Category: Holy Week

The anointed one.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 14/04/2025

Image by Gundula Vogel from pixabay.com

The 41st word in my Lent lexicon is:

ANOINTED.

It’s a word that has deep roots in our faith history and in our liturgical practices. At baptism we are all anointed with chrism to share in Christ’s role as “priest, prophet and king.” We are anointed again at our death. Throughout the Scripture anointing marks someone as having a special role from God.

Today’s gospel opens a new perspective on anointing. In frightening and uncertain times the disciples gather at Martha’s house It offers them an oasis of hospitality and safety in the increasingly dangerous times.

In times of great danger questions and doubts that we thought we’d put to rest often resurface so it is easy to understand Judas’ distrust and questioning. I imagine he wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

In the midst of the tension Mary’s action provides a fresh focus. Her action doesn’t deny or banish the fear or the danger, instead it points to a deeper reality:

“Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was full of the scent of the ointment.”

Her anointing once again marks Jesus as the chosen one of God. Jesus tells his disciples that she has anointed him for his burial, acknowledging that he is facing death, and preparing his disciples for that. As the scent of her ointment fills the house her simple action is a sign that love is stronger even than death. As she anoints Jesus she reminds us that our Holy Week journey ultimately leads us through death to the new life of resurrection.

As we move through Holy Week how does the anointing of your baptism sustain you?

Tags #anointing, #baptism, #Benedictine, #challenge, #Disciples, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #newlife, #PriestProphetKing, #scent, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Divine Office Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Palm Sunday Scripture

Sing Hosanna.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 13/04/2025

Image © Turvey Abbey

The 40th word in my Lent lexicon is:

HOSANNA.

Palm Sunday resounds with hosannas as Jesus entered Jerusalem surrounded by joyful and hopeful followers. The joy reflects the ancient hope that has sustained the people through generations of occupation and suffering:

“Blessed is he who comes to free us, David’s son our Lord and King! Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, all your love and worship bring.”

Yet we know how quickly those hosannas turn to the jeers that leads to crucifixion and death. The people have come out full of hope and expectation. When their need isn’t instantly met in the way they expect it soon turns to anger and frustration.

This movement is mirrored in our liturgy where we move almost immediately from celebrating this triumphal entry to listening to the reading of the Passion. All this can make it tempting to dismiss those Palm Sunday hosannas as superficial, even false.

This misses an important point. The hosannas of Palm Sunday remind us that we don’t have to wait until life is perfect to praise God. Even when life is fragile, uncertain, even when we are angry and frustrated and our needs are not being met we can sing hosanna.

Beginning holy week singing hosannas helps us to focus. It reminds us that although in this week we face the worst we can do and the worst we can be that is not the end of the story. We can carry those Palm Sunday hosannas in our hearts as we move through the darkness of Holy Week and Good Friday until we come out into the new light of resurrection.

What hosanna are you being invited to carry through this Holy Week?

Tags #Benedictine, #challenge, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Hosanna, #Jesus, #joy, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #newlife, #PalmSunday, #Passion, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Divine Office Holy Saturday Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Scripture Triduum Uncategorized

Grief and hope

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 30/03/2024

A Holy Saturday reel from the archives based on the Byzantine liturgy. I love that it’s full of hope and allows space for grieving…

Where do you need to find space for grieving and hoping this Holy Saturday?

Tags #Benedictine, #ByzantineLiturgy, #challenge, #gospel, #Grief, #HolySaturday, #Hope, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #newlife, #Triduum, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Divine Office Good Friday Gospel Holy Week Scripture Triduum Uncategorized

A second chance.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 29/03/2024

Photo by Cdoncel on Unsplash

A post from the archives for Good Friday.

This week I’ve been listening to Amy Jill Levine’s courses on Holy Week and the Good Friday. One of the things she highlighted is how often Jesus offered people a second chance, Zacchaeus, all those tax collectors and sinners, the woman taken in adultery come to mind and there are many more.

It has an added significance as we revisit the passion, and see the second chance offered to those who denied and betrayed him, to those who sat on the side lines or runaway, or who only found the courage to come to him under the cover of darkness.

As we come to Good Friday, facing the stark reality of the Cross, it can feel like the time for second chances has run out. As we commemorate the crucified Christ it can seem as though we have reached the end of the story, and that our hopes are ending in death, disgrace, betrayal and failure. On Good Friday we begin Lauds by singing these verses from the Byzantine liturgy:

“Life-giving Lord, it is right to sing your praise, for your hands were stretched out on the Cross, and so you destroyed the power of death.”

We start Good Friday by acknowledging Christ as our “Life-giving Lord”, a powerful reminder that the Cross is not the end of the story, but a gateway to new life. The Cross is an essential part of our faith, we need to face it, acknowledging the suffering and death it represents. And, we need to accept the second chance it offers us with it’s promise of new life.

What second chance is Christ offering you this Good Friday?

Tags #Benedictine, #challenge, #Christ, #cross, #GoodFriday, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #Lauds, #lectiodivina, #Liturgy, #LiturgyOfTheHours, #love, #newlife, #Passion, #Triduum, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Maundy Thursday Scripture Uncategorized

The light of love.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 28/03/2024

As we begin the Triduum here’s a post from the archives for Maundy Thursday

All week we’ve watched tension, uncertainty and fear growing around Jesus and his disciples with the Gospels getting increasingly dark as we’ve journeyed through Holy Week. I often think of the gospel for this evenings mass of the Last Supper as a bright spot in the midst of that darkness.

As he gathers with his disciples to celebrate the Passover Jesus is fully aware that his hour has come. He knows that he is about to be betrayed and that he will soon be facing a brutal and humiliating death. In the midst of that darkness he chooses to wash the feet of his disciples in saying to them:

“If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.”

Jesus’s action takes us back to Mary anointing his feet and we can almost smell the scent permeating the air again. Both gestures treat the bodies of others with respect, honour and compassion. Later we will watch with horror. Later we will watch with horror as Jesus’ body is battered and tortured.

It doesn’t take away the darkness of fear, the or the suffering he is about to undergo, it won’t take away the brutality of crucifixion. It does show us that love cannot be overcome or destroyed whatever we face. It challenges us to discover ways that we can bring the light of that love into the dark spaces of our world today.

Where are you being called to carry the light of Christ love to those around you today?

Tags #anointing, #Benedictine, #challenge, #Christ, #FootWashing, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #light, #love, #newlife, #Servant, #Triduum, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Divine Office Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Prayer Scripture Uncategorized

Into the Father’s hands.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 27/03/2024

Some thoughts on Holy Week from the archives.

One of the things that holds the themes of Holy Week together for me is our Lauds hymn. Each day it its own verse that reflects a particular aspect of the Salvation narrative that we’re celebrating through this great and challenging week.

These are combined with a refrain that’s repeated each day, linking the themes and drawing them together across the days.

Today’s theme is trust.

“The Son of man alone yet trusting goes.
His life into his Father’s hands commends.”

Alone, betrayed and deserted by those who love him Jesus hands himself over to the Father in complete trust. In stressful times I tend towards micromanagement, wanting to control and fix everything myself. So I find Jesus’ capacity to abandon himself completely to God’s will breath taking and challenging. It reminds me that I am also called to surrender and to put myself and my concerns into God’s hands rather than trying to fix everything myself.

Where are you called to surrender your life to God this Holy Week?

Tags #Benedictine, #challenge, #Christ, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #newlife, #Salvation, #surrender, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Divine Office Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Scripture Uncategorized

New Hope

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 27/03/2024

Some thoughts from the archives on the new hope of Holy Week:

One of the things that holds the themes of Holy Week together for me is our Lauds hymn. Each day it its own verse that reflects a particular aspect of the Salvation narrative that we’re celebrating through this great and challenging week.

These are combined with a refrain that’s repeated each day, linking the themes and drawing them together across the days.

The second theme of I find it helpful to reflect on is new hope:

“There Love cries out despairing at his end
New hope to us, the loveless to extend.”

Holy Week can feel so full of fear, despair and betrayal that it can be hard to keep sight of hope. Even as Jesus cries out in despair from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”, his love reaches across the despair with a new hope.

Where is Christ’s love calling out to you today?

Tags #Benedictine, #Betrayal, #challenge, #Christ, #despair, #Fear, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Liturgy, #love, #newlife, #Salvation, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Divine Office Gospel Holy Week Lent Liturgy Scripture Uncategorized

The Tree of Life.

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 27/03/2024

Some thoughts for Holy Week from the archives…

“And stretching out his arms on Calvary,
Draw all the ages to him on the Tree.”

One of the things that holds the themes of Holy Week together for me is our Lauds hymn. Each day it its own verse that reflects a particular aspect of the Salvation narrative that we’re celebrating through this great and challenging week.

These are combined with a refrain that’s repeated each day, linking the themes and drawing them together across the days.

Today’s theme is the tree of life. It links the tree of life in the garden of Eden with the cross. It reminds me that death and life are linked, that by drawing us to himself on the cross Jesus draws us into the light of new life.

Where do you feel Christ drawing you to himself this Holy Week?

Tags #Benedictine, #challenge, #Christ, #cross, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #Salvation, #TreeOfLife, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Scripture Uncategorized

A loving challenge

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 27/03/2024

Photo by sergey mikheev on Unsplash

Whenever tragedy strikes our instinct is to look for reasons why this has happened. While this might be a necessary process for us it can sometimes be less than helpful. I’m struck by how often it can lead us to be judgemental and blaming of others. We see something of this in today’s gospel as we are brought face-to-face with Judas, the disciple who who betrayed Jesus, handing him over for thirty pieces of silver.

Judas is often portrayed as a scapegoat, everything that subsequently happens is blamed on his betrayal. Yet, if we read the Gospels carefully we see that Judas is part of a bigger picture. Jesus makes that clear as he says:

“The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the Scriptures say he will…”

In “Entering the Passion, a beginner’s guide to Holy Week.” Amy-Jill Levine suggests that we read the passion narratives with compassion. While we can do that with Peter, and the other disciples, it seems much harder to apply to Judas. Judas presents us with a challenge. He compels us us reflect on whether we’ve ever compelled others to act in a particular way to meet our own needs.

He challenges us to ask ourselves, where we have let others down or felt unworthy and unresponsive to the redemptive love God offers us. The passion narratives show us both the best and the worst that we are capable of. Today’s gospel requires that we acknowledge the worst we can be, and then turn back to the God who is waiting to heal and redeem us.

Where are you being challenged to open yourself to the redemptive love of God today?

Tags #Benedictine, #challenge, #Christ, #compassion, #cross, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #Judas, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #newlife, #Passion, #Peter, #trust

Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Scripture Uncategorized

A costly freedom

Post author By Sr Judith
Post date 26/03/2024

Photo by Marco Bianchetti on unsplash.com

A post from the archives for Tuesday in Holy Week.

Each day in Holy Week the gospel seems to get darker, as the tension increases. In today’s gospel, part of his account of the Last Supper, John tells us that even Jesus is “troubled in spirit”.

It shows us a very human side of Jesus, anxious and troubled, knowing that he is about to be betrayed by those he trusts and loves. We can all identify with that experience. Yet, as we glimpse Jesus’ very human suffering we recognise his divinity in his clear sense of being at one with the Father as he goes on to say:

“Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified.”

Knowing what is to come and seeing the fear, suspicion and mistrust growing among the disciples, it’s hard for us to see how God could be glorified in this. It doesn’t speak of anything we’d recognise as glory in human terms, if anything it presents an image of the opposite.

The passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and that Jesus, completely attuned to God’s way, will always turn human values and expectations upside down. Although he speaks openly of betrayal and denial to Judas and Peter he neither blames nor criticises them.

He leaves them an open door both to making mistakes and to being forgiven. In doing so he offers them a valuable and costly freedom. I wonder how different our relationships and interactions would be if we were able to offer each other that freedom.

Where is Christ offering you a costly freedom this Holy Week?

Tags #challenge, #Christ, #Glorified, #Glory, #gospel, #HolyWeek, #Hope, #Jesus, #kingdom, #KingdomValues, #LastSupper, #lectiodivina, #Lent, #love, #Passion, #Troubled, #trust