Tại sao Giu-đa đã phản bội Thầy của mình?
Sự phản bội của Giuđa được thúc dục bởi lòng tham lam, vì sự cay đắng và thất vọng với Chúa Giêsu, hay có thể là vì sự hận thù, vì vỡ mộng? cũng có thể ông Giuđa đã nghĩ rằng Chúa Giêsu đã xúc tiến công việc của Ngài quá chậm và không quyết liệt trong việc thiết lập vương quốc của Ngài. Cũng có thể ông Giuđa không có ý định là muốn cho Thầy của mình chết vì ông ta nghĩ rằng thầy của mình là đấng có quyền phép, có thể tự cứu lấy chính mình khỏi tay quân dữ. Và cũng có lẽ ông Giuđa đã mưu mẹo ép buộc Chúa Giêsu phải ra tay hành động để giải cứu dân Do Thái khỏi ách đô hộ của người La Mã thời bấy giờ... Tuy nhiên thảm kịch của Giuđa là sự từ chối, không chấp nhận Chúa Giêsu như là Thiên Chúa của sự yêu thương, khiêm tốn, Vị tha.
Meditation:
Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was.
Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be high minded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13)?
Wednesday on holy week 2026
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.” Matthew 26:21–23
The Last Supper was both a glorious moment of grace and a painful moment of betrayal. During that meal, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the gift of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity that perpetuates His saving sacrifice until the end of time. It was also at that holy meal that one of Jesus’ closest companions lied to His face and resolved to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.
According to the Torah, if an ox killed a slave, the owner was required to pay the slave’s master thirty pieces of silver. The holy irony is that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave, even though Jesus came to set all people free from the slavery of sin.
When Jesus informs the Twelve that one of them would betray Him, He does so without anger or self-pity. His words reflect holy sorrow, accompanied by resignation, clarity, and gentleness. This sorrow is not merely sadness over His impending suffering but a loving sorrow for the lost soul of His betrayer. Deeply distressed, the disciples respond one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”
The Greek word Kyrios, used here for “Lord,” denotes authority, mastery, and divine lordship. It appears frequently in the New Testament, primarily in reference to Jesus. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), Kyrios replaces YHWH, the sacred and unspoken name of God, about 7,000 times. By addressing Jesus as Kyrios, the eleven recognize Him not only as their teacher but as the Messiah and Son of God. This title expresses a relationship of trust and reverence, acknowledging Jesus’ divine authority.
When Judas speaks, he replaces Kyrios with Rabbí—“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”—a transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic term meaning “teacher.” While respectful, this address falls short of acknowledging Jesus as Kyrios, focusing on Him as a human teacher rather than as Lord, Messiah, and God. This distinction is subtle but significant, inviting us to reflect on how we approach Jesus during the Holy Mass, since this conversation took place at the Last Supper—the first Mass. Do we approach Him with the heart of Judas, recognizing Him only in an earthly sense, or with the faith of the other disciples, seeing Him as Lord?
Judas did not hate Jesus. Unlike the Pharisees who sought His death, Judas regretted his betrayal, tried to return the thirty pieces of silver, and tragically “went off and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3–5). His greatest failure was that he could not look beyond Jesus’ humanity to perceive His divinity. His eyes were fixed on himself—particularly his greed and selfish desires. In a similar way, when we approach the Eucharist without faith, surrender, and adoration, we risk falling into Judas’ error: focusing more on ourselves than on Christ.
Reflect today on how you participate in the Holy Mass. See yourself at the Last Supper, uniting that moment with every Mass you attend. Pray that you may receive Jesus with love, devotion, and reverence, looking beyond the appearance of bread and wine to encounter your Lord.
My Lord and my God, I believe in You, I adore You, I hope in Your mercy, and I love You with all my heart. Please fill me with a deep faith in Your presence, especially every time I attend Mass. May I recognize my need for You and surrender completely to Your mercy and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday on holy week 2026
Wednesday on holy week 2023:
The desire for money can become a powerful incentive to betray our Lord. In this Gospel passage, it seems clear that Judas’ betrayal was based on his desire for money. He most likely had some level of faith in our Lord, or he wouldn’t have become His disciple. But even if Judas did have some level of faith, his desire for money appeared to overshadow the faith he may have had.
One of the central lessons we can learn from Judas is that the desire for money is a powerful incentive for the decisions we make. So many of the great saints have taught us that the path to holiness consists, first, in a purification of all our disordered affections. And since one of the most powerful attachments that many struggle with is an attachment to money, this is an important desire to purify in all of our lives.
It’s true that material possessions are not evil when they are used for the fulfillment of God’s will. But the desire for more, for an excess, will always cloud our ability to see clearly the will of God and live for His glory alone.
Once Judas had betrayed our Lord and Jesus was arrested, recall that Judas “deeply regretted what he had done.” And during Jesus’ trial, Judas went back to the chief priests and said “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” in an apparent attempt to stop the trial. But Jesus’ death was set in motion and could not be stopped. As a result, Judas returned the money and sadly went off to hang himself (See Matthew 27:3–5).
The desire Judas had for money clouded his thinking. And his sin did to him what sin always does. As soon as his sin of betrayal was done, Judas saw the consequences of that choice. And the consequences grieved him deeply. He learned that choosing sin ends with an empty promise. He realized that thirty pieces of silver was not worth the value of his soul. But of course, even then Judas could have repented and received the mercy of God. But he didn’t. He simply ended his life in ultimate despair.
Reflect, today, upon the witness of Judas. Use him as a source of meditation and self-examination this Holy Week. What is it in your life that you desire more than our Lord? What temptation clouds your thinking and leads you to choices that you know will end in emptiness? Strive to eradicate every disordered desire within you this day and choose wisely the will of God instead. Do not let yourself continue to believe the lies that keep you from making Jesus and His holy will the one and only focus of your life.
My divine Lord, You and You alone must become the focus of my life. You and You alone are of the greatest value in life. Help me to shed all earthly desires in life so that I will not fall into the temptations that lead to empty promises and so that I will embrace the true and fulfilling promises that come from You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday on holy week 2023:
2. Denial and Despair: Judas answered Jesus’s question about who would betray him with a deceitful question: “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” (Matthew 26:25). Judas is clearly lying here, but could he also be in denial about his betrayal? Later Judas despaired for his sin, and he committed suicide (Matthew 27:5). Denial and despair can be common reactions when we realize the gravity of our sin. The greatest tragedy of Judas was that he forgot God’s merciful love. St. John Paul II wrote, "mercy is the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God…” (Dives in Misericordia, 13). When we have sinned, may we always look to God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
3. The Hour of Divine Mercy: Jesus announced, “My appointed time draws near” (Matthew 26:18). The hour of his Divine Mercy was approaching. It was the hour of his Passion and Death on the Cross when he fulfilled his mission of salvation for all who believe in him (Romans 10:9-11). The holiest days of the year, the Easter Triduum draws near. Let us prepare our hearts to enter into the mystery of our King and Savior’s hour. May we honor his most merciful gift to us: his life that he gave “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Conversing with Christ: Oh my Jesus, I marvel at your mercy. You, for whom all things were made, gave us everything because of your immense love for us. I am struck with wonder and gratitude. Please help me to trust in your Divine Mercy.
Meditation: Isaiah 50:4-9- Wednesday of Holy Week
Reading this one verse during Holy Week, we can be struck by how much it reminds us of Jesus’ passion. But imagine what Jesus must have felt when he heard these words. He must have realized at some point that they referred not only to the ancient prophet but to him. Do you think it struck him with terror? Or perhaps because he was the Son of God, it didn’t bother him at all.
The truth probably lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Being human, Jesus naturally experienced great distress about what was waiting for him. But then in his divinity, he could echo the Hebrew Scriptures with complete confidence: “The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced” (Isaiah 50:7). So while he certainly felt great apprehension over the ordeal that lay ahead of him, he also found strength knowing that his Father was with him and would never abandon him.
There’s a parallel here to our lives. We can’t see into the future, but we do know that we all have our own share of hardships to deal with. It could be major, like the death of a loved one, or relatively minor, like being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. The magnitude of the challenge is not as important as how we deal with it. We can either fret about it or try our best to place it in the Father’s hands, as Jesus did.
Know that in surrendering your hardships to God, you can expect to do more than just endure them. You will find new confidence, knowing that Easter Sunday will come for you just as it did for Jesus. You know the end of the story! You will find strength in the knowledge that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Jesus didn’t come to add to your burdens. He came to carry them with you. He came to make them light. Remember: he walked the road to Calvary precisely so that he could walk with you today!
“Lord, I believe in you. I trust that you will keep me in perfect peace as I meditate on all that you have done for me.”
Holy Thursday (March 28): Jesus' supreme humility
Suy Niêm thứ Năm Tuần Thánh - Jn 13, 1-15 “Ngài yêu thương họ đến cùng”.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, Chiều nay Chúa đã thiết lập Thánh Lễ Hy Tế Chí Thánh, trong đó Hy Lễ cứu độ của Chúa trở thành cuộc Tưởng Niệm vĩnh viễn mà chúng con được mời chia sẻ.
Xin Chúa mở mắt chúng con trước thực tế của mầu nhiệm Chúa Thánh Thể, là cực điểm của Thánh Lễ và Xin Chúa giúp chúng con luôn biết tham dự Thánh Lễ với đức tin sâu săc, và chân thành với lòng tôn kính và yêu mến Chúa luôn mãi trong Thánh Thể.
Hôm nay, thứ Năm Tuần Thánh, chúng ta lại được chiêm ngắm một tình yêu cao cả đã được thể hiện nơi con người chúng ta là Chúa Giêsu. Một tình yêu sáng tạo đến mức độ tận hiến chính thân mình làm của ăn của uống cho người mình yêu.
Một tình yêu cho không để làm nên bí tích nhiệm màu yêu thương là Thánh Thể. Một tình yêu không nói bằng lời mà bằng chính hành vi trao ban máu thịt mình để làm của ăn nuôi dưỡng con người tội lỗi.
Thưa Quý ÔBACE,
Qua Mầu nhiệm thánh Thể chiều nay, chúng ta hãy để Chúa Giêsu rửa chân cho chúng ta. Qua bài tin mừng chúng ta vưa nghe, Chúa Giêsu đã tự tay rửa chân cho các môn đệ của Ngài.
Khi ông Phêrô từ chối để Chúa Ki-tô, thầy của mình rửa chân cho mình, Chúa Giêsu nói ông: : “Nếu Thầy không rửa chân cho con, con sẽ không được dự phần với Thầy”. (Jn 13:8).
Chúng ta hãy đối mặt với sự thật này vì đôi khi chúng ta có thể khó chịu hay xấu hổ với chính mình khi một người quỳ xuống và rửa sạch đôi chân của chúng ta.
Trong cử chỉ này, Chúa Giêsu đã dạy cho chúng ta một bài học khiêm tốn và thương yêu, Ngài cũng kêu gọi chúng ta hãy trở nên yếu đuối và để cho Ngài tỏ lộ tình yêu thương của Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta bằng cách rửa chân cho chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy khiêm tốn để có thể chỉ cho Ngài thấy những phần xấu xí nhất, dơ bẩn nhất, khó chịu nhất trong thân thể, trong cuộc sống của chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy để Chúa Giêsu nhẹ nhàng nắm giữ, tẩy rửa và phục hồi những phần thân thể, tâm hồn của chúng ta mà chúng ta muốn che giấu mọi người thế gian.
Chúng ta hãy dâng lên Chúa sự xấu hổ, thất bại và lỗi lầm của chúng ta để Ngài có thể cứu rỗi chúng ta. Nếu là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải để Người rửa chân cho mình.
Vào thời Chúa Giêsu, việc rửa chân cho người khác thường là công việc dành cho những người tôi tớ hay những người hầu thấp hèn nhất.
Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã khuyên các môn đệ là hãy rửa chân cho nhau (Jn13:14). Chúng ta cũng được kêu gọi bắt chước Chúa Kitô rửa cho nhau, và phục vụ cho nhau theo cùng một cách thức.
Mong sao chúng ta tìm cách phục vụ những người khác nhân danh Chúa Giêsu Ki-tô, Đấng Cứu thết một cách khiêm tốn và nhiệt tình. Chúng ta hãy tìm kiếm khuôn mặt của Chúa Kitô nơi những người khác để khi chúng ta phục vụ người khác, chúng ta chu toàn mệnh lệnh của Chúa đã truyền là yêu thương nhau, yêu thương những người chung quanh của chúng ta như Chúa đã dạy trong Tin Mừng Mathêu: “bất cứ điều gì anh em đã làm cho một trong những người anh em bé mọn nhất của Thầy đây, chính là anh em đã làm cho chính Thầy” (Mt. 25:40).
Nếu chúng ta là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải rửa chân cho nhau.
Nếu chúng ta rửa chân cho nhau, điều đó có nghĩa là có những lúc, chúng ta sẽ là người được người khác rửa chân cho chúng ta. Chúng ta có quá kiêu ngạo khi chúng ta được người khác phục vụ mình không?
Qua bài học Chúa dạy chúng ta hôm nay, Chúng ta hãy tìm cách hạ mình, khiêm tốn và cho phép người khác giúp đỡ chúng ta trong những lúc chúng ta đã phải gặp những khó khăn hàng ngày trong cuộc sống. Chúng ta khiêm tốn cầu xin Chúa giúp cho chúng ta có được những cơ hội và vinh dự để phục vụ Chúa Kitô nơi những người anh em của chúng ta.
Chúng ta có thể thực hành điều này bằng cách làm những việc nhỏ, chẳng hạn như nhận lời khen một cách khiêm tốn và nhã nhặn, chấp nhận lời đề nghị giúp đỡ của người khác với lòng biết ơn, hay chúng ta có thể mạnh dạn đến nhờ bạn bè cầu nguyện cho chúng ta khi chúng ta gặp phải những khó khăn. Nếu là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải để người khác phục vụ và rửa chân cho mình.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa rửa chân và rửa cả lòng trí cho chúng con. Chúng con xin dâng lên Chúa những lỗi lầm, những thất bại, những tổn thương, những lo lắng và những tội lỗi của con. Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa hãy thương xót và cứu chuộc những yếu đuối và tội lỗi của chúng con. Chúng con cảm thấy rất xấu hổ về những sự thiếu xót và yếu đuối này, nhưng chúng con tin tưởng vào lòng thương xót và tình yêu dịu dàng của Chúa. Xin Chúa giúp chúng con biết sẵn sàng rửa chân cho người khác qua nhưng việc làm phục vụ khiêm tốn của chúng con. Cuối cùng, xin Chúa ban cho chúng con thật lòng biết khiêm tốn khi chúng con cần đến sự giúp đỡ của người khác và cho phép họ được vinh dự phục vụ chúng con khi chúng con cần.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, chiều nay, nhờ ân sủng của Chúa ban, xin cho chúng con biết sẵn sàng đảm nhận những công việc tầm thường hoặc khó khăn vì tình yêu dành cho Chúa và những người khác.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, xin Chúa giúp chúng con biết nhận ra điều Chúa đã làm cho chúng con khi rửa chân cho các môn đệ. Xin Chú giúp chúng con biết chấp nhận tình yêu của Chúa và học nơi Chúa sự khiêm tôn mỗi khi chúng con đem tình yêu đó cho người khác.
My Sacrificial Lord, this night You instituted the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which Your saving Sacrifice became a permanent Memorial in which we are invited to share. Please open my eyes to the reality of the Mass and help me to always participate in it with deep faith, reverence and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to
realize what you have done for me by washing the disciples’ feet. Help me
accept your love and humbly pour that love out to others.
Encountering Christ:
1. Let Jesus Wash Your Feet: Jesus washed his disciples’ feet as a sign of love and service and as an outward sign of their cleansing. When Peter refused to let Christ wash his feet, Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Let’s face it, our feet can sometimes be unpleasant. Here, Jesus calls us to be vulnerable and allow Him to love us by washing our feet. Let us be humble so we can show him the ugliest, most unpleasant parts of our lives. Let him gently hold, cleanse, and restore the parts of ourselves that we want to hide from the world. Let us offer him our shame, failures, and faults so that he can redeem them. If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must allow him to wash our feet.
2. Imitating Christ: In Jesus’s time, washing people’s feet was usually a task for the lowliest of servants. Jesus exhorted his disciples to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14). We are called to imitate Christ and serve one another in the same way. May we seek to serve others in Christ’s name humbly. Let us search for the face of Christ in all people so that when we serve others, we fulfill God’s command to love him by loving our neighbors: “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must wash each others' feet.
3. Gracious Receptivity: If we are to wash one another’s feet, that means sometimes we will be the ones receiving the foot washing. Are we too prideful to allow others to minister to us? Let us seek to humble ourselves and allow others to help us in our daily struggles. May we give others the honor of serving Christ in us. We can practice this by doing small things, such as receiving compliments graciously, accepting others’ offers of help with gratitude, or asking friends to pray for us when we are in need. If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must allow others to wash our feet.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, please wash my feet. I offer you my faults, failures, hurts, anxieties, and sins. Dear Lord, please redeem these parts of me. I am ashamed of them, but I trust in your tender mercy and love. Help me to wash other people’s feet through my humble service to them. Finally, grant me the humility to allow other people the honor of ministering to me when I am in need.
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will take on humble or unpleasant tasks willingly out of love for you and others.
Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s
Supper (Reflection I)
So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15
The celebration of the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday is one of the most spiritually enriching liturgical celebrations of the year. The Mass begins with an empty tabernacle. After the readings and homily, the ritual of the washing of the disciples’ feet takes place. The Mass culminates with the celebration of the Eucharist, which is then carried in procession to another altar for adoration by the faithful until midnight, during which time we are invited to spend an hour with our Lord, in communion with Him during His Agony in the Garden.
The Gospel for the Mass, from Saint John, presents the beginning of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples. Jesus performs the act of a servant by washing the disciples’ feet. Though this surprises them, especially Peter, Jesus insists, saying, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Our Lord says the same to us.
Often people understand the washing of the feet only superficially. Perhaps that is why Jesus said to the disciples, “Do you realize what I have done for you?…” This begs the question: Do you understand the deep and transforming meaning of this most sacred act? This was not Jesus’ way of simply telling us that we should be nice to one another and look for opportunities to do each other kind favors. The meaning is much richer. First, we need to be washed by Jesus. Second, we must participate in Jesus’ washing of others.
How are we washed by Jesus? By His Cross and Resurrection that destroyed sin and restored eternal life. We need to be washed by His blood, which was shed for us and first administered to His disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus was telling them that they need the cleansing He was giving them: the cleansing of sin. Today, this cleansing takes place first in Baptism and then in Reconciliation. If we wish to share in the Eucharist fruitfully, we must first be cleansed through Baptism. When we sin later in life, this cleansing takes place by confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which prepares us to receive Him worthily in the Eucharist. When we receive those sacraments, we should hear our Lord say to us, “Do you realize what I have done for you?”
After that question, Jesus says, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” Of course, we are not Jesus. We cannot forgive sins and give to others His Sacred Body and Blood, right? Remember that Jesus was talking to His Apostles, the first bishops, so, “Yes,” Jesus was commanding them, and all bishops and priests that followed, to perpetuate His ongoing gift through the faithful administration of the Sacraments He instituted.
Though that is the central command, our Lord also calls all of us to participate in His self-gift. Though only He could offer us the cleansing and transformation we need—which is perpetuated throughout time in the Sacraments—He also commands each of us to imitate His sacrificial love in charity, the “model” He has given us to follow. Forgiven of our sins and strengthened by the Eucharist, we must turn our attention to others, choosing to do everything necessary to be Christ to them, laying our lives down, selflessly and without hesitation. This command applies not only to those we like, but to everyone, equally and unwaveringly. Note that Jesus even washed Judas’ feet, despite knowing Judas would soon betray Him. In doing so, Jesus teaches us that charity extends even to those who wrong us, calling us to love as He loves—without conditions or limits.
Reflect today upon Jesus’ question to the Twelve: “Do you realize what I have done for you?” Ponder that question today, especially this evening. Do you understand the depth of His Sacrifice? Do you understand the Sacraments that perpetuate that Sacrifice throughout time? Do you understand the demands that your reception of His gift places on you? Be open to all that Jesus offers you and, in turn, give what you have been given to others.
My sacrificial Teacher and Lord, You have poured out upon me Your Precious Blood to cleanse me from sin and restore me to life. Though I will never fully fathom this Gift, I pray for Understanding, so that I can comprehend more fully this great mystery. As You transform me, please use me as a gift, poured out for others, in charity and selfless service of divine love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Holy Thursday, Mass of the
Lord’s Supper (Year A)
Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23–24
We begin the most sacred Triduum, the greatest Feasts in the life of the Church. Tonight we celebrate the Last Supper with our Lord. The Church then keeps vigil in prayer until midnight. Tomorrow, though Holy Communion that was consecrated on Holy Thursday is distributed, the Mass is not celebrated and the tabernacle is empty. We venerate the Cross, recall the Passion, and experience the silence of the death of our Lord. On Holy Saturday, the Liturgy is not celebrated until the sun sets and we begin the Easter Vigil celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Tonight we especially ponder the words of Jesus: “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is not only an invitation; it is a command. A command of love. A command to share in the Memorial Sacrifice of the Savior of the World. The word “memorial” is important to understand. When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He was not simply asking us to remember Him, or to celebrate the Eucharist as a memorial in the normal sense of a memorial. Normally, a memorial is something that is used only to remind us of something that previously took place. There might be a memorial plaque placed at a location of some important event, commemorating the event with a description and date. Or there might be a memorial ceremony where we honor someone who has gone before us. But the Mass is a memorial in a much different way.
As a memorial, or remembrance, our Church teaches that every time the Mass is celebrated, the saving events of the Paschal Mystery are truly made present. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in quoting the great Council of Trent, states it this way:
The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . .” (#1367).
In other words, when we participate in the Mass we are participating in the Sacrifice of Christ; we are present at the Cross. It is His offering that culminated in His victory over sin and death. Thus, when we celebrate this “remembrance,” we do more than remember the Last Supper. We are truly there, truly participating in it, truly experiencing the saving grace of Christ’s gift. It is very easy to “forget” what we actually participate in. Sometimes we can become distracted at Mass. If Mass is celebrated in an irreverent way, if it is rushed or if our minds are somewhere else, then we are standing at the foot of the Cross more like a soldier or bystander than like the Mother of God or people of deep faith.
As we participate in the Last Supper and the saving Sacrifice of Christ this night, reflect upon what you participate in every time you celebrate the Most Holy Eucharist. Pray for the eyes of faith and for the gift of reverence and awe. Pray that the veil be lifted and you be invited to gaze upon the greatest act of love ever known. Allow this night to be a true reminder to you that the Mass is real, is the Holy Sacrifice, is the most important Gift you will ever receive. It is the Gift of the Sacrifice of the Savior of the World.
My Sacrificial Lord, this night You instituted the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which Your saving Sacrifice became a permanent Memorial in which we are invited to share. Please open my eyes to the reality of the Mass and help me to always participate in it with deep faith, reverence and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Sự phản bội của Giuđa được thúc dục bởi lòng tham lam, vì sự cay đắng và thất vọng với Chúa Giêsu, hay có thể là vì sự hận thù, vì vỡ mộng? cũng có thể ông Giuđa đã nghĩ rằng Chúa Giêsu đã xúc tiến công việc của Ngài quá chậm và không quyết liệt trong việc thiết lập vương quốc của Ngài. Cũng có thể ông Giuđa không có ý định là muốn cho Thầy của mình chết vì ông ta nghĩ rằng thầy của mình là đấng có quyền phép, có thể tự cứu lấy chính mình khỏi tay quân dữ. Và cũng có lẽ ông Giuđa đã mưu mẹo ép buộc Chúa Giêsu phải ra tay hành động để giải cứu dân Do Thái khỏi ách đô hộ của người La Mã thời bấy giờ... Tuy nhiên thảm kịch của Giuđa là sự từ chối, không chấp nhận Chúa Giêsu như là Thiên Chúa của sự yêu thương, khiêm tốn, Vị tha.
Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was.
Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be high minded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13)?
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.” Matthew 26:21–23
The Last Supper was both a glorious moment of grace and a painful moment of betrayal. During that meal, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the gift of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity that perpetuates His saving sacrifice until the end of time. It was also at that holy meal that one of Jesus’ closest companions lied to His face and resolved to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.
According to the Torah, if an ox killed a slave, the owner was required to pay the slave’s master thirty pieces of silver. The holy irony is that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave, even though Jesus came to set all people free from the slavery of sin.
When Jesus informs the Twelve that one of them would betray Him, He does so without anger or self-pity. His words reflect holy sorrow, accompanied by resignation, clarity, and gentleness. This sorrow is not merely sadness over His impending suffering but a loving sorrow for the lost soul of His betrayer. Deeply distressed, the disciples respond one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”
The Greek word Kyrios, used here for “Lord,” denotes authority, mastery, and divine lordship. It appears frequently in the New Testament, primarily in reference to Jesus. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), Kyrios replaces YHWH, the sacred and unspoken name of God, about 7,000 times. By addressing Jesus as Kyrios, the eleven recognize Him not only as their teacher but as the Messiah and Son of God. This title expresses a relationship of trust and reverence, acknowledging Jesus’ divine authority.
When Judas speaks, he replaces Kyrios with Rabbí—“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”—a transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic term meaning “teacher.” While respectful, this address falls short of acknowledging Jesus as Kyrios, focusing on Him as a human teacher rather than as Lord, Messiah, and God. This distinction is subtle but significant, inviting us to reflect on how we approach Jesus during the Holy Mass, since this conversation took place at the Last Supper—the first Mass. Do we approach Him with the heart of Judas, recognizing Him only in an earthly sense, or with the faith of the other disciples, seeing Him as Lord?
Judas did not hate Jesus. Unlike the Pharisees who sought His death, Judas regretted his betrayal, tried to return the thirty pieces of silver, and tragically “went off and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3–5). His greatest failure was that he could not look beyond Jesus’ humanity to perceive His divinity. His eyes were fixed on himself—particularly his greed and selfish desires. In a similar way, when we approach the Eucharist without faith, surrender, and adoration, we risk falling into Judas’ error: focusing more on ourselves than on Christ.
Reflect today on how you participate in the Holy Mass. See yourself at the Last Supper, uniting that moment with every Mass you attend. Pray that you may receive Jesus with love, devotion, and reverence, looking beyond the appearance of bread and wine to encounter your Lord.
My Lord and my God, I believe in You, I adore You, I hope in Your mercy, and I love You with all my heart. Please fill me with a deep faith in Your presence, especially every time I attend Mass. May I recognize my need for You and surrender completely to Your mercy and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
The desire for money can become a powerful incentive to betray our Lord. In this Gospel passage, it seems clear that Judas’ betrayal was based on his desire for money. He most likely had some level of faith in our Lord, or he wouldn’t have become His disciple. But even if Judas did have some level of faith, his desire for money appeared to overshadow the faith he may have had.
One of the central lessons we can learn from Judas is that the desire for money is a powerful incentive for the decisions we make. So many of the great saints have taught us that the path to holiness consists, first, in a purification of all our disordered affections. And since one of the most powerful attachments that many struggle with is an attachment to money, this is an important desire to purify in all of our lives.
It’s true that material possessions are not evil when they are used for the fulfillment of God’s will. But the desire for more, for an excess, will always cloud our ability to see clearly the will of God and live for His glory alone.
Once Judas had betrayed our Lord and Jesus was arrested, recall that Judas “deeply regretted what he had done.” And during Jesus’ trial, Judas went back to the chief priests and said “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” in an apparent attempt to stop the trial. But Jesus’ death was set in motion and could not be stopped. As a result, Judas returned the money and sadly went off to hang himself (See Matthew 27:3–5).
The desire Judas had for money clouded his thinking. And his sin did to him what sin always does. As soon as his sin of betrayal was done, Judas saw the consequences of that choice. And the consequences grieved him deeply. He learned that choosing sin ends with an empty promise. He realized that thirty pieces of silver was not worth the value of his soul. But of course, even then Judas could have repented and received the mercy of God. But he didn’t. He simply ended his life in ultimate despair.
Reflect, today, upon the witness of Judas. Use him as a source of meditation and self-examination this Holy Week. What is it in your life that you desire more than our Lord? What temptation clouds your thinking and leads you to choices that you know will end in emptiness? Strive to eradicate every disordered desire within you this day and choose wisely the will of God instead. Do not let yourself continue to believe the lies that keep you from making Jesus and His holy will the one and only focus of your life.
My divine Lord, You and You alone must become the focus of my life. You and You alone are of the greatest value in life. Help me to shed all earthly desires in life so that I will not fall into the temptations that lead to empty promises and so that I will embrace the true and fulfilling promises that come from You. Jesus, I trust in You.
2. Denial and Despair: Judas answered Jesus’s question about who would betray him with a deceitful question: “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” (Matthew 26:25). Judas is clearly lying here, but could he also be in denial about his betrayal? Later Judas despaired for his sin, and he committed suicide (Matthew 27:5). Denial and despair can be common reactions when we realize the gravity of our sin. The greatest tragedy of Judas was that he forgot God’s merciful love. St. John Paul II wrote, "mercy is the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God…” (Dives in Misericordia, 13). When we have sinned, may we always look to God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
3. The Hour of Divine Mercy: Jesus announced, “My appointed time draws near” (Matthew 26:18). The hour of his Divine Mercy was approaching. It was the hour of his Passion and Death on the Cross when he fulfilled his mission of salvation for all who believe in him (Romans 10:9-11). The holiest days of the year, the Easter Triduum draws near. Let us prepare our hearts to enter into the mystery of our King and Savior’s hour. May we honor his most merciful gift to us: his life that he gave “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Conversing with Christ: Oh my Jesus, I marvel at your mercy. You, for whom all things were made, gave us everything because of your immense love for us. I am struck with wonder and gratitude. Please help me to trust in your Divine Mercy.
Reading this one verse during Holy Week, we can be struck by how much it reminds us of Jesus’ passion. But imagine what Jesus must have felt when he heard these words. He must have realized at some point that they referred not only to the ancient prophet but to him. Do you think it struck him with terror? Or perhaps because he was the Son of God, it didn’t bother him at all.
The truth probably lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Being human, Jesus naturally experienced great distress about what was waiting for him. But then in his divinity, he could echo the Hebrew Scriptures with complete confidence: “The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced” (Isaiah 50:7). So while he certainly felt great apprehension over the ordeal that lay ahead of him, he also found strength knowing that his Father was with him and would never abandon him.
There’s a parallel here to our lives. We can’t see into the future, but we do know that we all have our own share of hardships to deal with. It could be major, like the death of a loved one, or relatively minor, like being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. The magnitude of the challenge is not as important as how we deal with it. We can either fret about it or try our best to place it in the Father’s hands, as Jesus did.
Know that in surrendering your hardships to God, you can expect to do more than just endure them. You will find new confidence, knowing that Easter Sunday will come for you just as it did for Jesus. You know the end of the story! You will find strength in the knowledge that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Jesus didn’t come to add to your burdens. He came to carry them with you. He came to make them light. Remember: he walked the road to Calvary precisely so that he could walk with you today!
“Lord, I believe in you. I trust that you will keep me in perfect peace as I meditate on all that you have done for me.”
Suy Niêm thứ Năm Tuần Thánh - Jn 13, 1-15 “Ngài yêu thương họ đến cùng”.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, Chiều nay Chúa đã thiết lập Thánh Lễ Hy Tế Chí Thánh, trong đó Hy Lễ cứu độ của Chúa trở thành cuộc Tưởng Niệm vĩnh viễn mà chúng con được mời chia sẻ.
Xin Chúa mở mắt chúng con trước thực tế của mầu nhiệm Chúa Thánh Thể, là cực điểm của Thánh Lễ và Xin Chúa giúp chúng con luôn biết tham dự Thánh Lễ với đức tin sâu săc, và chân thành với lòng tôn kính và yêu mến Chúa luôn mãi trong Thánh Thể.
Hôm nay, thứ Năm Tuần Thánh, chúng ta lại được chiêm ngắm một tình yêu cao cả đã được thể hiện nơi con người chúng ta là Chúa Giêsu. Một tình yêu sáng tạo đến mức độ tận hiến chính thân mình làm của ăn của uống cho người mình yêu.
Một tình yêu cho không để làm nên bí tích nhiệm màu yêu thương là Thánh Thể. Một tình yêu không nói bằng lời mà bằng chính hành vi trao ban máu thịt mình để làm của ăn nuôi dưỡng con người tội lỗi.
Thưa Quý ÔBACE,
Qua Mầu nhiệm thánh Thể chiều nay, chúng ta hãy để Chúa Giêsu rửa chân cho chúng ta. Qua bài tin mừng chúng ta vưa nghe, Chúa Giêsu đã tự tay rửa chân cho các môn đệ của Ngài.
Khi ông Phêrô từ chối để Chúa Ki-tô, thầy của mình rửa chân cho mình, Chúa Giêsu nói ông: : “Nếu Thầy không rửa chân cho con, con sẽ không được dự phần với Thầy”. (Jn 13:8).
Chúng ta hãy đối mặt với sự thật này vì đôi khi chúng ta có thể khó chịu hay xấu hổ với chính mình khi một người quỳ xuống và rửa sạch đôi chân của chúng ta.
Trong cử chỉ này, Chúa Giêsu đã dạy cho chúng ta một bài học khiêm tốn và thương yêu, Ngài cũng kêu gọi chúng ta hãy trở nên yếu đuối và để cho Ngài tỏ lộ tình yêu thương của Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta bằng cách rửa chân cho chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy khiêm tốn để có thể chỉ cho Ngài thấy những phần xấu xí nhất, dơ bẩn nhất, khó chịu nhất trong thân thể, trong cuộc sống của chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy để Chúa Giêsu nhẹ nhàng nắm giữ, tẩy rửa và phục hồi những phần thân thể, tâm hồn của chúng ta mà chúng ta muốn che giấu mọi người thế gian.
Chúng ta hãy dâng lên Chúa sự xấu hổ, thất bại và lỗi lầm của chúng ta để Ngài có thể cứu rỗi chúng ta. Nếu là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải để Người rửa chân cho mình.
Vào thời Chúa Giêsu, việc rửa chân cho người khác thường là công việc dành cho những người tôi tớ hay những người hầu thấp hèn nhất.
Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã khuyên các môn đệ là hãy rửa chân cho nhau (Jn13:14). Chúng ta cũng được kêu gọi bắt chước Chúa Kitô rửa cho nhau, và phục vụ cho nhau theo cùng một cách thức.
Mong sao chúng ta tìm cách phục vụ những người khác nhân danh Chúa Giêsu Ki-tô, Đấng Cứu thết một cách khiêm tốn và nhiệt tình. Chúng ta hãy tìm kiếm khuôn mặt của Chúa Kitô nơi những người khác để khi chúng ta phục vụ người khác, chúng ta chu toàn mệnh lệnh của Chúa đã truyền là yêu thương nhau, yêu thương những người chung quanh của chúng ta như Chúa đã dạy trong Tin Mừng Mathêu: “bất cứ điều gì anh em đã làm cho một trong những người anh em bé mọn nhất của Thầy đây, chính là anh em đã làm cho chính Thầy” (Mt. 25:40).
Nếu chúng ta là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải rửa chân cho nhau.
Nếu chúng ta rửa chân cho nhau, điều đó có nghĩa là có những lúc, chúng ta sẽ là người được người khác rửa chân cho chúng ta. Chúng ta có quá kiêu ngạo khi chúng ta được người khác phục vụ mình không?
Qua bài học Chúa dạy chúng ta hôm nay, Chúng ta hãy tìm cách hạ mình, khiêm tốn và cho phép người khác giúp đỡ chúng ta trong những lúc chúng ta đã phải gặp những khó khăn hàng ngày trong cuộc sống. Chúng ta khiêm tốn cầu xin Chúa giúp cho chúng ta có được những cơ hội và vinh dự để phục vụ Chúa Kitô nơi những người anh em của chúng ta.
Chúng ta có thể thực hành điều này bằng cách làm những việc nhỏ, chẳng hạn như nhận lời khen một cách khiêm tốn và nhã nhặn, chấp nhận lời đề nghị giúp đỡ của người khác với lòng biết ơn, hay chúng ta có thể mạnh dạn đến nhờ bạn bè cầu nguyện cho chúng ta khi chúng ta gặp phải những khó khăn. Nếu là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải để người khác phục vụ và rửa chân cho mình.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa rửa chân và rửa cả lòng trí cho chúng con. Chúng con xin dâng lên Chúa những lỗi lầm, những thất bại, những tổn thương, những lo lắng và những tội lỗi của con. Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa hãy thương xót và cứu chuộc những yếu đuối và tội lỗi của chúng con. Chúng con cảm thấy rất xấu hổ về những sự thiếu xót và yếu đuối này, nhưng chúng con tin tưởng vào lòng thương xót và tình yêu dịu dàng của Chúa. Xin Chúa giúp chúng con biết sẵn sàng rửa chân cho người khác qua nhưng việc làm phục vụ khiêm tốn của chúng con. Cuối cùng, xin Chúa ban cho chúng con thật lòng biết khiêm tốn khi chúng con cần đến sự giúp đỡ của người khác và cho phép họ được vinh dự phục vụ chúng con khi chúng con cần.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, chiều nay, nhờ ân sủng của Chúa ban, xin cho chúng con biết sẵn sàng đảm nhận những công việc tầm thường hoặc khó khăn vì tình yêu dành cho Chúa và những người khác.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, xin Chúa giúp chúng con biết nhận ra điều Chúa đã làm cho chúng con khi rửa chân cho các môn đệ. Xin Chú giúp chúng con biết chấp nhận tình yêu của Chúa và học nơi Chúa sự khiêm tôn mỗi khi chúng con đem tình yêu đó cho người khác.
My Sacrificial Lord, this night You instituted the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which Your saving Sacrifice became a permanent Memorial in which we are invited to share. Please open my eyes to the reality of the Mass and help me to always participate in it with deep faith, reverence and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Encountering Christ:
1. Let Jesus Wash Your Feet: Jesus washed his disciples’ feet as a sign of love and service and as an outward sign of their cleansing. When Peter refused to let Christ wash his feet, Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Let’s face it, our feet can sometimes be unpleasant. Here, Jesus calls us to be vulnerable and allow Him to love us by washing our feet. Let us be humble so we can show him the ugliest, most unpleasant parts of our lives. Let him gently hold, cleanse, and restore the parts of ourselves that we want to hide from the world. Let us offer him our shame, failures, and faults so that he can redeem them. If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must allow him to wash our feet.
2. Imitating Christ: In Jesus’s time, washing people’s feet was usually a task for the lowliest of servants. Jesus exhorted his disciples to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14). We are called to imitate Christ and serve one another in the same way. May we seek to serve others in Christ’s name humbly. Let us search for the face of Christ in all people so that when we serve others, we fulfill God’s command to love him by loving our neighbors: “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must wash each others' feet.
3. Gracious Receptivity: If we are to wash one another’s feet, that means sometimes we will be the ones receiving the foot washing. Are we too prideful to allow others to minister to us? Let us seek to humble ourselves and allow others to help us in our daily struggles. May we give others the honor of serving Christ in us. We can practice this by doing small things, such as receiving compliments graciously, accepting others’ offers of help with gratitude, or asking friends to pray for us when we are in need. If we are to be Jesus’s disciples, we must allow others to wash our feet.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, please wash my feet. I offer you my faults, failures, hurts, anxieties, and sins. Dear Lord, please redeem these parts of me. I am ashamed of them, but I trust in your tender mercy and love. Help me to wash other people’s feet through my humble service to them. Finally, grant me the humility to allow other people the honor of ministering to me when I am in need.
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will take on humble or unpleasant tasks willingly out of love for you and others.
So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15
The celebration of the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday is one of the most spiritually enriching liturgical celebrations of the year. The Mass begins with an empty tabernacle. After the readings and homily, the ritual of the washing of the disciples’ feet takes place. The Mass culminates with the celebration of the Eucharist, which is then carried in procession to another altar for adoration by the faithful until midnight, during which time we are invited to spend an hour with our Lord, in communion with Him during His Agony in the Garden.
The Gospel for the Mass, from Saint John, presents the beginning of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples. Jesus performs the act of a servant by washing the disciples’ feet. Though this surprises them, especially Peter, Jesus insists, saying, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Our Lord says the same to us.
Often people understand the washing of the feet only superficially. Perhaps that is why Jesus said to the disciples, “Do you realize what I have done for you?…” This begs the question: Do you understand the deep and transforming meaning of this most sacred act? This was not Jesus’ way of simply telling us that we should be nice to one another and look for opportunities to do each other kind favors. The meaning is much richer. First, we need to be washed by Jesus. Second, we must participate in Jesus’ washing of others.
How are we washed by Jesus? By His Cross and Resurrection that destroyed sin and restored eternal life. We need to be washed by His blood, which was shed for us and first administered to His disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus was telling them that they need the cleansing He was giving them: the cleansing of sin. Today, this cleansing takes place first in Baptism and then in Reconciliation. If we wish to share in the Eucharist fruitfully, we must first be cleansed through Baptism. When we sin later in life, this cleansing takes place by confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which prepares us to receive Him worthily in the Eucharist. When we receive those sacraments, we should hear our Lord say to us, “Do you realize what I have done for you?”
After that question, Jesus says, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” Of course, we are not Jesus. We cannot forgive sins and give to others His Sacred Body and Blood, right? Remember that Jesus was talking to His Apostles, the first bishops, so, “Yes,” Jesus was commanding them, and all bishops and priests that followed, to perpetuate His ongoing gift through the faithful administration of the Sacraments He instituted.
Though that is the central command, our Lord also calls all of us to participate in His self-gift. Though only He could offer us the cleansing and transformation we need—which is perpetuated throughout time in the Sacraments—He also commands each of us to imitate His sacrificial love in charity, the “model” He has given us to follow. Forgiven of our sins and strengthened by the Eucharist, we must turn our attention to others, choosing to do everything necessary to be Christ to them, laying our lives down, selflessly and without hesitation. This command applies not only to those we like, but to everyone, equally and unwaveringly. Note that Jesus even washed Judas’ feet, despite knowing Judas would soon betray Him. In doing so, Jesus teaches us that charity extends even to those who wrong us, calling us to love as He loves—without conditions or limits.
Reflect today upon Jesus’ question to the Twelve: “Do you realize what I have done for you?” Ponder that question today, especially this evening. Do you understand the depth of His Sacrifice? Do you understand the Sacraments that perpetuate that Sacrifice throughout time? Do you understand the demands that your reception of His gift places on you? Be open to all that Jesus offers you and, in turn, give what you have been given to others.
My sacrificial Teacher and Lord, You have poured out upon me Your Precious Blood to cleanse me from sin and restore me to life. Though I will never fully fathom this Gift, I pray for Understanding, so that I can comprehend more fully this great mystery. As You transform me, please use me as a gift, poured out for others, in charity and selfless service of divine love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23–24
We begin the most sacred Triduum, the greatest Feasts in the life of the Church. Tonight we celebrate the Last Supper with our Lord. The Church then keeps vigil in prayer until midnight. Tomorrow, though Holy Communion that was consecrated on Holy Thursday is distributed, the Mass is not celebrated and the tabernacle is empty. We venerate the Cross, recall the Passion, and experience the silence of the death of our Lord. On Holy Saturday, the Liturgy is not celebrated until the sun sets and we begin the Easter Vigil celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Tonight we especially ponder the words of Jesus: “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is not only an invitation; it is a command. A command of love. A command to share in the Memorial Sacrifice of the Savior of the World. The word “memorial” is important to understand. When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He was not simply asking us to remember Him, or to celebrate the Eucharist as a memorial in the normal sense of a memorial. Normally, a memorial is something that is used only to remind us of something that previously took place. There might be a memorial plaque placed at a location of some important event, commemorating the event with a description and date. Or there might be a memorial ceremony where we honor someone who has gone before us. But the Mass is a memorial in a much different way.
As a memorial, or remembrance, our Church teaches that every time the Mass is celebrated, the saving events of the Paschal Mystery are truly made present. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in quoting the great Council of Trent, states it this way:
The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . .” (#1367).
In other words, when we participate in the Mass we are participating in the Sacrifice of Christ; we are present at the Cross. It is His offering that culminated in His victory over sin and death. Thus, when we celebrate this “remembrance,” we do more than remember the Last Supper. We are truly there, truly participating in it, truly experiencing the saving grace of Christ’s gift. It is very easy to “forget” what we actually participate in. Sometimes we can become distracted at Mass. If Mass is celebrated in an irreverent way, if it is rushed or if our minds are somewhere else, then we are standing at the foot of the Cross more like a soldier or bystander than like the Mother of God or people of deep faith.
As we participate in the Last Supper and the saving Sacrifice of Christ this night, reflect upon what you participate in every time you celebrate the Most Holy Eucharist. Pray for the eyes of faith and for the gift of reverence and awe. Pray that the veil be lifted and you be invited to gaze upon the greatest act of love ever known. Allow this night to be a true reminder to you that the Mass is real, is the Holy Sacrifice, is the most important Gift you will ever receive. It is the Gift of the Sacrifice of the Savior of the World.
My Sacrificial Lord, this night You instituted the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which Your saving Sacrifice became a permanent Memorial in which we are invited to share. Please open my eyes to the reality of the Mass and help me to always participate in it with deep faith, reverence and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
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