Monday of the Holy Week

Holy Week and the Easter Triduum are the most holy times of the year for Christians. From Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, the Church remembers the most important events in the history of salvation: The establishment of the Eucharist, the passion  and the death of Christ, and his resurrection. 

Holy Week immediately preceding Easter has gradually developed in the liturgy. Initially, the fast alone before the Resurrection Holidays lasted only 3 days. Over time, a 40-day fasting period was introduced, and Holy Week was highlighted. The content of the events of Holy Week consists of the triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the last discussions of Christ with the Sanhedrin in the temple, Christ's predictions about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, the Last Supper and the Passion, and finally the glorious Resurrection.

The liturgical rites of these days are intended to help believers experience deeply the mystery of their salvation. Holy Week has such a high rank in the liturgy of the Church. No solemnity or memories are celebrated at this time. If they did, they are postponed until Easter and its octave. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week are particularly dedicated to the sacrament of reconciliation. There are no special liturgies at this time. From Holy Monday up to and including Wednesday, according to the Evangelists, the Lord Jesus spent the days in Jerusalem and taught in the temple, and for the nights went to Bethany, about 3 km away, to spend the night there. Lazarus gave him and his disciples his home in gratitude for the recent raising from the dead.

The Church offers us to face specific events in Jesus' life that took place immediately before His Passion and Death.
Do what He did in the Gospel today.
Monday of the Holy Week - Jesus visits his friends.
Let's start with the Gospel (Jn 12:1-11)

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
“Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?”
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.

"Let yourself be"
Since my seminary days, the text of today's Gospel has been very important to me. All these years, one of the interpretations has been close to me. About friendship. Friendship is about simple things. A shared meal, being together, and creating opportunities and a climate for rest. Friendship is not about people getting to know each other. Friendship just is. A friend does not take offense and is not offended when meetings are not frequent, when you do not talk for a long time. Friendship gives people freedom, not binding them. For me, silence, physical intimacy, and longing are also important in friendship.

You can see from this short scene that friendship, viewed from the outside, could be misunderstood. Judas did not understand the gesture. He was not a friend. He was someone outside this relationship. At the beginning of the last week of his life, Jesus did not give another sermon. Doesn't make another sign. He goes to his friends. To gain distance, to allow himself to rest, to get ready. Interestingly, there is nothing reported about burdening them with his anxieties. As if it were enough for Him to be with them. I am convinced that this is also what friendship is about, that you don't necessarily have to say everything. It is worth contemplating friendship today. It will not be a wasted Monday at all. You do not need to empathize with the Lord's passion during this Monday of the Holy Week. The time will come. Go to friends today. Get some distance from your daily routine and strengthen. Allow yourself to BE

 What to do today?
 A few days before his death, Jesus meets his friends. He focuses on closeness and relationships with those with whom he feels safe. Looking from the outside, one could say that he is wasting time, because since he knew about his death, he could do many other things. Jesus goes in a different direction; he spends time with those who have always been close. Do the same today. Although it is the beginning of the week and a lot of things are just coming to your head, go, be with those who are important to you.

until Tomorrow

fr. george