Monday in Holy Week

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah:

 

In those days, Isaiah said: The Lord has opened my ear making known his will to me, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded. He is near that justifies me, who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is my adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God is my helper: who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they shall all be destroyed as a garment, the moth shall eat them up. Who is there among you that fears the Lord, that hears the voice of his servant? He that has walked in darkness, and has no light, let him hope in the name of the Lord, and lean upon his God.

 

A reflection upon the Sacred Scripture:

 

The Sufferings of our Redeemer, and the patience which with he is to bear them, are prophesied like this by Isaiah, who is always so explicit on the Passion. Jesus has accepted the office of Victim for the world’s salvation; he shrinks from no pain or humiliation: he turns not his Face from those that strike him and spit upon him. What reparation can we make to this Infinite Majesty, who, that he might save us, submitted himself to such sufferings as these? Observe these vile and cruel enemies of our Divine Lord: now that they have him in their power, they fear him not. When they came to seize him in the Garden, he had but to speak, and they fell back upon the ground; but he has now permitted them to bind his hands and lead him to the High Priest. They accuse him; they cry out against him; and he answers but a few words. Jesus of Nazareth, the great Teacher, the wonder-worker, has seemingly lost all his influence; they can do what they will with him. It is thus with the sinner; when the thunderstorm is over, and the lightning has not struck him, he regains his courage. The holy Angels look on with amazement at the treatment shown by the Jews to Jesus, and falling down, they adore the Holy Face, which they see thus bruised and defiled: let us, also, prostrate and ask pardon, for our sins have outraged that same Face.

 

But let us remember the last words of our reading: He that has walked in darkness, and has no light, let him hope in the name of the Lord, and lean upon his God. Who is this but the Gentile, abandoned to sin and idolatry? He knows not what is happening at this very hour in Jerusalem; he knows not that the earth possesses its Savior, and that this Savior is being trampled beneath the feet of his own chosen people: but in a very short time, the light of the Gospel will shine upon this poor Gentile: he will believe; he will obey; he will love his Redeemer, even to the laying down his life for him. Then will be fulfilled the prophecy of the unworthy Pontiff, who prophesied against his will that the death of Jesus would bring salvation to the Gentiles, by gathering into one family the children of God, that until then had been dispersed.

 

Let us pray,

 

Help us, O God, our Savior, and grant that we may draw nigh with joy, to keep the memory of those mercies, whereby thou didst deign to restore us to life.

Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.

 

Amen.