let us thank him, but most
feelingly, for having humbled himself, for our sakes, even to the Tomb!
And now, let
us visit the Holy Mother, who has passed the night in Jerusalem, going over, in
saddest memory, the scenes she has witnessed. Her Jesus has been a Victim to
every possible insult and cruelty : he has been crucified : his precious Blood
has flowed in torrents from those Five Wounds : He is dead, and now lies buried
in yonder Tomb, as though he were but a mere man, yea the most abject of men.
How many tears have fallen, during these long hours, from the eyes of the
Daughter of David, and yet, her Son has not come back to her! Near her is Magdalene;
heartbroken by yesterday's events, she has no words to tell her grief, for
Jesus is gone, and, as she thinks, forever. The other Women, less loved by
Jesus than Magdalene, yet, still, dear to him, stand round the disconsolate
Mother. They have braved every insult and danger in order to remain on Calvary
till all was over, and they intend returning thither with Magdalene, as soon as
the Sabbath is over, to honour the Tomb and the Body of Jesus.
John, the
adopted son of Mary, and the Beloved Disciple of Jesus, is oppressed with
sorrow. Others, also, of the Apostles and Disciples visit the house of
mourning. Peter, penitent and humble, fears not to appear before the Mother of
Mercy. Among the Disciples, are Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. We may easily
imagine the conversation, it is on the Sufferings and Death of Jesus, and on
the ingratitude of the Jews. The Church, in the 7th Responsory of to-day's
Tenebrae, represents these men as saying: "Behold! how the Just One dieth,
and there is none that taketh it to heart. Iniquity has had its way. He was silent
as a Lamb under his shearer, and he opened not his mouth. He was taken away from
distress and judgment: but his memory shall be in peace." Thus speak the men! The women are thinking of their morrow's
visit to the Sepulcher! The saintliness of Jesus, his goodness, his power, his
Sufferings, his Death – everything is remembered, except his Resurrection,
which they had often heard him say should certainly and speedily take place.
Mary alone
lives in expectation of his triumph. In her was verified that expression of the
Holy Ghost, where, speaking of the Valiant Woman, he says: Her lamp shall not
be put out in the night. Her courage fails not, because she knows that the Sepulcher
must yield up its Dead, and her Jesus will rise again to Life. St. Paul tells us
that our religion is vain, unless we have faith in the mystery of our Savior’s Resurrection. Where was this faith on the day after our Lord's
Death? In one heart only — and that was Mary's. As it was her chaste womb that
had held within it Him whom heaven and earth cannot contain, so on this day, by
her firm and unwavering faith, she resumes within her single self the whole
Church. How sacred is this Saturday, which, notwithstanding all its sadness, is
such a day of glory to the Mother of Jesus! It is on this account that the
Church has consecrated to Mary the Saturday of every week.
Today, we commemorate
Good Friday. There are volumes and volumes of meditations that have been, or
could be made on this day.We have
chosen to focus on the mystery of Christ’s Kingship, as
exposed by Dom Gueranger’s meditation on the encounter between Jesus Christ and
Pontius Pilate.We do so with the
realization that our society and many in the Church follow the same path of
neglect – if not outright denial of the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all of
society. We do so with the objective of reparation to the Kingly and Sacred
Heart of Jesus, His Immaculate Mother and our Queen and with the firm desire to
counter the forces of secularism, adoring Jesus Christ, King and proclaiming
Him King of our hearts, King of our Church, and King of all civil society. A
blessed Good Friday to you. May Jesus Christ, Who
died for our sins this day, bless you today. Long live Christ the King!
“Art thou a
King, then?” says Pilate. — “Thou sayest”, answers Jesus, “that I am a King. For
this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should, give
testimony to the Truth. Every one that is of the Truth, heareth my voice.”
(John 18:37)
19. When
once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King,
society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered
discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord's regal office invests the human
authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the
citizen's duty of obedience. … If princes and magistrates duly elected are
filled with the persuasion that they rule, not by their own right, but by the
mandate and in the place of the Divine King, they will exercise their authority
piously and wisely, and they will make laws and administer them, having in view
the common good and also the human dignity of their subjects. The result will
be a stable peace and tranquility, for there will be no longer any cause of
discontent. Men will see in their king or in their rulers men like themselves,
perhaps unworthy or open to criticism, but they will not on that account refuse
obedience if they see reflected in them the authority of Christ God and Man. Peace
and harmony, too, will result; for with the spread and the universal extent of
the kingdom of Christ men will become more and more conscious of the link that
binds them together …. (Pius XI, Quas Primas)
“We have no
king but Caesar.” (Chief Priests to
Pontius Pilate, John 19:15)
“The peoples
of the earth turn to the United Nations as the last hope of concord and peace.
We presume to present here, together with Our own, their tribute to honour and
of hope.” (Pope Paul VI, Address to the United Nations, October 4, 1965)
The day-dawn
breaks upon the City, and the chief Priests make arrangements for taking Jesus
before the Roman Governor. They themselves have found him guilty; they have
condemned him as a Blasphemer, and, according to the law of Moses, a Blasphemer
must be stoned to death : but they cannot apply the law : Jerusalem is no
longer free, or governed by her own laws. The power over life and death may
only be exercised by her conquerors, and that in the name of Caesar. How is it,
that these Priests and Scribes can go through all this, and never once remember
the prophecy of Jacob, — that the Messias would come, when the sceptre should
be taken away from Juda? They know off by heart, they are the appointed
guardians of those Prophecies, which describe the death to which this Messias
is to be put, — and yet, they are the very ones who bring it about! How is all this?
They are blind, and it is Jealousy that blinds them.
The Chief
Priests, taking Jesus with them, present themselves at the Governor's Palace,
demanding audience for a case of importance. Pilate comes forward, and
peevishly asks them: What accusation bring you against this man? — They
answered : “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to
thee.” It is very evident from these first words, that Pilate has a contempt
for these Jewish Priests; it is not less evident that they are determined to
gain their cause. Take him you, says Pilate, and judge him according to your
Law. The Chief Priests answered: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
Pilate
leaves the Hall, in order to speak with these men. He returns, and commands
Jesus to be brought in. The son of God and the representative of the pagan
world are face to face. Pilate begins by asking him: Art thou the King of the Jews?
— To this Jesus thus replies: My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom
were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be
delivered to the Jews. But, now, my Kingdom is not from hence. “Art thou a
King, then?” says Pilate. — Thou sayest, answers Jesus, that I am a King.
Having, by these last words, confessed his august dignity, our Lord offers a
grace to this Roman; he tells him, that there is something worthier of Man's
ambition than earthly honors. For this, says Jesus, was I born, and for this
came I into the world; that I should, give testimony to the Truth. Every one
that is of the Truth, heareth my voice. — “What is Truth?” asks Pilate; but
without waiting for the answer, he leaves Jesus, for he is anxious to have done
with this case.
He returns
to the Jews, and says to them: “I find no cause in him.” Scarcely has Pilate
expressed his opinion in favor of Jesus, than a long list of accusations is
brought up against him by the Chief Priests. Pilate is astonished at Jesus'
making no reply, and says to him: “Dost thou not hear how great testimonies
they allege against thee?” These words are kindly meant, but Jesus still
remains silent: they, however, excite his enemies to fresh fury, and they cry out:
“He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from
Galilee, even to this place. This word Galilee suggests a new idea to Pilate.
Herod, the Tetrarch of Galilee, happens to be in Jerusalem at this very time.
Jesus is his subject; he must be sent to him. Thus Pilate will get rid of a
troublesome case, and this act of courteous deference will re-establish a good
understanding between himself and Herod
Another plan
for ridding himself of this troublesome case, now strikes the Roman Governor.
At the feast of the Pasch, he had the power of granting pardon to any one
criminal the people may select. They are assembled together at the court-gates.
He feels sure, that their choice will fall upon Jesus, for it is but a few days
ago that they led him in triumph through the City: besides, he intends to make
the alternative one who is an object of execration to the whole people; he is a
murderer, and his name Barabbas. “Whom will you that I release to you?” says Pilate:
Barabbas, or Jesus, that is called the Christ? — He has not long to wait for
the answer: the crowd exclaim: “Not this man, but Barabbas!” — “What then”,
replies Pilate, “shall I do with Jesus that is called the Christ? — Crucify
him? — Why, what evil hath he done?”
Pilate's
cowardly subterfuge has failed, and left him in a more difficult position than
he was before. His putting the innocent on a level with a murderer was, in
itself, a gross injustice; and yet, he has not gone far enough for a people
that is blind with passion. Neither does his promise to chastise Jesus satisfy them:
they want more than his Blood: they insist on his Death! Here let us pause, and
offer our Saviour a reparation for the insult he here receives. He is put in
competition with a murderer, and the murderer is preferred! Pilate makes an
attempt to save Jesus -. But, on what terms! — He must be put on a footing with
a vile wretch, and, even so, be worsted ! Those very lips that, a few days
back, sang “Hosannah to the Son of David," now clamor for his Crucifixion!
The City Magistrate and Governor pronounces him innocent; and yet, he condemns
him to be scourged, because he fears a disturbance!
Jesus is
made over to the soldiers, to be scourged. They rudely strip him of his
garments, and tie him to the pillar, which is kept for this kind of torture.
Fiercely do they strike him; the blood flows down his sacred Body. Let us adore
this the second Bloodshedding of our Jesus, whereby he expiates for the sins we
and the whole world have committed by the flesh. This Scourging is by the hands
of Gentiles: the Jews delivered him up to be punished, and the Romans were the executioners:
— thus have we all had our share in the awful Deicide! At last, the soldiers
are tired; they loosen their Victim; — but it is not out of anything like pity.
Their cruelty is going to rest, and their rest is derision. Jesus has been
called "King of the Jews:" a King, say they, must have a Crown! Accordingly
they make one for the Son of David! It is of Thorns. They press it violently
upon his head, and this is the third Bloodshedding of our Redeemer. Then, that
they may make their scoffing perfect, the soldiers throw a scarlet cloak over
his shoulders, and put a reed, for a sceptre, into his hand; and bending their
knee before him, they thus salute him: Hail, King of the Jews! — This insulting
homage is accompanied with blows upon his face; they spit upon him; and, from
time to time, take the reed from his hand, wherewith to strike the Thorns
deeper into his head. Here, the Christian prostrates himself before his
Saviour, and says to him with a heart full of compassion and veneration: “Yes! My
Jesus! Thou art King of the Jews! Thou art the Son of David, and therefore our
Messias and our Redeemer! Israel, that has so lately proclaimed thee King, now
unkings thee; the Gentiles scoff at thy Royalty, making it a subject for keener
insult: — but reign thou must and over both Jews and Gentiles: over the Jews,
by thy justice, for they are soon to feel the sceptre of thy revenge; over the
Gentiles, by thy mercy, for thine Apostles are soon to lead them to thy feet.
Receive, dearest King! Our homage and submission! Reign now and forever over
our hearts, yea, over our whole being!"
Thus mangled
and bleeding, holding the reed in his hand, and with the scarlet tatters on his
shoulders, Jesus is led back to Pilate. It is just the sight that will soften
the hearts of the people – at least,
Pilate thinks so; and taking him with him to a balcony of the palace, he shows
him to the crowd below, saying: “Behold the Man!” little did Pilate know all
that these few words conveyed! He says not: “Behold Jesus!" — Nor, “Behold
the King of the Jews!" he says: “Behold the Man!” Adam, the first Man,
rebelled against God, and, by his sin, deranged the whole work of the Creator:
as a punishment for his pride and intemperance, the flesh tyrannized over the
spirit; the very earth was cursed, and thorns were to be its growth. Jesus, the
New Man, comes into this world, bearing upon him, not the reality, but the
appearance, the likeness, of sin: in him, the work of the Creator regains its
primeval order; but the change was not wrought without violence. To teach us,
that the flesh must be brought into subjection to the spirit, Jesus' Flesh was
torn by the scourges: to teach us that pride must give way to humility the only
Crown that Jesus wears is made of Thorns. Yes, — Behold the Man! — the triumph
of the spirit over the flesh, the triumph of humility over pride.
Like the
tiger that grows fiercer as he sees blood, so is Israel at the sight of Jesus
after his scourging. “Crucify him! Crucify him!”— the cry is still the same. Take
him you, says Pilate, and crucify him; for I find no cause in him. And yet, he
has ordered him to be scourged enough to cause his death! Here is another
device of the base coward; but it, too, fails. The Jews have their answer
ready: they put forward the right granted by the Romans to the nations that are
tributary to the Empire. We have, say they, a law, and according to the law he
ought to die; because he made himself the Son of God. Disconcerted by the
reply, Pilate takes Jesus aside into the hall, and says to him: “Whence art thou?”
Jesus is silent; Pilate was not worthy to hear the answer to his question. This
silence irritates him. “Speakest thou not to me?” says he. Knowest thou not,
that I have power to crucify thee, and I have power to release thee? Here Jesus
deigns to speak ; and he speaks, in order to teach us that every power of
government, even where pagans are in question, comes from God, and not from a
pretended social compact : Thou shouldst not have any power against me, unless
it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered me to thee,
hath the greater sin.
This
dignified reply produces an impression upon Pilate: he resolves to make another
attempt to save Jesus. But the people vociferate a threat which alarms him: If
thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend; for whosoever maketh
himself a King, speaketh against Caesar. Still, he is determined to try and
pacify the crowd. He leaves the hall, sits upon the judgment-seat, orders Jesus
to be placed near him, and thus pleads for him: Behold your King! As though he
would say, “What have you or Caesar to fear from such a pitiable object as this?”
The argument was unavailing, and only provokes the cry : Away with him ! Away
with him! Crucify him! As though he did not believe them to be in earnest,
Pilate says to them: Shall I crucify your King? This time the Chief Priests give
the answer: We have no king but Caesar. When the very Ministers of God can talk
thus, religion is at an end. No king but Caesar! — Then, the sceptre is taken
from Juda, and Jerusalem is cast off, and the Messias is come!
Pilate,
seeing that nothing can quell the tumult, and that his honour as Governor is at
stake, decides on making Jesus over to his enemies. Though against his own
inclination, he passes the Sentence, which is to cause him such remorse of
conscience that he will afterwards seek relief in suicide. He takes a tablet,
and with a style, writes the Inscription which is to be fastened to the Cross.
The people demand that two thieves should be crucified at the same time, — it
would be an additional insult to Jesus: this, too, he grants, fulfilling the
prophecy of Isaias: And with the wicked was he reputed.
Having thus
defiled his soul with the most heinous of crimes, Pilate washes his hands
before the people, and says to them: "I am innocent of the blood of this
just man; look ye to it! They answer him with this terrible self-imprecation: “His
blood be upon us and upon our children!” The mark of Parricide here fastens on
this ungrateful and sacrilegious people; Cain-like, they shall wander fugitives
on the earth. Eighteen hundred years have passed since then; slavery, misery,
and contempt, have been their portion; but the mark is still upon them. Let us
Gentiles, — upon whom this Blood of Jesus has fallen as the dew of heaven's
mercy, — let us return fervent thanks to the goodness of our heavenly Father,
who hath so loved the world, as to give it his Only Begotten Son. Let us give
thanks to the Son, who, seeing that our iniquities could not be blotted out
save by his Blood, shed it, on this day, even to the very last drop.
Holy Thursday ~ Dom Gueranger, Passiontide and Holy Week
"I am", says he, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If you love me, keep my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you forever. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. ... arise, let us go hence." Deeply impressed by these words, the Disciples arise, and, after the hymn of thanksgiving has been said, they accompany Jesus to Mount Olivet.
Jesus is in
the Supper chamber, where the Paschal Lamb is to be eaten. All the Apostles are
with him; Judas is there, also, but his crime is not known to the rest. Jesus
approaches the table, on which the Lamb is served. His Disciples stand around
him. The ceremonies prescribed by God to Moses are religiously observed. At the
beginning of the repast, Jesus speaks these words to his Apostles: With desire
I have desired to eat this Pasch with you, before I suffer. In saying this, he does not imply that the
Pasch of this year is intrinsically better than those that have preceded it;
but, that it is dearer to him, inasmuch as it is to give rise to the
institution of the new Pasch, which he has prepared for mankind, and which he
is now going to give them as his last gift: for as St. John says, having loved
his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. During the repast,
Jesus, who reads the hearts of all men, utters these words, which cause great
consternation among the Disciples: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about
to betray me: — he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray
me. The sadness with which he speaks is enough to soften any heart; and Judas,
who knows his Master's goodness, feels that they imply a merciful pardon, if he
will but ask it. But no: the passion of avarice has enslaved his soul, and he,
like the rest of the Apostles, says to Jesus: Is it I, Rabbi? Jesus answers him
in a whisper, in order not to compromise him before his brethren: Thou hast
said it! But Judas yields not. He intends to remain with Jesus, until the hour
comes for betraying him. Thus, the august mystery, which is on the point of
being celebrated, is to be insulted by his presence!
The legal
repast is over. It is followed by a feast, which again brings the Disciples
around their Divine Master. It was the custom in the East that guests should
repose two and two on couches round the table; these have been provided by the
disciple, who has placed his house at Jesus' service. John is on the same couch
as Jesus, so that it is easy for him to lean his head upon his Master's breast.
Peter is on the next couch, on the other side of Jesus, who is thus between the
two Disciples, whom he had sent, in the morning, to prepare the Pasch, and who,
as we have already observed, represent Faith and Love This second repast is a
sorrowful one, in consequence of Jesus having told the guests, that one of them
is a traitor. The innocent and affectionate John is overwhelmed with grief, and
seeks consolation on the Heart of this dear Lord, whom someone is about to
deliver to his enemies.
But the
Apostles little expect a third Supper. Jesus has not told them of his intention;
but he had made a promise, and he would fulfil it before his Passion. Speaking,
one day, to the people, he had said: I am
the Living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he
shall live forever, and the Bread that I will give, is my Flesh for the life of
the world. * * * My Flesh is meat indeed, and my Blood is drink indeed. He that
eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood, abideth in me, and I in him. The time has come for the fulfilment of this,
his loving promise. But as it was both his Flesh and his Blood that he promised
us, he waited till the time of his sacrifice. His Passion has begun; he is sold
to his enemies; his life is already in their hands; — he may at once,
therefore, offer himself in sacrifice, and give to his Disciples the very Flesh
and Blood of the Victim.
As soon as
the second repast was over, Jesus suddenly rises, and, to the astonishment of
his Apostles, takes off his upper garment, girds himself, as a servant, with a
towel, pours water into a basin, and pre pares to wash the feet of the guests.
It was the custom, in the East, to wash one's feet, before taking part in a feast;
it was considered as the very extreme of hospitality, when the master of the
house himself did this service to his guest. Jesus is about to regale his
Apostles with a Divine Banquet; he wishes to treat them with every possible
mark of welcome and attention. But in this, as in every other action of his,
there is a fund of instruction: he would teach us, by what he is now doing, how
great is the purity, wherewith we should approach the Holy Table. He that is
washed, says he, needeth not but to wash his feet; as though he would say:
" The holiness of this Table is such, that they who come to it, should not
only be free from grievous sins, but they should, " moreover, strive to
cleanse their souls from those "lesser faults, which come from contact
with the " world, and are like the dust that covers the feet of " one
that walks on the highway." We will explain further on, the other
teachings conveyed by this action of our Lord. It is with Peter, the future
Head of his Church that Jesus begins. The Apostle protests; he declares that he
will never permit his Master to humble himself as low as this: but he is
obliged to yield. The other Apostles, (who, as Peter himself, are reclining
upon their couches,) receive the same mark of love: Jesus comes to each of them
in turn, and washes their feet. Judas is not excepted: he has just received a
second warning from his merciful Master; for Jesus, addressing himself to all
the Apostles, said to them: You are clean; but not all – but the reproach
produced no effect upon this hardened heart. Having finished washing the feet
of the Twelve, Jesus resumes his place, side by side with John.
Our Savior’s
washing the feet of his Disciples before permitting them to partake of his
Divine Mystery, conveys an instruction to us. The Apostle has just been telling
us, that we should prove ourselves: and here, we have Jesus saying to his Disciples:
You are clean. It is true, he adds: but not all: just as the Apostle assures
us, that there are some who render themselves guilty of the Body and Blood of
the Lord. God forbid we should ever be of the number! Let us prove ourselves;
let us sound the depths of our conscience, before approaching the Holy Table.
Mortal sin, and the affection to mortal sin, would change the Bread of Life
into a deadly poison for our souls. But, if respect for the holiness of God,
who is about to enter within us by Holy Communion, should make us shudder at
the thought of our receiving him in the state of mortal sin, which robs the
soul of the image of God and gives her that of Satan, — ought not that same
respect urge us to purify our souls from venial sins, which dim the beauty of grace?
He, says our Saviour, that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet. The feet
are those earthly attachments, which so often lead us to the brink of sin. Let
us watch over our senses, and the affections of our hearts. Let us wash away
these stains by a sincere confession, by penance, by sorrow, and by humility;
that thus we may worthily receive the Adorable Sacrament, and derive from it
the fullness of its power and grace.
Then taking
a piece of the unleavened bread, that had remained over from the feast, he
raises his eyes to heaven, blesses the bread, breaks it, and distributes it to
his Disciples, saying to them : Take ye, and eat ; this is my Body. The
Apostles take the bread, which is now changed into the Body of their Divine Master;
they eat — and Jesus is, now, not only with them, but in them. But, as this
sacred mystery is not only the most holy of the Sacraments, but, moreover, a
true Sacrifice; and as a Sacrifice requires the shedding of blood; — our Jesus
takes the cup, and changing the wine into his own Blood, he passes it round to
his Disciples, saying to them: Drink ye, all, of this; for this is my Blood of
the new testament, which shall be shed for many, unto remission of sins. The
Apostles drink from the sacred chalice thus proffered them; when it comes to
Judas, he too, partakes of it, but he drinks his own damnation, as he ate his
own judgment, when he received the Bread of Life. Jesus, however, mercifully
offers the traitor another grace, by saying, as he gives the Cup to his
Disciples : The hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table? Peter is
struck by Jesus thus frequently alluding to the crime, which is to be committed
by one of the Twelve. He is determined to find out who the traitor is. Not daring
himself to ask Jesus, at whose right hand he is sitting, he makes a sign to
John, who is on the other side, and begs him to put the question. John leans on
Jesus' breast, and says to him in a whisper: Lord, who is it? Jesus answers him
in an equally suppressed tone: He to whom I shall reach bread dipped. And
having taken one of the pieces of bread that remained over from the repast, he
dipped it, and gave it to Judas. It was one more grace offered and refused, for
the Evangelist adds: And after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus again
addresses him, saying: That which thou dost, do quickly. The wretch then leaves
the room, and sets about the perpetration of his crime.
Such is the
history of the Last Supper, of which we celebrate the anniversary on this day.
But there is one circumstance of the deepest interest to us, and to which we
have, so far, only made an indirect allusion. The institution of the Holy
Eucharist, both as a Sacrament and Sacrifice, is followed by another, — the
institution of a new Priesthood. How could our Saviour have said: Except you
eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, you shall not have life
in you? — Unless he had resolved to establish a ministry upon earth, whereby he
would renew, even to the end of time, the great Mystery he thus commands us to receive?
He begins it today, in the Cenacle. The twelve Apostles are the first to
partake of it: but observe what he says to them: Do this for a commemoration of
me. By these words, he gives them power to change bread into his Body, and wine
into his Blood; and this sublime power shall be perpetuated in the Church, by
holy Ordination, even to the end of the world. Jesus will continue to operate,
by the ministry of mortal and sinful men, the Mystery of the Last Supper. By
thus enriching his Church with the one and perpetual Sacrifice, he also gives
us the means of abiding in him, for he gives us, as he promised, the Bread of
heaven. To-day, then, we keep the anniversary, not only of the Institution of
the Holy Eucharist, but, also, of the equally wonderful Institution of the
Christian Priesthood.
Judas has
left the Cenacle, and, profiting of the darkness, has reached the place where
the enemies of his Saviour are assembled. Jesus then turns to his faithful
Apostles, and says to them: Now is the Son of Man glorified. Yes, his Passion
is to be followed by triumph and glory; and the Passion has already begun, for
Judas has commenced his work of betraying him. Meanwhile, the Apostles, —
forgetting the trouble, into which they had been thrown by Jesus' telling them,
that one of the Twelve was about to betray him, — begin to dispute among
themselves, which of them should seem to be greater. They have not forgotten
the words spoken by Jesus to Peter, when he made him the Rock, on which he
would build his Church; and here, at the Supper, they have seen their Divine
Master wash the feet of Peter first. On the other hand, John's affectionate
familiarity with Jesus, during this same Supper, has made some of them argue,
that he who was most loved, would be most honored. Jesus puts an end to this
dispute, by giving to these future Pastors of his Church a lesson of humility.
There shall, it is true, be a Head among them ; but, says our Redeemer, let him
that is the greater among you, become as the younger ; and he that is the
leader, as he that serveth. He bids them look at him : he is their Master, and
yet, says he, I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth.
Then turning
towards Peter, he thus addresses him: Simon, Simon ! Behold Satan hath desired
to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that
thy faith fail not: and thou, being once converted, confirm thy Brethren. This
last interview is, as it were, our Savior’s Testament; he provides for his
Church, before leaving her. The Apostles are to be Peter's Brethren, but Peter
is to be their Head. This sublime dignity is to be enhanced by the humility of
him that enjoys it: he shall be “The Servant of the Servants of God." The
Apostolic College is to be exposed to the fury of hell; but Peter alone is to
confirm his Brethren in the faith. His teaching shall ever be conformable to
Divine Truth; it shall be ever infallible: Jesus has prayed that it may be so.
Such a prayer is all-powerful; and thereby, the Church, ever docile to the
voice of Peter, shall forever maintain the doctrine of Christ. Jesus, after
having provided for the future of his Church by the words he addressed to
Peter, thus speaks affectionately to all the eleven: Little children! Yet a
little while I am with you. Love one another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another. Peter says to him: Lord! whither
goest thou? — Whither I go, answers Jesus, thou canst not now follow me; but
thou shalt follow hereafter. — Why cannot I follow thee now? Again asks Peter:
I will lay down my life for thee. — Wilt thou, replies Jesus, lay down thy life
for me? Amen, amen, I say to thee: the cock shall not crow, till thou deny me
thrice. Peter's love for Jesus had too much of the human about it, for it was
not based on humility. Presumption comes from pride: it almost always results in
a fall. In order to prepare Peter for his future ministry of pardon, as also to
give us a useful lesson, God permits that he, who was soon to be made Prince of
the Apostles, should fall into a most grievous and humiliating sin.
But let us
return to the instructions contained in the last words spoken by our Jesus
before he leaves his disciples. "I am", says he, "the Way, the Truth, and the
Life. If you love me, keep my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he shall
give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you forever. I will not
leave you orphans; I will come to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled, nor let it be afraid. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad,
because I go to the Father. I will not now speak many things with you, for the
prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not anything. But that the world
may know that I love the Father, and as the Father hath given me commandment,
so do I, — arise, let us go hence." Deeply impressed by these words, the
Disciples arise, and, after the hymn of thanksgiving has been said, they
accompany Jesus to Mount Olivet.
Dom Gueranger ~ Liturgical Year, Passiontide and Holy Week
The figurative Lamb is now to make way for the true one; the Pasch of this year will substitute the reality for the type; and Jesus' Blood, shed by the hands of wicked priests, is soon to flow simultaneously with that of victims, which have only been hitherto acceptable to God, because they prefigured the Sacrifice of Calvary.
The Chief Priests and the Ancients of the people meet today
in one of the rooms adjoining the Temple, for the purpose of deliberating on
the best means of putting Jesus to death. Several plans are discussed. Would it
be prudent to lay hands upon him at this season of the Feast of the Pasch, when
the City is filled with strangers, who have received a favorable impression of
Jesus from the solemn ovation given to him three days earlier? Then, too, are
there not a great number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who took part in that
triumph, and whose enthusiastic admiration of Jesus might excite them to rise
up in his defense? These considerations persuade them not to have recourse to
any violent measure, at least for the present, as a sedition among the people
might be the consequence, and its promoters, even were they to escape being
ill-treated by the people, would be brought before the tribunal of the Roman
Governor, Pontius Pilate. They, therefore, come to the- resolution of letting
the Feast pass quietly over, before apprehending Jesus.
But these blood-thirsty men are making all these calculations
as though they were the masters. They are, if they will, shrewd assassins, who
put off their murder to a more convenient day: but the Divine decrees, — which,
from all eternity, have prepared a Sacrifice for the world's salvation, — have
fixed this very year's Pasch as the day of the Sacrifice, and, to-morrow
evening, the holy City will re-echo with the trumpets, which proclaim the
opening of the Feast. The figurative Lamb is now to make way for the true one;
the Pasch of this year will substitute the reality for the type; and Jesus'
Blood, shed by the hands of wicked priests, is soon to flow simultaneously with
that of victims, which have only been hitherto acceptable to God, because they
prefigured the Sacrifice of Calvary. The Jewish priesthood is about to be its
own executioner, by immolating Him, whose Blood is to abrogate the Ancient
Alliance, and perpetuate the New one.
But how are Jesus' enemies to get possession of their divine
Victim, so as to avoid a disturbance in the City? There is only one plan that
could succeed, and they have not thought of it: it is treachery. Just at the
close of their deliberations, they are told that one of Jesus' Disciples seeks
admission. They admit him, and he says to them: What will you give me to
deliver him unto you? They are delighted at this proposition: and yet, how is it
that they, doctors of the law, forget that this infamous bargain between
themselves and Judas has all been foretold by David, in the 108th Psalm? They know
the Scriptures from beginning to end; — how comes it, that they forget the
words of the Prophet, who even mentions the sum of thirty pieces of silver. (Zach.
xi. 12) Judas asks them what they will give him; and they give him thirty
pieces of silver! All is arranged: tomorrow, Jesus will be in Jerusalem, eating
the Pasch with his Disciples. In the evening, he will go, as usual, to the
Garden on Mount Olivet. But how shall they, who are sent to seize him, be able
to distinguish him from his Disciples? Judas will lead the way; he will show
them which is Jesus, by going up to him and kissing him!
Such is the impious scheme devised on this day, within the
precincts of the Temple of Jerusalem. To testify her detestation at it, and to
make atonement to the Son of God for the outrage thus offered him, the Holy
Church, from the earliest ages, consecrated the Wednesday of every week to
penance. In our own times, the Fast of Lent begins on a Wednesday; and when the
Church ordained that we should commence each of the four Seasons of the year
with Fasting, Wednesday was chosen to be one of the three days thus consecrated
to bodily mortification. (The author
speaks here of Ember Days, fast days that occur on the traditional Roman Calendar
during the year to commemorate and make holy each of the four seasons.)
At Rome, the Station for today is in the Basilica of Saint
Mary Major. Let us compassionate with our Holy Mother, whose Heart is filled
with poignant grief at the foresight of the Sacrifice, which is preparing.
Dom
Gueranger: Liturgical Year ~ Passiontide and Holy Week
In
order to teach us that the whole of material nature is subservient to the
spiritual element, when this last is united to God by faith, Jesus replies:
Have the faith of God. Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain:
Be thou removed and cast into the sea! And shall not stagger in his heart, but
believe, that whatsoever he saith shall be done, it shall be done unto him.
Today, again
our Saviour sets out in the morning for Jerusalem. His intention is to repair
to the temple, and continue his yesterday's teachings. It is evident that his
mission on earth is fast drawing to its close. He says to his Disciples: You
know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son of Man shall be
delivered up to be crucified. (Matt. 26:2) On the road from Bethania to
Jerusalem, the Disciples are surprised at seeing the fig-tree, which their
Divine Master had yesterday cursed, now dead. Addressing himself to Jesus,
Peter says: Rabbi, behold, the fig-tree, which thou didst curse, is withered
away. (Mark 6:21) In order to teach us that the whole of material nature is
subservient to the spiritual element, when this last is united to God by faith,
Jesus replies: Have the faith of God. Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall
say to this mountain: Be thou removed and cast into the sea! And shall not
stagger in his heart, but believe, that whatsoever he saith shall be done, it
shall be done unto him.
Having
entered the City, Jesus directs his steps towards the Temple. No sooner has he
entered, than the Chief Priests, the Scribes, and the Ancients of the people,
accost him with these words: By what authority dost thou these things? And who
has given thee this authority, that thou shouldst do these things? We shall
find our Lord's answer given in the Gospel. Our object is to mention the
leading events of the last days of our Redeemer on earth; the holy Volume will
supply the details. As on the two preceding days, Jesus leaves the City towards
evening: he passes over Mount Olivet, and returns to Bethania, where he finds
his Blessed Mother and his devoted friends.
EPISTLE for
Tuesday in Holy Week:
Lesson from
Jeremias the Prophet. Ch. XI.
In those
days: Jeremias said: Thou, O Lord, hast shewed me, and I have known: then thou
shewedst me their doings. And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim;
and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: “Let us put
wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his
name be remembered no more.” But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly,
and triest the reins of the heart, let me see thy revenge on them; for to thee
I have revealed my cause, O Lord, my God!
Again, we
have the plaintive words of Jeremias: he gives us the very words used by his
enemies, when they conspired his death. It is evident, however, that the
Prophet is here a figure of one greater than himself. Let us, say these
enemies, put wood upon his bread: that is, let us put poisonous wood into what
he eats, that so we may cause his death. This is the literal sense of these
words, as applied to the Prophet; but how much more truly were they fulfilled
in our Redeemer! He tells us, that his Divine Flesh is the True Breads that
came down from heaven. This Bread, this Body of the Man-God, is bruised, torn,
and wounded; the Jews nail it to the Wood; so that, it is, in a manner, made
one with the Wood, and the Wood is all covered with Jesus' Blood. This Lamb of
God was immolated on the Wood of the Cross : it is by his immolation, that we
have had given to us a Sacrifice, which is worthy of God ; and it is by this
Sacrifice, that we participate in the Bread of Heaven, the Flesh of the Lamb,
our true Pasch. The Gradual, which is taken from the 34th Psalm, shows us the
humility and meekness of our Jesus under his sufferings. How they contrast with
the haughty pride of his enemies!
During Holy Week, Dom Gueranger retraces the steps of our Blessed Lord. A reflection on the account from the Gospel of St. Matthew follows.
This
morning, also, Jesus goes with his Disciples to Jerusalem. He is fasting, for
the Gospel tells us, that he was hungry. (Matt. 21:18) He approaches a
fig-tree, which is by the wayside; but finds nothing on it, save leaves. Jesus,
wishing to give us an instruction, curses the fig-tree, which immediately
withers away. He would hereby teach us what they are to expect, who have
nothing but good desires, and never produce in themselves the fruit of a real
conversion. Nor is the allusion to Jerusalem less evident. This City is zealous
for the exterior of Divine Worship; but her heart is hard and obstinate, and
she is plotting, at this very hour, the death of the Son of God. The greater
portion of the day is spent in the Temple, where Jesus holds long conversations
with the Chief Priests and Ancients of the people. His language to them is
stronger than ever, and triumphs over all their captious questions. It is
principally in the Gospel of St. Matthew, (Chapters 21-23) that we shall find
these answers of our Redeemer, which so energetically accuse the Jews of their
sin of rejecting the Messias, and so plainly foretell the punishment their sin
is to bring after it.
At length,
Jesus leaves the Temple, and takes the road that leads to Bethania. Having come
as far as Mount Olivet, which commands a view of Jerusalem, he sits down, and
rests awhile. The Disciples make this an opportunity for asking him, how soon
the chastisements he has been speaking of in the Temple will come upon the
City. His answer comprises two events: the destruction of Jerusalem, and the
final destruction of the world. He thus teaches them that the first is a figure
of the second. The time when each is to happen, is to be when the measure of
iniquity is filled up. But, with regard to the chastisement that is to befall
Jerusalem, he gives this more definite answer: Amen I say to you: this
generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. (Matt 24:34) History
tells us how this prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled: forty years had scarcely
elapsed after his Ascension, when the Roman army encamped on this very place
where he is now speaking to his Disciples, and laid siege to the ungrateful and
wicked City. After giving a prophetic description of that Last Judgment, which
is to rectify all the unjust judgments of men, he leaves Mount Olivet, returns
to Bethania, and consoles the anxious heart of his most holy Mother.
Dom Gueranger, Liturgical Year, Passiontide and Holy Week
"This is the glorious Mystery which ushers in the Great Week, the Week of Dolours. Holy Church would have us give this momentary consolation to our heart, and hail our Jesus as our King. She has so arranged the Service of to-day, that it should express both joy and sorrow; joy, by uniting herself with the loyal Hosannas of the City of David ; and sorrow, by compassionating the Passion of her Divine Spouse."
Early in the
morning of this day, Jesus sets out for Jerusalem, leaving Mary, his Mother,
and the two sisters Martha and Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus, at Bethania. The
Mother of Sorrows trembles at seeing her Son thus expose himself to danger, for
his enemies are bent upon his destruction; but it is not Death, it is Triumph
that Jesus is to receive today in Jerusalem. The Messias, before being nailed
to the Cross, is to be proclaimed King by the people of the great City; the
little children are to make her streets echo with their Hosannas to the Son of David;
and this in presence of the soldiers of Rome's Emperor, and of the High Priests
and Pharisees, — the first, standing under the banner of their Eagles; the
second, dumb with rage. The Prophet Zachary had foretold this Triumph which the
Son of Man was to receive a few days before his Passion, and which had been
prepared for him from all eternity. Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Sion! Shout
for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy King will come to thee; the Just
and the Saviour, He is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal
of an ass.
Jesus, knowing
that the hour was come for the fulfilment of this prophecy, singles out two
from the rest of his Disciples, and bids them lead to him an ass and her colt,
which they would find not far off. He had got to Bethphage, on Mount Olivet.
The two Disciples lose no time in executing the order given them by their
divine Master; and the ass and the colt are soon brought to the place where he
stands. The holy Fathers have explained to us the mystery of these two animals.
The ass represents the Jewish people, which had been long under the yoke of the
Law; the colt, upon which, as the Evangelist says, no man yet hath sat, is a
figure of the Gentile world, which no one had ever yet brought into subjection.
The future of these two people is to be decided in a few days hence: the Jews
will be rejected, for having refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messias; the
Gentiles will take their place, be adopted as God's people, and become docile
and faithful. The Disciples spread their
garments upon the colt; and our Saviour, that the prophetic figure might be
fulfilled, sat upon him, and advances towards Jerusalem. As soon as it was
known that Jesus was near the City, the Holy Spirit worked in the hearts of
those Jews, who had come, from all parts, to celebrate the Feast of the
Passover. They go out to meet our Lord, holding palm branches in their hands,
and loudly proclaiming him to be King. They that had accompanied Jesus from
Bethania, join the enthusiastic crowd. Whilst some spread their garments on the
way, others cut down boughs from the Palm- trees, and strewed them along the
road. Hosanna is the triumphant cry, proclaiming to the whole city, that Jesus,
the Son of David, has made his entrance as her King.
Thus did
God, in his power over men's hearts, procure a triumph for his Son, and in the
very City, which, a few days after, was to clamor for his Blood. This day was
one of glory to our Jesus, and the holy Church would have us renew, each year,
the memory of this triumph of the Man-God. Shortly after the Birth of our
Emmanuel, we saw the Magi coming from the extreme East, and looking in
Jerusalem for the King of the Jews, to whom they intended offering their gifts
and their adoration: but it is Jerusalem herself that now goes forth to meet
this King. Each of these events is an acknowledgment of the Kingship of Jesus:
the first, from the Gentiles; the second, from the Jews. Both were to pay him
this regal homage, before he suffered his Passion.
The
Inscription to be put upon the Cross, by Pilate's order, will express the
Kingly character of the Crucified: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Pilate,
— the Roman Governor, the pagan, the base coward, — has been, unwittingly, the
fulfiller of a prophecy; and when the enemies of Jesus insist on the
Inscription being altered, Pilate will deign them no answer but this: What I
have written, I have written. To-day, it is the Jews themselves that proclaim
Jesus to be their King: they will soon be dispersed, in punishment for their
revolt against the Son of David; but Jesus is King, and will be so forever.
Thus were literally verified the words spoken by the Archangel to Mary, when he
announced to her the glories of the Child that was to be born of her: The Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of David, his father; and he shall reign in
the house of Jacob forever. Jesus begins his reign upon the earth this very
day; and though the first Israel is soon to disclaim his rule, a new Israel,
formed from the faithful few of the old, shall rise up in every nation of the
earth, and no mere earthly monarch ever coveted in his wildest fancies of
ambition.
This is the
glorious Mystery which ushers in the Great Week, the Week of Dolours. Holy
Church would have us give this momentary consolation to our heart, and hail our
Jesus as our King. She has so arranged the Service of to-day, that it should express
both joy and sorrow; joy, by uniting herself with the loyal Hosannas of the
City of David ; and sorrow, by compassionating the Passion of her Divine
Spouse.
In today's
Procession the Church wishes us to honour Jesus Christ as though he were really
among us, and were receiving the humble tribute of our loyalty. Let us lovingly
go forth to meet this our King, our Saviour, who comes to visit the Daughter of
Sion, as the Prophet has just told us. He is in our midst; it is to him that we
pay honour with our Palms; — let as give him our hearts too. He comes that he
may be our King; let us welcome him as such, and fervently cry out to him:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Today, I am publishing yesterday's Gospel and commentary by Dom Gueranger, since it has many applications to our own time. Caiphas is a scoundrel, yet he is the High Priest who prophecies in God's name, though at the same time plotting His death! We learn in this Gospel passage and the words of Dom Gueranger that while the religious authority IS the authority, they can be very far from perfect. Instead of being filled with zeal for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls, they compromise with the world, poisoning the well of grace. Gueranger reminds us that the Jewish covenant has indeed been ended. In this Gospel we reflect on the disaster of seeking peace on our own terms in opposition to the Will of Christ. In their day, they seek to supress the truth of Christ in order to placate the Roman secular authority. Surely, we can draw numerous parallels by which the religious authorities of the day suppress heavenly directives for worldly concerns.
I fully intend to elaborate on all of the above soon. There will be time for comment later, but Lent is drawing to a close, and we must prepare our souls now!
I present here the Gospel and meditation of the incomparable Dom Gueranger. As we head into Holy Week, let us redouble our prayers and sacrifices for our own conversion, that of our neighbor, for the Church and for the World. Long live Christ the King. Blessed be the name of Mary, our Mother and our Queen!
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John. Chapter 11
At that time: the chief priests and Pharisees assembled in council against Jesus, and said: What do we, for this man doth many miracles? If we let him alone, all men will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation. But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: You know nothing; neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this he spoke not of himself; but being the high-priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but to gather in one the children of God, that were dispersed.
From that day therefore they devised to put him to death. Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews, but he went unto a country near the desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his disciples.
Commentary of Dom Gueranger from the Gospel of Friday of Passion Week
Jesus is more than ever in danger of losing his life! The Council of the nation assembles to devise a plan for his destruction. Listen to these men, slaves of that vilest of passions, — jealousy. They do not deny the miracles of Jesus; therefore, they are in a condition to pass judgment upon him, and the judgment ought to be favorable. But they have not assembled to examine if he be or be not the Messias; it is to discuss the best plan for putting him to death. And what argument will they bring forward to palliate the evident murder they contemplate? Political interests, — their country's good. They argue thus: " If Jesus be longer allowed to appear in public and work miracles, Judea will rise up in rebellion against the Romans, who now govern us, and will proclaim Jesus to be their King; Rome will never allow us, the weakest of her tributaries, to insult her with impunity, and, in order to avenge the outrage offered to the Capitol, her armies will come and exterminate us." — Senseless Councilors! If Jesus had come that he might be King after this, world's fashion, all the powers of the earth could not have prevented it.
Again, — how is it that these Chief Priests and Pharisees, who know the Scriptures by heart, never once think of that prophecy of Daniel, which foretells, that in seventy weeks of years, after the going forth of the decree for the rebuilding of the Temple, the Christ shall be slain, and the people that shall deny him, shall cease to be His. (Dan., ix. 25) Moreover, that after this crime, a people, led on by a commander, shall come and destroy Jerusalem; the abomination of desolation shall enter the Holy Place, the temple shall be destroyed, and the desolation shall last even to the end. (Dan. ix, 26, 27) How is it that this prophecy is lost sight of? Surely, if they thought of it, they would not put Christ to death, for by putting him to death, they ruin their country! But to return to the Council. The High-Priest, who governed the Synagogue during the last days of the Mosaic Law, is a worthless man, by name Caiphas; he presides over the Council. He puts on the sacred Ephod, and he prophesies; his prophecy is from God, and is true. Let us not be astonished: the veil of the temple is not yet rent asunder; the covenant between God and Juda is not yet broken.
Caiphas is a blood-thirsty man, a coward, a sacrilegious wretch; still, he is High-Priest, and God speaks by his mouth. Let us hearken to this Balaam: Jesus shall die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but to gather in one the children of God, that were dispersed. Thus, the Synagogue is near her end, and is compelled to prophesy the birth of the Church, and that this birth is to be by the shedding of Jesus' Blood. Here birth is to be by the shedding of Jesus' Blood. Here and there, throughout the world, there are Children of God who serve him, among the Gentiles, as did the Centurion, Cornelius; but there was no visible bond of union among them. The time is at hand, when the great and only City of God is to appear on the mountain, and all nations shall flow unto it. (Is., i 2)
As soon as the Blood of the New Testament shall have been shed, and the Conqueror of death shall have risen from the grave, the day of Pentecost will convoke, not the Jews to the Temple of Jerusalem, but all nations to the Church of Jesus Christ. By that time, Caiphas will have forgotten the prophecy he uttered ; he will have ordered his servants to piece together the Veil of the Holy of Holies, which was torn in two at the moment of Jesus' death ; but this Veil will serve no purpose, for the Holy of Holies will be no longer there; a clean oblation will be offered up in every place, the Sacrifice of the New Law ; and scarcely shall the avengers of Jesus' death have appeared on Mount Olivet, than a voice will be heard in the Sanctuary of the repudiated Temple, saying : " Let us go out from this place !"
We must recall to our minds this great truth: that God, in the designs of his infinite wisdom, has willed that Mary should have a share in the work of the world's Redemption. The mystery of the present Feast is one of the applications of this Divine law, a law which reveals to us the whole magnificence of God's Plan
THE SEVEN
DOLOURS OF OUR LADY.
~ Dom
Gueranger, Liturgical Year, Passiontide and Holy Week, edited.
This Friday
of Passion Week is consecrated, in a special manner, to the sufferings which
the Holy Mother of God endured at the foot of the Cross. The whole of next week
is fully taken up with the celebration of the mysteries of Jesus' Passion; and,
although the remembrance of Mary's share in those sufferings is often brought
before the Faithful during Holy Week, yet, the thought of what her Son, our
Divine Redeemer, goes through for our salvation, so absorbs our attention and
love, that it is not then possible to honor, as it deserves, the sublime
mystery of the Mother's Com-passion. It was but fitting, therefore, that one
day in the year should be set apart for this sacred duty; and what day could be
more appropriate, than the Friday of this Week?
That we may
clearly understand the object of this Feast, and spend it, as the Church would
have us do, in paying due honor to the Mother of God and of men, — we
must recall to our minds this great truth: that God, in the designs of his
infinite wisdom, has willed that Mary should have a share in the work of the
world's Redemption. The mystery of the present Feast is one of the applications
of this Divine law, a law which reveals to us the whole magnificence of God's Plan;
it is also, one of the many realizations of the prophecy, that Satan's pride
was to be crushed by a Woman. In the work of our Redemption, there are three
interventions of Mary, that is, she is thrice called upon to take part in what
God himself did. The first of these was in the Incarnation of the Word, who
takes not Flesh in her virginal womb until she has given her consent to become
his Mother; and this she gave by that solemn Fiat which blessed the world with
a Saviour. The second was in the sacrifice which Jesus consummated on Calvary,
where she was present that she might take part in the expiatory offering. The third
was on the day of Pentecost, when she received the Holy Ghost, as did the
Apostles, in order that she might effectively labor in the establishment of the
Church. We have already explained on the Feast of the Annunciation, the share
Mary had in that wonderful mystery of the Incarnation, which God wrought for
his own glory and for man's redemption and sanctification.
… We meet
Mary, then, at the foot of the Cross, there to witness the death of her Son. He
is soon to be separated from her. In three hours' time, all that will be left
her of this beloved Jesus will be a lifeless- Body, wounded from head to foot.
Our words are too cold for such a scene as this: let us listen to those of St.
Bernard, which the Church has inserted in her Matins of this Feast. “O Blessed Mother,
a sword of sorrow pierced thy soul, and we may “well call thee more than
Martyr, for the intensity “of thy compassion surpassed all that a bodily
passion “could produce. Could any sword have made thee “smart so much as that
word which pierced thy heart, " reaching unto the division of the soul and
the spirit? “Woman, behold thy son!” What an exchange! — John, for Jesus, the
servant for the Lord, the disciple for the Master, the son of Zebedee for the
Son of God! A mere man, for the very God! “Thy most loving heart was pierced
with the sound of these words, when even ours, that are hard as stone and
steel, break down "as we think of them! Ah! My Brethren, be not surprised
when you are told that Mary was a Martyr in her soul. Let him alone be
surprised, who has forgotten that St. Paul counts it as one of "the
greatest sins of the Gentiles, that they were "without affection.” Who
could say that of Mary? God forbid it be said of us, the servants of Mary! (Sermon
On the Twelve Stars.)
Amidst the
shouts and insults vociferated by the enemies of Jesus, her last and fondest
look at her Jesus, her own dearest Jesus, tells her that he is suffering a
burning thirst, and she cannot give him to drink! His eyes grow dim; his head droops;
— all is consummated! Mary cannot leave the Cross; love brought her thither;
love keeps her there, whatever may happen! A soldier advances near that
hallowed spot; she sees him lift up his spear, and thrust it through the breast
of the sacred Corpse. "Ah," cries out St. Bernard, “that thrust is
through thy soul, O Blessed Mother!” It could but open his side, but it pierced
thy very soul. His Soul was not there; but thine was."
Now, in all this, there is another mystery
besides that of Mary's sufferings. Her sorrows at the Foot of the Cross include
and imply a truth, which we must not pass by, or we shall not understand the
full beauty of today's Feast. Why would God have her assist in person at such a
scene as this of Calvary? Why was not she, as well as Joseph, taken out of this
world before this terrible day of Jesus' Death? — Because God had assigned her
a great office for that day, and it was to be under the Tree of the Cross that
she, the second Eve, was to discharge her office. As the heavenly Father had
waited for her consent before he sent his Son into the world; so, likewise, he
called for her obedience and devotedness, when the hour came for that Son to be
offered up in sacrifice for the world's Redemption. Was not Jesus her Child,
her own and dearest treasure? And yet, God gave him not to her, until she had
assented to become his Mother; in like manner, he would not take him from her,
unless she gave him back.
But, see what
this involved, see what a struggle it entailed upon this most loving Heart! It
is the injustice, the cruelty, of men that rob her of her Son; how can she, his
Mother, ratify, by her consent, the Death of Him, whom she loved with a twofold
love, — as her Son, and as her God? But, on the other hand, — if Jesus be not
put to death, the human race is left a prey to Satan, sin is not atoned for,
and all the honors and joys of her being Mother of God are of no use or
blessing to us. This Virgin of Nazareth, this noblest heart, this purest
creature, whose affections were never blunted with the selfishness which so
easily makes its way into souls that have been wounded by original sin, — what
shall she do ? Her devotedness to mankind, her conformity with the will of her
Son who so vehemently desires the world's salvation, lead her, a second time,
to pronounce the solemn Fiat: — she consents to the immolation of her Son. It
is not God's justice that takes him from her; it is she herself that gives him
up; — but, in return, she is raised to a degree of greatness, which her
humility could never have suspected was to be hers an ineffable union is made
to exist between the two offerings, that of the Incarnate Word and that of Mary;
the Blood of the Divine Victim, and the Tears of the Mother, flow together for
the redemption of mankind.
We can now
understand the conduct and the courage of this Mother of Sorrows. Does her
matchless grief overpower her? Does she swoon? Or fall? No: the Evangelist says:
“There stood by the Cross of Jesus, his Mother." The sacrificing Priest
stands, when offering at the altar; Mary stood for such a sacrifice as hers was
to be. St. Ambrose thus speaks of her position at the foot of the Cross: “She
stood opposite the Cross, gazing, " with maternal love, on the wounds of
her Son; and “thus she stood, not waiting for her Jesus to die, but “for the
world to be saved."
Thus, this
Mother of Sorrows, when standing on Calvary, blessed us who deserved but maledictions;
she loved us; she sacrificed her Son for our salvation. In spite of all the
feelings of her maternal heart, she gave back to the Eternal Father the divine
treasure he had entrusted to her keeping. The sword pierced through and through
her soul, — but we were saved; and she, though a mere creature, cooperated with her Son in the work of
our salvation. Can we wonder, after this, that Jesus chose this moment for the
making her the Mother of men, in the person of John the Evangelist, who
represented us? From that time forward,
therefore, let this second Eve be the true Mother of the living! For time and
eternity, Mary will extend to us the love she has borne for her Son, for she
has just heard him saying to her that we are her children. He is our Lord, for
he has redeemed us; she is our Lady, for she generously co-operated in our
redemption.
Animated by
this confidence, O Mother of Sorrows we come before thee, on this Feast of thy
Dolours, to offer thee our filial love. O Queen of Mercy! O Refuge of Sinners! O
untiring Advocate for us in all our miseries! Deign, sweet Mother, to watch
over us, during these days of grace. Give us to feel and relish the Passion of
thy Son. It was consummated in thy presence; thine own share in it was magnificent!
Make us enter into all its mysteries that so our souls, redeemed by the Blood
of thy Son, and helped by thy Tears, may be thoroughly converted to the Lord
and persevere, henceforward, faithful in his service.
What hope is here! even for the worst of sinners! He to whom most is
forgiven, is often the most fervent in love! You, then, whose souls are
burdened with sins, think of your sins and confess them; but, most of all,
think how you may most love. Let your love be in proportion to your pardon, and
doubt it not: Your sins shall be forgiven.
Continuation
of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke.
Luke 7:36-50
At that time
one of the Pharisees desired Jesus to eat with him. And He went into the house
of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat. And behold a woman that was in the city,
a sinner, when she knew that He sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of
ointment: and standing behind at His feet, she began to wash His feet with
tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and
anointed them with the ointment. And the Pharisee, who had invited Him, seeing
it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if He were a prophet, would know
surely who and what manner of woman this is that touched Him: that she is a
sinner. And Jesus answering said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee.
But he said: Master, say it.
A certain
creditor had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which
therefore of the two loveth him most? Simon answering said: I suppose that he
to whom he forgave most. And He said to him: Thou hast judged rightly. And
turning to the woman, He said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered
into thy house, thou gavest Me no water for My feet: but she with tears hath
washed My feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest Me no kiss: but
she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil thou
didst not anoint: but she with ointment hath anointed My feet. Wherefore I say
to thee: many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom
less is forgiven, he loveth less.
Dom
Gueranger, Liturgical Year, meditation for Thursday in Passion Week
What
consolation there is for us in this Gospel! Mary Magdalene is the inseparable
Companion of her dear Crucified Master, even to Calvary, so it behooves us to
consider the Divine Mercy in this regard. Let us, then, study this admirable
penitent, this type of love faithful even to death. Magdalene had led a wicked life:
as the Gospel tells us elsewhere, (St. Mark, xvi. 9) seven devils had taken up
their abode within her. But, no sooner has she seen and heard Jesus, than
immediately she is filled with a horror for sin ; divine love is enkindled
within her heart ; she has but one desire, and that is to make amends for her
past life. Her sins have been public; her conversion must be so too. She has
lived in vanity and luxury; she is resolved to give all up. Her perfumes are
all to be for her God, her Jesus;
And He said
to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat at meat with Him began to
say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And He said to the
woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe: go in peace. That hair of hers, of which
she has been so proud, shall serve to wipe his sacred feet; her eyes shall
henceforth spend themselves in shedding tears of contrite love. The grace of
the Holy Ghost urges her to go to Jesus. He is in the house of a Pharisee, who
is entertaining. To go to him now, would be exposing herself to observation.
She cares not. Taking with her an ointment of great worth, she makes her way
into the feast, throws herself at Jesus' feet, washes them with her tears,
wipes them with the hair of her head, kisses them, anoints them with the
ointment.
Jesus himself tells us with what interior sentiments she accompanies
these outward acts of respect: but even had he not spoken, her tears, her
generosity, her position at his feet, tell us enough; she is heart-broken, she
is grateful, she is humble: who, but a Pharisee, could have mistaken her? The
Pharisee, then, is shocked! His heart had within it much of that Jewish pride
which is soon to crucify the Messias. He looks disdainfully at Magdalene; he is
disappointed with his Guest, and murmurs out his conclusion: This man, if he
were a Prophet, would surely know who and what manner of woman this is! Poor Pharisee!
— If he had the spirit of God within him, he would recognize Jesus to be the
promised Saviour, by this wonderful condescension shown to a penitent. With all
his reputation as a Pharisee, how contemptible he is, compared with this woman!
Jesus would give him a useful lesson, and draws the parallel between the two, —
Magdalene and the Pharisee: — he passes his own divine judgment on them, and
the preference is given to Magdalene.
What is it that has thus transformed her,
and made her deserve, not only the pardon, but the praise, of Jesus? Her love:
She hath loved her Redeemer, she hath loved him much; and, therefore, she was
forgiven much. A few hours ago, and this Magdalene loved but the world and its pleasures;
now, she cares for nothing, sees nothing, loves nothing, but Jesus: she is a
Convert. Hence forward, she keeps close to her Divine Master; she is ambitious
to supply his wants; but above all, she longs to see and hear him. When the
hour of trial shall come, and his very Apostles dare not be with him, she will
follow him to Calvary, stand at the foot of the Cross, and see Him die that has
made her live.
What an argument for hope is here, even for the worst of sinners!
He to whom most is forgiven, is often the most fervent in love! You, then,
whose souls are burdened with sins, think of your sins and confess them; but,
most of all, think how you may most love. Let your love be in proportion to
your pardon, and doubt it not: Your sins shall be forgiven.
