Tuesday of Holy Week

Today is Tuesday of Holy Week, the 30 March.

The monks of Glenstal Abbey sing: ‘Attende Domine’  Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against you.

As you sit here and listen to this ancient chant, remind yourself that God is present here, a God of forgiveness, gracious and loving, slow to anger, abounding in goodness.  Take this moment to recognise God’s presence here, and to place yourself and all your cares in God’s loving hands.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 13:31-33, 36-38

When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.”

Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, 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? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Judas is now departing in order to betray Jesus.  Jesus knows this and watches Judas leave.  Notice how Jesus is interpreting what is to come . . .

You don’t have to be a genius to work out what’s on the horizon, and yet the disciples here seem to have missed it.  Jesus knows however, and we, having heard the whole story, also know what’s coming.  We might wonder: Why on earth has Jesus come to Jerusalem? 

We love Peter because he is so flawed, so human, so like us.  The Jesus he loves so much says to him, “you will deny me three times”.  How does Peter hear these words? 

Listening again, notice the tone of Jesus and imagine his mood as he speaks...

The writer of John’s gospel sees the passion of Jesus as the glory of God.  How do you understand this upside down way of thinking?

We adore you O Christ and we bless you

because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.