Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 14,1-72.15,1-47. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death. They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people." When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?" He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.' But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him, "Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be." Then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times."
--->But he vehemently replied, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And they all spoke similarly. Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch." He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him. He returned a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand." Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled." And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked. They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none. Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging, We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.' Even so their testimony did not agree. The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?" Then Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" At that the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving to die. Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards greeted him with blows. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, "You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus."But he denied it saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." So he went out into the outer court. (Then the cock crowed.)
--->Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "Look, he is calling Elijah." One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down." Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. When it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died. And when he learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid.
We have begun Holy Week. For the second time we will live it within the context of the pandemic. Last year we were more shocked; this year we are more sorely tried. And the economic crisis has become severe.
In this historical and social situation, what is God doing? He takes up the cross. Jesus takes up the cross, that is, he takes on the evil that this situation entails, the physical and psychological evil — and above all the spiritual evil — because the evil one takes advantage of the crisis to sow distrust, despair, and discord.
And we? What should we do? The Virgin Mary, Jesus’ Mother, who is also his first disciple, shows us. She followed her Son. She took upon herself her own portion of suffering, of darkness, of confusion, and she walked the way of the passion, keeping the lamp of faith lit in her heart. With God’s grace, we too can make this journey. And, along the daily way of the cross, we meet the faces of so many brothers and sisters in difficulty: let us not pass them by, let us allow our hearts to be moved with compassion, and let us draw near. At first, like the Cyrenian, we might think: “Why me?”. But then we will discover the gift that we have received, without our own merit... May Our Lady, who always precedes us on the path of faith, help us.
THE JESUITS - The entire Gospel of Mark is an introduction to this scene. The title of the Gospel is, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Finally for the first time a man says "Truly this man is the Son of God!". What does Mark want to do? He wants to show us that face of God that man has never seen. Man abandoned God because he thought He was a terrible God, vengeful, punishing; he abandoned Him and finds a God, instead, who loses Himself for the man who abandoned Him and He Himself experiences abandonment. A God who instead of condemning, lets Himself be condemned; instead of judging, He lets Himself be judged; instead of killing, He lets Himself be killed; instead of stealing life, He gives life. The Cross is something you never cease to contemplate. The last miracle is precisely the healing of the blind man, because contemplating the Cross one understands everything. On the one hand, one understands the reality of evil, which is so great, there is so much of it: evil is so great that it reduces even God. On the other hand, we contemplate the infinite love of God that is placed there and redeems us. Practically, the Cross is seen as the new Genesis, the new creation, the new man is created. It is also seen as the end of the world, because on the Cross the world ends; it is seen as Easter, the definitive exodus towards freedom; it is seen as the Gospel of Mark. It contains something of the whole of Scripture. In fact, Jesus will say in John, "All is accomplished!" Every Word on the Cross becomes reality, fulfillment . While Mark is concerned to say: our God is a man who is crucified, which is the fundamental datum of the Christian faith, that flesh of a Man reveals who God is. On the Cross, God expresses Himself totally, He has nothing more to say beyond the Cross and to give, because He gives Himself and thus reveals Himself as God. And it is precisely in the humanity of Jesus that God is revealed, nothing else. . Our power is to dominate others, to destroy others and ultimately ourselves. And He is exactly the opposite: in Him because He does not respond to violence with violence, He does not save Himself, but He gives Himself, He remains on the Cross. Not only the passers-by, not only the titled, but also those who are with Him do not understand Him and insult Him. Which means that the Cross really is stupidity for all human wisdom and impotence for all human desire. In reality it is the wisdom of God and power of God, it is the wisdom and power of love that saves us. The sixth hour is noon, it is the hour of the full sun, it becomes darkness over the whole earth; the sun is the symbol of life, the cosmic symbol of life, it darkens the sun at mid-day. And it darkens the sun until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried out. In this cry of Jesus, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" there is the cry of all humanity that has forsaken God and I explain: not all of us have forsaken God, but we do not feel evil because we do not love God. God who loves us feels that abandonment, that is, the evil that we do is felt by Him who loves us, not by us. Therefore, all humanity that has abandoned God, all the evil of all humanity is felt by this Man who is God. He feels the evil of abandonment and dies of this evil.
--->Paul says: "I thought I knew nothing else among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified". There is all his wisdom. Bonhoeffer also said: "The Cross and the Crucifix is the distance that God has placed between Himself and the idol", the infinite distance that exists between God and all our imaginations about God. And it is that abyss, that mystery that the more you scrutinize it, the more you understand God and the more you understand man. The centurion is the farthest person there is, the commander of the firing squad the one who killed Him. Now he sees: the last miracle was to see. He sees because he is there, because he is there in front of Him, because he sees Him expire and he sees Him expire like this. All the miracles of the Gospel want to lead us to be there to see what happens. To see One like this: "Truly this man was the Son of God". He was not because He is not anymore, because now I understand that He was also before, but before I could not understand it, that is why I understand that He was also before Son of God, because He is One who knows how to love like this, this is God.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
RispondiEliminaaccording to Saint Mark
14,1-72.15,1-47.
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people."
When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her.
Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."
They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?"
He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.'
But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him, "Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be."
Then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times."
--->But he vehemently replied, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And they all spoke similarly.
RispondiEliminaThen they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch."
He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;
he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will."
When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand."
Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely."
He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled."
And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.
They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging,
We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.'
Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?"
But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?"
Then Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.'"
At that the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards greeted him with blows.
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, "You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus."But he denied it saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." So he went out into the outer court. (Then the cock crowed.)
--->Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
RispondiEliminasave yourself by coming down from the cross."
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "Look, he is calling Elijah."
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down."
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
When it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath,
Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid.
POPE FRANCIS
RispondiEliminaANGELUS 28 March 2021
Dear brothers and sisters,
We have begun Holy Week. For the second time we will live it within the context of the pandemic. Last year we were more shocked; this year we are more sorely tried. And the economic crisis has become severe.
In this historical and social situation, what is God doing? He takes up the cross. Jesus takes up the cross, that is, he takes on the evil that this situation entails, the physical and psychological evil — and above all the spiritual evil — because the evil one takes advantage of the crisis to sow distrust, despair, and discord.
And we? What should we do? The Virgin Mary, Jesus’ Mother, who is also his first disciple, shows us. She followed her Son. She took upon herself her own portion of suffering, of darkness, of confusion, and she walked the way of the passion, keeping the lamp of faith lit in her heart. With God’s grace, we too can make this journey. And, along the daily way of the cross, we meet the faces of so many brothers and sisters in difficulty: let us not pass them by, let us allow our hearts to be moved with compassion, and let us draw near. At first, like the Cyrenian, we might think: “Why me?”. But then we will discover the gift that we have received, without our own merit...
May Our Lady, who always precedes us on the path of faith, help us.
THE JESUITS -
RispondiEliminaThe entire Gospel of Mark is an introduction to this scene. The title of the Gospel is, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Finally for the first time a man says "Truly this man is the Son of God!".
What does Mark want to do? He wants to show us that face of God that man has never seen. Man abandoned God because he thought He was a terrible God, vengeful, punishing; he abandoned Him and finds a God, instead, who loses Himself for the man who abandoned Him and He Himself experiences abandonment. A God who instead of condemning, lets Himself be condemned; instead of judging, He lets Himself be judged; instead of killing, He lets Himself be killed; instead of stealing life, He gives life.
The Cross is something you never cease to contemplate.
The last miracle is precisely the healing of the blind man, because contemplating the Cross one understands everything. On the one hand, one understands the reality of evil, which is so great, there is so much of it: evil is so great that it reduces even God.
On the other hand, we contemplate the infinite love of God that is placed there and redeems us.
Practically, the Cross is seen as the new Genesis, the new creation, the new man is created.
It is also seen as the end of the world, because on the Cross the world ends; it is seen as Easter, the definitive exodus towards freedom; it is seen as the Gospel of Mark.
It contains something of the whole of Scripture.
In fact, Jesus will say in John, "All is accomplished!"
Every Word on the Cross becomes reality, fulfillment .
While Mark is concerned to say: our God is a man who is crucified, which is the fundamental datum of the Christian faith, that flesh of a Man reveals who God is.
On the Cross, God expresses Himself totally, He has nothing more to say beyond the Cross and to give, because He gives Himself and thus reveals Himself as God.
And it is precisely in the humanity of Jesus that God is revealed, nothing else.
. Our power is to dominate others, to destroy others and ultimately ourselves.
And He is exactly the opposite: in Him because He does not respond to violence with violence, He does not save Himself, but He gives Himself, He remains on the Cross.
Not only the passers-by, not only the titled, but also those who are with Him do not understand Him and insult Him. Which means that the Cross really is stupidity for all human wisdom and impotence for all human desire. In reality it is the wisdom of God and power of God, it is the wisdom and power of love that saves us.
The sixth hour is noon, it is the hour of the full sun, it becomes darkness over the whole earth; the sun is the symbol of life, the cosmic symbol of life, it darkens the sun at mid-day.
And it darkens the sun until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried out. In this cry of Jesus, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" there is the cry of all humanity that has forsaken God and I explain: not all of us have forsaken God, but we do not feel
evil because we do not love God.
God who loves us feels that abandonment, that is, the evil that we do is felt by Him who loves us, not by us. Therefore, all humanity that has abandoned God, all the evil of all humanity is felt by this Man who is God. He feels the evil of abandonment and dies of this evil.
--->Paul says: "I thought I knew nothing else among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified".
RispondiEliminaThere is all his wisdom. Bonhoeffer also said: "The Cross and the Crucifix is the distance that God has placed between Himself and the idol", the infinite distance that exists between God and all our imaginations about God.
And it is that abyss, that mystery that the more you scrutinize it, the more you understand God and the more you understand man.
The centurion is the farthest person there is, the commander of the firing squad the one who killed Him. Now he sees: the last miracle was to see.
He sees because he is there, because he is there in front of Him, because he sees Him expire and he sees Him expire like this.
All the miracles of the Gospel want to lead us to be there to see what happens. To see One like this: "Truly this man was the Son of God".
He was not because He is not anymore, because now I understand that He was also before, but before I could not understand it, that is why I understand that He was also before Son of God, because He is One who knows how to love like this, this is God.