Daily Reflection for Thursday, April 09, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Thursday’s readings at this link:
http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/040920-lord-s-supper.cfm
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Responsorial: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15
Our reflection on Thursday’s readings:
What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later. -- John 13:7
I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. -- John 13:15
We begin the Easter Triduum with global and national circumstances the likes of which no one reading this has ever experienced. It is with a mixture of joy and certainly a healthy dose of sadness that we consider entering this most symbolic and blessed of times for our Catholic faith. The Triduum begins the anticipation of the hope that inspires all Catholics but, regrettably, we’re unable to safely gather and enjoy the rituals and the fellowship that are accumulating more nostalgic weight the longer we’re separated from them.
Like the Lenten season, the first reading reminds us of the value of preparation. The distractions in our everyday lives can be as insidious as the current distraction from this worrisome pandemic is ubiquitous. Both types of distraction (quiet, insidious ones and big obvious ones) precipitate an inward turning away (toward self) from the hope that Lent and especially this Easter Triduum promises us.
Like many I suppose, I sure have struggled of late to better balance the vacillation between the peace that trust brings and the anxiety from distraction that begets only fear, confusion and doubt which, it turns out, are great insulators from the donation of self so beautifully exemplified by Jesus’ public ministry and culminated in this Triduum.
What balancing acts are you managing that prevent or distract focusing on the hope He promises?
Rafael Rosario