MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)
Ps 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
1st Reading: Is 42:1-7
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.
I have put my spirit upon him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
He does not shout or raise his voice. Proclamations are not heard in the streets.
A broken reed he will not crush, nor will he snuff out the light of the wavering wick.
He will make justice appear in truth.
He will not waver or be broken until he has established justice on earth; the islands are waiting for his law.
Thus says God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread the earth and all that comes from it, who gives life and breath to those who walk on it: I, Yahweh, have called you for the sake of justice; I will hold your hand to make you firm; I will make you as a Covenant to the people, and as a light to the nations, to open eyes that do not see, to free captives from prison, to bring out to light those who sit in darkness.
Gospel: Jn 12:1-11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus, the dead man, to life. Now they gave a dinner for him, and while Martha waited on them, Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus.
Then Mary took a pound of costly perfume, made from genuine spikenard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Judas Iscariot — the disciple who was to betray Jesus — remarked, “This perfume could have been sold for three hundred silver coins, and the money given to the poor.” Judas, indeed, had no concern for the poor; he was a thief, and as he held the common purse, he used to help himself to the funds.
But Jesus spoke up, “Leave her alone. Was she not keeping it for the day of my burial? (The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me.)”
Many Jews heard that Jesus was there and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests thought about killing Lazarus as well, for many of the Jews were drifting away because of him, and believing in Jesus.
Reflections
A BROKEN REED
HE WILL NOT CRUSH
This verse of the Bible is quoted by St. Benedict in his Holy Rule in the chapter regarding the Abbot. He is describing how the Abbot should treat his monks and this is a beautiful example of compassion which St. Benedict demands from the Abbot. It means that you do not further humiliate a person when that person is already down. There is a tendency in all of us to be a bully who keeps on humiliating a person. A bully is actually a coward. If the person being bullied just meekly accepts the humiliation the bully is encouraged to continue the bullying but if the person fights back, the bully stops. Those of us who are in a position of authority and have the duty to discipline or reprimand people must remember that discipline is not primarily for punishing but for educating the person to learn from his or her mistake. Much less should it be an opportunity to show one’s power over the other person. There is also a point when one sees that the person is already suffering very much (like a broken reed) and St. Benedict admonishes the superior to stop at that point so that the person will not be totally crushed.
Daily Reflection 2018
Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Copyright © 2O17
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
