HOLY WEEK - Part Two

Many are the voices we hear during Holy Week, and many different characters appear in the drama of these days. We continue these posts for holy week as we  focus on the: 

• The Voice of Jesus
• Voices From the People
• The voice of Satan (speaking through various people)

.................... Journey to Calvary ....................

We find ourselves at table with Jesus, at the Last Supper.

The Voice of Jesus: Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot.

After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.          

So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” So Judas took the morsel and left at once. 

And it was NIGHT.

Consider:

• ... that you hear, Jesus speaking, and revealing that his heart is "deeply "troubled" - even the heart of Jesus does not escape the Dark Night.
• ... that now you are looking at the exact place where the battle between Jesus and Satan takes place - in the HEART; that the elements of this physical world, are where Satan fashions the weapons he uses; the cross, the thorns, the scourge, the nails, the lance, and all the other physical sufferings we experience.
• ... that Satan entered Judas; that is was NIGHT - the absence of light of truth, when evil carries out its designs.

The Voice of Peter & Jesus: Peter said to Jesus, “Master, why can I not follow you now? 

I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Consider:

• ... that any number of people in the world say that they believe that there is a God; but this is not true faith. No one knows that God exists, better than Satan; he knows for certain and trembles at His Name. 
• ... that faith begins by hearing and seeing and recognizing that Jesus is really and truly who he says; as seen in the gospels, as told by the witness of others.
• ... what the mind knows to be true, only becomes living faith when the heart embraces it  unconditionally.
• ... that the heart has many treasures to which it clings. Satan knows them all, he knows which ones to use against the heart, which ones to threaten to take away, in order to separate the heart from its commitment of faith in Jesus. 
• ... that Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Mtt. 6:21

.................................... footnotes ....................................

PRAYER FOR THE RENEWAL OF FAITH

With St. Thomas I now cry out, “my Lord and my God!” Yet like St. Thomas I have doubted you and questioned my faith in you. I too have been scandalized by the world, troubled by my problems, confused by my sufferings or those of others. I was tested and found wanting. Even though I vowed as did St. Peter, “Lord, I will never deny you”, Satan has sifted me like wheat through his fingers and I fell away. In my thoughts and in my words I said, “I do not know the man.” In my actions I denied my faith before everyone. While I was denying you, you were suffering and dying for my sins. You broke Satan’s hold over me by your passion and cross; you won forgiveness for my sins. What mercy you have shown by entering into my death and bring me back to life again. Now heal me as you healed St. Peter on the shores of Tiberias Sea. Ask me now, as you asked St. Peter, “do you love me?” Yes Lord. You know everything, you know that I love you.