Wednesday of Holy Week

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Saints: Pope Saint Martin I (-655); Blessed Margaret of Castello, OP (1287-1320)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 59 The Offering of Sons by Nobles or the Poor

Mass: 50:4-9a; Resp Ps 69; Mt 26:14-25

You who seek God, may your hearts revive!

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

The Lord God is my help.

(Is 50:7)

In today's Gospel we find Saint Matthew's account of Jesus reclined at table with the Twelve. Yesterday, with Saint John's account, I proposed some of the possible responses to Jesus' announcement that someone would betray Him. Saint Matthew tells us that the disciples were very sorrowful, and began to say to Him, one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" (Mt 26:22). May it be none of us. United in faith and prayer, we continue our journey to Jerusalem. Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our errors (Verse before the Gospel, Mass).

Make me patient to bear the burdens of those nearest at hand, to welcome inconvenience for them, frustration because of them. Let me accept their temperaments as they are, nurse them in sickness, share with them in poverty, enter into their sorrows with them.

(Caryll Houselander, from The Way of the Cross, quoted in Magnificat "Meditation of the Day", April 13, 2022, pp. 79-80)

The peace of the Lord follows the way of meekness and the cross; it is taking responsibility for others. Indeed, Christ took on Himself our evil, sin and death. He took all of this upon Himself. In this way, He freed us. He paid for us. His peace is not the fruit of some compromise, but rather is born of self-giving.

(Pope Francis, Wednesday General Audience, April 13, 2022)

POPE SAINT MARTIN I,

BLESSED MARGARET OF CASTELLO,

PRAY FOR US.

NB. As a friendly reminder, we are still in Lent until tomorrow. We know from the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year: "The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, has its center in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Sunday of the Resurrection" (19).

Today's photo: A little hide and seek with some of the garden daffodils.

© Gertrude Feick 2022