Prayer Prompt before reading JN 11:45-56: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father and God the Son are so that I may know who I am.
“LEAVE HER ALONE. LET HER KEEP THIS FOR THE DAY OF MY BURIAL. YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR WITH YOU, BUT YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE ME.” JN 12:1-11
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are Jesus’s best friends. Jesus decides to spend some of His last days with those closest to Him while on earth. During this Holy Week, take time to read the Passion again and find a book that explains it. It is wise also to read about what happened to a victim of Roman crucifixion, so we can see what Christ endured for our sins.
Jesus, the God Man is about to leave this earth and fulfill His mission of dying for our sins and most importantly resurrecting. Before our death, we will want to leave our best advice behind to our family members. Jesus is no exception. Some of His greatest teachings come from Holy Week and His family is all of humanity.
His Words are very important and should be taken to heart. Write them down and keep them some place to reread throughout the year, not just Lent. Fast every Friday throughout the year to remember this Holy Week, especially Good Friday (This is required for all Catholics, not optional).
Do the Stations of the Cross with great devotion every Friday throughout the year to remember Christ’s Passion and Death. Go to Mass every Sunday, it is a mini-Easter to remember Christ’s resurrection. Go to Mass every day if possible to allow God to bring you back to the foot of the Cross; what was present in history is now present in mystery. Be transformed by Jesus in the Eucharist.
Find a book on the Passion of Christ and read it every Friday throughout the year. If you study and gain knowledge of Christ and His Passion, you will begin to understand His love for you. When you begin to understand His love for you, you will desire to love Him back more than anything in this world. Then, you will start fighting sin and desire a resolute heart.
Your eyes will always be set on heaven and not things of the earth. You will desire to pray without ceasing. The saints were all transformed at the foot of the cross. Allow God to love you, it is His greatest desire. How do we know? He gave up His life for each of us, total self-sacrifice. We, in turn, give up our lives for others.
In Peter Kreeft’s book “Jesus Shock”, he talks about adoration. He uses today’s Gospel as defining adoration. Mary was a prostitute and had earned her money giving her body to men. She didn’t care as much about the acts, but the money so she could have more stuff. When she repents and follows Jesus, she recognizes “stuff” doesn’t matter. She gives up an entire year’s wages to buy the perfume she pours on Jesus.
She adores Jesus with her whole self and holds nothing back with her material goods. At the sight of true adoration, Kreeft says Judas cannot take it. This is when the devil enters his heart and he goes to betray Jesus. When we see someone give themselves up totally and completely to do what they were made for, adore their God, we either follow or run. Jesus forces us to make a decision.
Are you really all in with Jesus? I have work to do, too. May we continue to strive to be more like Mary and give all! This Holy Week is a good time to commit, repent, and strive even harder.
Today’s challenge: Pray. Ask Jesus to reveal His heart to you during this Holy Week. Fast, suffer, offer your suffering up with Christ’s suffering, prepare for joy. Reread the Passion in the Scriptures each day this week and reflect on it, put yourself into the Passion with Christ. What is dominating your thoughts? Give it to Jesus this week and trust that He will take care of it.
Watch Fr. PJ Voegeli’s “Massercise” video to prepare yourself for a lot of Masses this Holy Week! https://youtu.be/0873IoUueCk
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; We will live again!)
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