Tagged: daily bread

“Through baptism into His death we were buried with Him.” –Romans 6:4; see also Colossians 2:12 The only thing we know Jesus did while He was buried is “that He went to preach to the spirits in prison” (1 Pt 3:19). “The reason the gospel was preached even to the dead was that, although condemned in the flesh in the eyes of men, they might live in the spirit in the eyes of God” (1 Pt 4:6). At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus stated that what He had “come to do” was to “proclaim the good news” (Mk...

“He bowed His head, and delivered over His spirit.” –John 19:30 A few days before I wrote this, a man was executed by the state of Florida in its electric chair. Florida ordered that a mask be put on, “so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals” (Is 52:14). The mask and the skin on his face caught fire. Even some of the most hardened observers hid their faces (see Is 53:3) as they smelled the burning flesh. The condemned man maintained before his electrocution that he was innocent. He probably was...

” ‘If I do not wash you,’ Jesus answered, ‘you will have no share in My heritage.’ ” –John 13:8 Today we begin the Triduum, seventy hours of prayer, followed by the Easter season, fifty days of celebrating the risen Christ. Today, we begin one of the most important times in our lives. By going to the Mass of the Last Supper tonight, we are deciding to have our feet washed. Even if our feet are not washed at this Mass, we are still deciding by our presence to have our feet washed. We decide to do this because otherwise...

“Distressed at this…” –Matthew 26:22 The apostles were deeply distressed that Jesus’ betrayer was seated in their midst at the Last Supper. However, Jesus was not distressed, although hours later in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus “began to experience sorrow and distress” (see Mt 26:37). Yet, in the presence of His betrayer, Jesus was calmly in control of the situation. Jesus does things to instruct His disciples, and also us. He’s trying to teach them, and Judas, how we should respond in the presence of our enemies, and that the appropriate response is mercy. Jesus reaches out to Judas with...

“Lord, who is he?” –John 13:25 Jesus had just announced to His disciples at the Last Supper that one of His twelve apostles would betray Him (Jn 13:21). “The disciples looked at one another, puzzled as to whom He could mean” (Jn 13:22). This is remarkable. These men had been together for three years. Although these men knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses thoroughly, they were puzzled as to which of them might be a betrayer. James and John had asked Jesus earlier to elevate them above the others. The rest became indignant. Jesus often had to remind them to...