Tuesday reflection written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040423.cfm
During our parish pilgrimage to France last summer, we had the opportunity to cruise down the Seine River where we had an excellent view of the rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral. No doubt we all remember the awful day the fire started there in April 2019, which also happened to be Holy Week. Fortunately, the altar and the cross were spared. Precious relics were also saved. News reports that day showed women and men all over the world in reverent silence or kneeling in prayer. Despite the ashes, people united together and promised to rebuild this cherished building so that new life could be restored. What we saw last summer was scaffolding everywhere; the rebuilding was happening, and it stirred hope in our hearts.
Recalling that Cathedral scene can remind us again of the message of this Holy Week: new life, eternal life, is restored for all through Christ’s own dying and rising.
This week is all about Jesus. Our Scripture readings today and all week are like a camera that helps us focus, adjust, and capture the true portrait of who Jesus is and what he did so lovingly for us. If we are attentive these days, really participate in all our rituals, and savor the abundant liturgical symbols, by Easter we’ll have a vivid picture of who Jesus is as Servant leader and Eternal Savior.
Today’s 1st reading from Isaiah gives us the undeniable portrait of Jesus as the “Suffering Servant”. Even though Isaiah wrote these words hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the early Christians recognized all the qualities Isaiah named to be in Jesus. He clearly fit the prophetic description:
- Called before he was born,
- Speaks words sharper than a sword
- Displays God’s glory
- Reaches out to the gentiles as a ‘light to the nations’.
Isaiah wrote this description of the future Messiah to a people who were in exile from their homeland and needed hope. The people could picture this servant leader, thanks to Isaiah, but they would have to wait for him to come.
Not only do we not have to wait for Jesus, but we have just received him in Eucharist. And as we just heard in our gospel story of the Last Supper, everyone there received the sacred bread and wine also, but not everyone was transformed. Judas betrayed Jesus. Peter would deny him that night, too, but eventually repent. The rest of the Apostles would desert Jesus.
As we seriously walk through the next days with Jesus, listen to his passion, death and experience his Resurrection, let us do so with an incredible amount of gratitude and hope that our hearts will be made new again and transformed.
