Category: Memory Verse

“I had rather one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” –Psalm 84:11 The first Holy Saturday was a day without Jesus. He was buried in the tomb and, because of the sabbath, His body could not be anointed (Lk 23:56—24:1) or possibly even visited (Mt 28:1). Today the Church relives that first Holy Saturday without Jesus. The Blessed Sacrament does not reside in the tabernacle today. There is no Mass during the day. We identify with Jesus buried in the tomb (see Rm 6:3-4). Mary Magdalene spent the first Holy Saturday waiting. She longed for the day to...

“From that time on [Judas] kept looking for an opportunity to hand [Jesus] over.” –Matthew 26:16 Judas Iscariot spent some of Holy Week with his eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb 3:1; 12:2). But Judas wasn’t watching Jesus for the purpose of growing as His disciple, though outwardly Judas was an apostle. In fact, Judas was apparently a powerful enough apostle that when Jesus mentioned at the Last Supper that one of the Twelve would betray Him, none of the other eleven disciples thought to accuse Judas of being that betrayer. Instead, they considered themselves more likely to be the betrayer,...

“No sooner had Judas eaten the morsel than he went out. It was night.” –John 13:30 Jesus died during a darkening of the sun (Mk 15:33). Jesus died when mid afternoon seemed like midnight. He died because of the night of our sins which the prince of darkness (see Eph 6:12) used to crucify the Light of the world (see Jn 8:12). When we betray, deny, ignore, or disobey Jesus, we turn out our light and enter into the night (Jn 3:19ff). However, when we repent, give ourselves totally to Jesus, and live our Baptisms, we too are the light...

“Be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord.” –Psalm 27:14 If you have a weakness in your faith life, the pivotal events of Holy Week will serve to bring that flaw to the surface. Holy Week is like a refiner’s fire (Mal 3:2-3) that burns away impurities and melts down imperfections. It is a test of our faith, a trial by fire (1 Pt 1:6-7; Sir 2:5). The critical action in Holy Week is to turn to the Lord for aid, and not turn to anyone else. Judas Iscariot spent Holy Week with Jesus physically, but his heart and mind were...

“Once again the high priest interrogated Him: ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ Then Jesus answered: ‘I AM.’ ” ––Mark 14:61-62 Jesus has entered Jerusalem. Our forty-day penitential journey nears completion. Lent ends when we begin the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening. Ash Wednesday seems like only yesterday. Have we answered the Lord’s call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving? It’s not too late! Our procrastination keeps good company. The apostles were also often slow to catch on to the Lord’s revelations (see Jn 12:16). Don’t despair. Cling to the Church’s liturgical schedule...