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THE WORD

GOOD FRIDAY Is 52.13-53.12 /Heb 4,14-16; 5,7-9 / Jn 18, 1-19, 42

The Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

 

IN OTHER WORDS

What is good on a Good Friday? On this day we talk about suffering, that is, Jesus’ passion. On this day we are confronted with death, Jesus’ death on the cross. There is nothing, humanly speaking, good in suffering, just as nobody, in his/her right mind, will talk about the good which death brings, especially the death of a loved one. The gospel of John invites us to re ect on the passion narrative, its meaning and significance to our faith as Christians. Jesus’ passion gives sense to the suffering we endure, his death a new dimension to the loss we all experience and a promise of hope and joy in the fullest meaning of the resurrection.

The good on Good Friday is Christ suffering with and for all of us. By suffering with us, Christ empathizes with us, understands our frailty, and enters our experience of pain. By suffering for all, Christ lightens and eases life’s brokenness. The good on Good Friday is Christ laying down his life for the sake of the beloved. We are the beloved because he died for us. By dying on the cross, Christ expressed his perfect love for all of us. In like manner, when we are able to recognize and accept our own pain and woundedness, we also become aware of the sufferings of others and are able to become wounded healers for those in pain.

  • Fr. Michael Layugan, SVD | DWST, Tagaytay City

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

THE WORD

HOLY THURSDAY, Ex12,1-8,11-14 / 1 Cor 11,23-26 / Jn 13,1-15

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need to wash except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

It is said that “Power is sweet”. This is right. Power is sweet that many, if not all, would want to have a lick of it. Others though, would want to have a monopoly of it. Like Jesus, I too, have been gifted with power. To me, power is given through my priesthood. For others, it may have been given through their inherited socio-economic and political status in their life. Others have power through deceit.

Jesus shows me that power is a gift but not because I deserve it. Power is given to me for a purpose, but not for my own bene t alone. He shows me that power is given that I may be able to truly and fully serve others even to the point of powerlessness only for others to be empowered.

The sweetness of power lies in its being shared. The strength of my power increases when I share

its benefits. When I want it all for myself power never grows. Instead, it will become like a disease, a cancerous disease that would eat up my entire soul and it will have a bitter taste.

  • Fr. Patricio R. delos Reyes | Liceo del Verbo Divino-Tacloban

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

 

THE WORD

Is 50,4-9 / Mt 26,14-25

Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

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

 

IN OTHER WORDS

The drama of Holy Week thickens. Judas, finding the opportunity, finally decides to hand over

Jesus. And Jesus, knowing that the time is running out for him, desires to offer an act of communion, with his friends through the Passover meal. In this context, he declares the betrayal that is about to happen.

The reactions of the disciples, human and ordinary as they are, show their lack of capacity for introspection and of their knowledge of Jesus as Lord. By asking the question: “Surely it is not I, Lord?” the Apostles deny the possibility of personal responsibility regarding this ignoble act. Certainly,

each one of them knows what is in his mind. But they ask the question as if the betrayal comes

from outside influence which is out of their control. Judas too knows very well what he is doing. The answer of Jesus is a reminder that ultimately all depends on him.

This attitude of the Apostles can also be found in us. Here in the mission, for example, we encounter individuals who, unless caught red-handed, would categorically deny their actions even in front of two or three witnesses. Or, if one finally admits his fault, he would nonetheless invoke the influence of a malevolent spirit that “overpowered” him. In the end, he would say he does not really know why he did what he did.

This is also true elsewhere. To save us from the horror of shame, we deflect the blame and we deny our responsibility. In a matter of time, we fail to recognize our faults and we tend to justify our actions. This haughty attitude, however, destroys our intimate relationship with Jesus and consequently deprives us of the healing power of his love.

All but one of the Apostles betrayed Jesus. They abandoned him. Peter exemplified the guilt and remorse of the apostles and they remained. Judas had totally lost hope of forgiveness and hanged himself. Finally, those who confronted the reality of the Passion and remained to recognize the frailty of the human spirit experienced the joy of being healed and forgiven.

  • Fr. Dindo Fallarme, SVD | Benin, Africa

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

THE WORD

Is 49,1-6 / Jn 13,21-33.36-38

When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” the disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and (took it and) handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” None of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, God is glorified in him (If God is glorified in him,) God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”...

 

IN OTHER WORDS

It must be extremely painful to be betrayed by someone who is close to you, to whom you have given your trust, to whom you have given importance. Today’s gospel brings us Jesus solemnly expressing his pain at the betrayal by one of his chosen twelve – Judas Iscariot.

In a somber mood Jesus announced to the twelve: “One of you will betray me,” (verse 21). When asked who among them, Jesus replied, “The one to whom I give the bit of food I dip in the dish,”

(verse 26). For some moments the apostles were puzzled and wondered who among them would do such a thing. But their consternation was short-lived. They seemed not to take Jesus’ announcement to heart; first, maybe because sharing a morsel at table was a gesture of courtesy among the Orientals; second, maybe they were busy serving themselves food; third, they were at the same time arguing as to who was greatest or the most important among them (Luke 22:24). They were tuned out from Jesus as they were all tuned in to themselves. Thus, when Jesus handed the morsel to Judas and told him to go quickly and do what he was planning to do, they thought that Jesus told him to buy more food for the celebration or to buy something for the poor. Of course, Jesus was discreet in not mentioning the traitor’s name; but being truly human, he must have expected the group to react in alarm, anger, distress, sympathy; but what he got was “deadma”, unconcern. They were preoccupied with themselves!

The treachery of Judas coupled with the lack of concern by the eleven must have been like a double-edged sword that pierced the heart of Jesus that evening.

To sum up, three characters are presented here;

  1. Judas Iscariot whose conscience is turned into the tinkling sound of 30 pieces of silver that

Satan allures him;

  1. The eleven apostles whose personal ambition for power dulls their hearts to Jesus’ call for

compassion;

  1. Christ whose deeply wounded heart bleeds with mercy, compassion and forgiveness.

How about asking ourselves: To which of the three characters do we resonate most of the time?

Why?

  • Sr. Angelita Roferos, SSpS | CHS, Manila

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

More Articles ...

  1. March 21, 2016 Monday
  2. March 20, 2016 Sunday
  3. March 19, 2016 Saturday
  4. March 18, 2016 Friday
  5. March 17, 2016 Thursday
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