Wednesday of Holy Week
PASSOVER BEGINS AT SUNSET
Isaiah, Chapter 43, verse 1
But now, thus
says the LORD, who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
called you by name: you are mine.
God, as the Ultimate Leader, consistently practices
the Law of Sacrifice. Leaders will do the illogical and surrender valuable
possessions in order to fulfill and capture their dream. Fortunately for us, we
are God’s dream. Only through the prophet Isaiah does God say directly to His
people, “I love you.”[1]
If you desire to become the best leader you can be,
then you need to be willing to make sacrifices in order to lead well. If that
is your desire, then here are some things you need to know about the Law of
Sacrifice.
1.
There
Is No Success without Sacrifice – Every person who has achieved any success in
life has made sacrifices to do so. Effective leaders sacrifice much that is
good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best.
2.
Leaders
Are Often Asked to Give Up More Than Others –The heart of leadership is putting
others ahead of yourself. It’s doing what is best for the team. For that
reason, leaders have to give up their rights. The cost of leadership: Leaders
must be willing to give up more than the people they lead. Leadership means
sacrifice.
3.
You
Must Keep Giving Up to Stay Up – Leadership success requires continual change,
constant improvement, and ongoing sacrifice.
4.
The
Higher the Level of Leadership, the Greater the Sacrifice – The higher you go,
the more it’s going to cost you. And it doesn’t matter what kind of leadership career
you pick. You will have to make sacrifices. You will have to give up to go
up.
Gnosticism is a belief that the material world is created by an emanation of the highest God, trapping the Divine spark within the human body. This Divine spark could be liberated by gnosis.
Gnosticism is a heresy that gave way to another heresy, likewise present in our day. As time passed, many came to realize that it is not knowledge that betters us or makes us saints, but the kind of life we lead. But this subtly led back to the old error of the gnostics, which was simply transformed rather than eliminated. The same power that the gnostics attributed to the intellect, others now began to attribute to the human will, to personal effort. This was the case with the pelagians and semi-pelagians. Now it was not intelligence that took the place of mystery and grace, but our human will. It was forgotten that everything “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy” and that “he first loved us”.
A
will lacking humility
Prayer.
GRANT, we beseech
Thee, Almighty God, that we, who are continually afflicted through our
excesses, may be delivered by the passion of Thy only- begotten Son.
EPISTLE.
Isaias Ixii. 11, 12; Ixiii. 1-7
Thus, saith the Lord God: Tell the daughter of Sion Be
hold thy Savior cometh: behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.
And they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. But thou shalt
be called: A city sought after, and not forsaken. Who is this that cometh from
Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra, this beautiful one in His robe, walking in
the greatness of His strength?
I, that speak justice,
and am a defender to save. Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like
theirs that tread in the wine press?
I have trodden the
wine- press alone, and of the gentile, there is not a man with Me: I have
trampled on them in My indignation, and have trodden them down in My wrath, and
their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My apparel.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart, the year of My redemption is come. I
looked about, and there was none to help: I sought, and there was none to give
aid: and My own arm hath saved for Me, and My indignation itself hath helped
Me. And I have trodden down the peoples in My wrath, and have made them drunk
in My indignation, and have brought down their strength to the earth. I will
remember the tender mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the
things that the Lord our God hath bestowed upon us.
Instead
of the gospel the Church reads to-day:
THE PASSION OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST,
According
to St. Luke xxii. and xxiii.
At that time: The feast of unleavened bread, which is
called the Pasch, was at hand. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how
they might put Jesus to death: but they feared the people. And Satan entered
into Judas who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve. And he went and
discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray Him
to them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised.
And he sought opportunity to be tray Him in the absence of the multitude. And
the day of the unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary that the Pasch
should be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying: Go and prepare for us the
Pasch, that we may eat. But they said, where wilt Thou that we prepare?
And He said to them: Behold, as you go into the city,
there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him into the
house where he entereth in: and you shall say to the goodman of the house: The
Master saith to thee: Where is the guest-chamber, where I may eat the Pasch
with My disciples?
And he will show you a large dining-room furnished:
and there prepare. And they going, found as He had said to them, and made ready
the Pasch. And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles
with Him. And He said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch
with you before I suffer. For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat
it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And having taken the chalice He
gave thanks, and said: Take, and divide it among you. For I say to you, that I
will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God come. And
taking bread, He gave thanks, and brake: and gave to them, saying: This is My
body which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of Me. In like manner
the chalice also, after He had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the New
Testament in My blood, which shall be shed for you. But yet behold, the hand of
him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table. And the Son of man indeed goeth,
according to that which is determined: but yet wo to that man by whom He shall
be betrayed. And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was
that should do this thing. And there was also a strife amongst them, which of
them should seem to be greater. And He said to them: The kings of the gentile’s
lord it over them: and they that have power over them, are called beneficent.
But you not so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger:
and he that is the leader, as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that
sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? but I am
in the midst of you, as He that serveth: and you are they who have continued
with Me in My temptations: and I dispose to you, as My Father hath disposed to
Me, a kingdom: that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom: and may
sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord said: 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. Who said to Him: Lord, I am ready to go with Thee both
into prison and to death. And He said: I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall not
crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest Me. And He said to them:
When I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes, did you want anything?
But they said: Nothing. Then said He unto them: But
now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip: and he that
hath not, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword. For I say to you, that this
that is written, must yet be fulfilled in Me: And with the wicked was He
reckoned. For the things concerning Me have an end. But they said: Lord, be
hold here are two swords. And He said to them: It is enough. And going out He
went according to His custom to the Mount of Olives. And His disciples also
followed Him. And when He was come to the place, He said to them: Pray, lest ye
enter into temptation. And He was withdrawn away from them a stone’s cast: and
kneeling down He prayed: saying: Father, if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from
Me: but yet not My will, but Thine be done. And there appeared to Him an angel
from heaven strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed the longer. And
His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground. And when He
rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for
sorrow. And He said to them: Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into
temptation. As He was yet speaking, behold a multitude: and he that was called
Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus for to kiss
Him. And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?
And they that were about Him, seeing what would follow,
said to Him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword?
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest,
and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And
when He had touched his ear, He healed him. And Jesus said to the chief
priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients that were come unto Him:
Are you come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs?
When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not
stretch forth your hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of
darkness. And apprehending Him, they led Him to the high priest’s house. But
Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the
hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom when a
certain servant maid had seen him sitting at the light, and had earnestly
beheld him, she said: This man also was with Him. But he denied Him, saying:
Woman, I know Him not. And after a little while another seeing him, said: Thou
also art one of them. But Peter said: O man, I am not. And after the space as
it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth this man
was also with Him: for he is also a Galilean. And Peter said: Man, I know not
what thou sayest. And immediately as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And
the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as
He had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter going
out wept bitterly. And the men that held Him, mocked Him, and struck Him. And
they blindfolded Him, and smote His face. And they asked Him, saying: Prophesy,
who is it that struck Thee?
And blaspheming, many other things they said against
Him. And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief
priests, and scribes came together, and they brought Him into their council, saying:
If Thou be the Christ, tell us. And He said to them: If I shall tell you, you
will not believe Me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor
let Me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of
the power of God. Then said they all: Art Thou then the Son of God?
Who said: You say that I am. And they said: What need
we any farther testimony?
For we ourselves have heard it from His own mouth. And
the whole multitude of them rising up, led Him to Pilate. And they began to
accuse Him, saying: We have found this man perverting our nation, and
forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, and saying that He is Christ the King. And
Pilate asked Him, saying: Art Thou the King of the Jews?
But He answering, said: Thou sayest it. And Pilate
said to the chief priests and to the multitudes: I find no cause in this man.
But they were more earnest, saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching
throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. But Pilate hearing
Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee. And when he understood that He was
of Herod’s jurisdiction he sent Him away to Herod, who was also himself at
Jerusalem in those days. And Herod seeing Jesus was very glad, for he was
desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him:
and he hoped to see some sign wrought by Him. And he questioned Him in many
words. But He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood
by, earnestly accusing Him. And Herod with his army set Him at naught: and
mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate. And
Herod and Pilate were made friends that same day: for before they were enemies
one to another. And Pilate calling together the chief priests, and the
magistrates, and the people, said to them: You have presented unto me this man,
as one that perverteth the people, and behold I, having examined Him before
you, find no cause in this man in those things wherein you accuse Him. No, for
Herod neither. For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is
done to Him. I will chastise Him therefore, and release Him. Now of necessity
he was to release unto them one upon the feast-day. But the whole multitude
together cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas,
who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for a murder, was cast into
prison. And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus. But they
cried again, saying: Crucify Him, crucify Him. And he said to them the third time:
Why, what evil hath this man done?
I find no cause of death in Him: I will chastise Him
therefore, and let Him go. But they were instant with loud voices requiring
that He might be crucified: and their voices prevailed. And Pilate gave
sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him who
for murder and sedition had been cast into prison, whom they had desired: but
Jesus he delivered up to their will. And as they led Him away, they laid hold
of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country: and they laid the cross on him
to carry after Jesus. And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and
of women who bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning to them, said:
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your
children. For behold the day shall come wherein they will say: Blessed are the
barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given
suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall upon us: and to the
hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be
done in the dry?
And there were also two other malefactors led with Him
to be put to death. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary,
they crucified Him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other
on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do. But they dividing His garments, cast lots. And the people stood beholding,
and the rulers with them derided Him, saying: He saved others, let Him save
Himself, if He be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked Him,
coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar, and saying: If Thou be the King of the
Jews, save Thyself. And there was also a superscription written over Him in
letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS is THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one
of these robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: If Thou be Christ,
save Thyself, and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither
dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of
our deeds: but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember
me when Thou shalt come into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to
thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise. And it was almost the sixth
hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the
sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And Jesus
crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. And
saying this, He gave up the ghost. [All kneel]. Now the centurion seeing what
was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed, this was a just man. And all the multitude
of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were
done, returned striking their breasts. And all His acquaintance, and the women
that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding these things. And
behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and a just
man (the same had not consented to their counsel and doings), of Arimathea, a
city of Judea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. This man went to
Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And taking Him down, he wrapped Him in
fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulcher that was hewed in stone, wherein never
yet any man had been laid.
INSTRUCTIONS ON
TENEBRAE
The prayers and chants
sung by the choir on the evenings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this
week are called, Tenebrae. The Church
thereby expresses her grief over the passion and death of Our Savior, and over
the sins which were the cause thereof, in order to move the sinner to return to
God.
Why
are these matins called, Tenebrae?
Because they are usually said in the evening, and because, also, they are
mournful, and call us to sorrow.
Why
is this service held at night?
In memory:
1.
Of
the evening when Christ was by force taken prisoner, like a murderer.
2.
Of
the darkness which lasted three hours at His crucifixion.
3.
Of
the spiritual darkness, confusion, and grief which prevailed in the minds of
His disciples during Our Savior’s passion.
4.
Of
the darkness which overspread mankind while Jesus was suffering for them.
What
is meant by extinguishing, one after another, the twelve lights on the
triangular candlestick, and finally all the rest? The twelve lights signify the
twelve apostles, and the extinguishing of them is to represent how, one after
another, they deserted Jesus. The putting out of all the lights reminds us of
the darkness which prevailed upon the earth at the death of Jesus, of the
blindness of the Jews, and of the gradual extinguishment of belief in Him.
What is the meaning
of the last light, which is hidden for a while, and then brought forth again
when all is ended?
It signifies Christ, whose body was buried in the grave, from which He soon
after arose by His own power, and thereby showed Himself more clearly than
before to be the Light of the world.
What
is signified by the noise made at the end of; Tenebrae, while the last light is
hidden? It signifies
the earthquake at the death of Jesus.
The
account of Christ's Passion according to St. Luke during the daily Mass; and the
nocturnal office of Tenebrae, a sustained reflection on the treachery of Judas,
the privation of holiness, and the need for conversion. Tenebrae consists of
the divine office of Matins and Lauds for Maundy Thursday. It is generally held
on the night of "Spy Wednesday" of Holy Week, so-called because it is
believed to be the night on which Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord. The service
thus explores the nature of Judas' betrayal, the mental anguish of our
suffering Lord, and the desecration of what was once holy and beautiful. Its
ceremonies include the use of a "hearse," a triangular candelabrum
that holds fifteen candles which are successively extinguished during the
liturgy until the entire church is enveloped in darkness. Only one candle
remains lit at the end, which is hidden by the Epistle side of the altar before
the Miserere is chanted. The service concludes with a banging noise, followed
by silence. The extinction of the fourteen candles calls to mind the fourteen
holy men mentioned in the Bible who, from the foundation of the world to the
very threshold of Christ's coming, were slain by their own wicked brethren. The
hiding of the fifteenth candle, on the other hand, signifies the murder and
resurrection of Christ Himself, while the banging noise commemorates the
confusion of nature when its Creator died (Mt. 27.51).
·
Up
to 1955 the three consecutive Tenebrae services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and
Holy Saturday, including the typical ceremonies such as the extinguishing of
candles, and each of these three services anticipated on the previous day, were
widely celebrated as an integral part of the liturgy of Holy Week in churches with
a sufficient number of clergy wherever the Roman rite was followed. A rich
tradition of music composed for these central occasions had developed. From
1956 to 1970 the practice largely declined:
·
The
1955 papal document restored the celebration of Matins and Lauds of Holy
Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday to their original timing as
o
morning services, with only a little allowance
for anticipating any of them on the evening before. On these three days
attention shifted from what became morning services to the services that were
now to be held in the afternoon or evening. Communal celebration of Matins and
Lauds became limited generally to communities that observed the full Divine
Office in congregational form. Matins and Lauds, having lost their exceptional
character, provided composers with little incentive to produce new music for
them and there was no demand for grand performances of the existing music
earlier composed for Tenebrae.
o
The
Roman Breviary, as updated in 1961, did not mention any specific Tenebrae
ceremonies to accompany the no longer anticipated Matins and Lauds of Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
·
Finally,
in the wake of the Second
Vatican Council,
Matins and Lauds throughout the year were completely reformed. Matins, for
instance, no longer had the nine psalms and Lauds the five psalms that
determined the number of candles extinguished in the Tenebrae celebration.
Read: “Out of love he chose ‘to empty himself’ and make himself our brother; out
of love he shared our condition, that of every man and every woman.” (Pope Benedict XVI, General
Audience, April 8, 2009)
Pray: Pray in thanksgiving for the
challenges that were presented to you during this Lenten season and the
spiritual growth you experienced.
Act: Before embarking on these next
three days of the Triduum, remember that in the end, God wins the day. Our long
fast is followed by the greatest of feasts. Before long, we will be sharing
Easter joy!
·
Wednesday,
the supper and anointing in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper. (Mt
26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-8) Mark’s account is just after he says that it was
two days before the Passover.
The Bible
doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars
speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples
spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover. Just a short
time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he
had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this
incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of
God and put their faith in him. Also, in Bethany just a few nights earlier,
Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive
perfume.[9]
Passover (Hebrew: פסח)
is a seven-day Jewish festival which celebrates the Israelites fleeing from
Egypt about 3300 years ago. Passover is called such because the
Israelites marked their door frames with a sign. It is believed because
of this sign God passed over their houses during the plague of the firstborn.
The Israelites were servants from the days of Jacob until Moses. They
lived through famine in most of Mesopotamia, including Israel. The
Israelites built store cities for grain in Egypt (possibly, the pyramids).
After 210 years of servitude in Egypt, the Israelites had become
'servant-minded' and did not believe that they could flee. They fled via
the Wilderness of Sinai, where they resided for forty years.
Passover Facts
·
Traditionally, in accordance with Biblical Law, all
Orthodox Jews remove all leaven bread, cakes, flour-containing products and
flour-derived products from the Jewish home in the weeks before Passover.
These products include beer,
whiskey, flour, and all patisserie produces. Any products remaining on
the Eve of Passover are given away to non-Jews, sold or burnt.
·
On Passover, Jews are to eat only unleavened bread
(Matzah), baked from flour and water and prepared (mixed and baked) within
eighteen minutes. Unleavened bread symbolizes Israelites leaving Egypt in
such haste they could not wait for their bread dough to rise.
·
On the first day of Passover it is customary to hold
a Seder Night celebration with family and friends. During this
celebration, the Haggadahis typically read and sang. The Haggadah includes
telling the story of fleeing of the Israelite slaves from Egypt, the fact that
their dough could not rise due to the hurried exit, blessings over Matzah, and
songs of praise and happiness.
·
Traditionally, for Seder a plate is prepared
containing the following: an egg - symbolizing the Chaggigah sacrifice; a
shankbone, symbolizing Passover Lamb; salt water, symbolizing the tears
of the Israelite slaves; a bitter herb, symbolizing the bitterness of
enslavement; charoset (a mixture of ground apple, cinnamon, wine and
sugar) signifying the cement used in the building works; a vegetable to
be dipped in the salt water.
·
The first and seventh days of Passover are
considered festivals in which work is not permitted. The intermediate days are
Chol Hamoed in which families typically go on hikes and tours or visit friends.
Passover Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend a Seder dinner or learn how to make your own
Seder.
·
Watch a movie that depicts Passover. Our
picks: The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Prince of Egypt
(1998).
Daily
Devotions
[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership
Bible.
[4]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[8]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf
[9]https://www.thoughtco.com/holy-week-timeline-700618
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