Sunday

Jer 17:13-18
In those days, Jeremia said: O Lord, all who forsake You shall be in disgrace; the rebels in the land shall be put to shame; they have forsaken the source of living waters, the Lord. Heal me, Lord, that I may be healed; save me, that I may be saved, for it is You whom I praise. See how they say to me, ‘Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come to pass!’ Yet I am not troubled, following You as my shepherd; the day without remedy I have not desired. You know what passed my lips; it is present before You. Do not be my ruin, You, my refuge in the day of misfortune. Let my persecutors, not me, be confounded; let them, not me, be broken. Bring upon them the day of misfortune, crush them with repeated destruction, O Lord, our God.

OBSERVATION:  the Old Testament emphasis was on destruction of enemies…the New Testament emphasizes conversion.

Prayer: Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.

Monday
John 11:47-54
At that time, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together a council against Jesus, and said, What are we doing? for this man is working many signs. If we let Him alone as He is, all will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. But one of them, Caiphas, being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all; nor do you reflect that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, instead of the whole nation perishing. This, however, he said not of himself; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation; and not only for the nation, but that He might gather into one the children of God who were scattered abroad. So from that day forth their plan was to put Him to death. Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but withdrew to the district near the desert, to a town called Ephrem; and there He stayed with His disciples.

OBSERVATION: this is an example of God using an unholy religious leader to give  a true prophecy because of his office, not her moral standing.

Prayer:  For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (Divine Mercy Prayer)

 

Tuesday
Jer 18:18-23
In those days, the wicked Jews said to one another, Come, let us contrive a plot against the Just. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him with the tongue, let us pay no heed to all his words. Heed me, O Lord, and listen to what my adversaries say. Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before You to speak in their behalf, to turn away Your wrath from them. So now, deliver their children to famine, do away with them by the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows; let their men die of pestilence, their young men be slain by the sword in battle. May cries be heard from their homes, when suddenly You send plunderers against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me, they have hid snares for my feet; but You, O Lord, know all their plans to slay me. Forgive not their crime, blot not out their sin in Your sight! Let them go down before you, proceed against them in the time of Your anger, O Lord, our God.

OBSERVATION: continues the theme of destruction of enemies.  Even today is is acceptable to pray that the plans and efforts  of evil people are thwarted and unsuccessful.

 

Prayer:  This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein.  (Phil. 117:24)

 

Wednesday
John 12:10-36
At that time, the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also. For on his account many of the Jews began to leave them and to believe in Jesus. Now the next day, the great crowd which had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of palms and went forth to meet Him. And they cried out, Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel! And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion; behold, your King comes, sitting upon the colt of an ass. These things His disciples did not at first understand. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

OBSERVATION:  much of Jesus’ teaching was only clear to the apostles after His Resurrection.

Prayer:   May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins. (Mass Prayer of Absolution)

 

Thursday
John 12 cont…  The crowd therefore, which was with Him when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness to Him. And the reason why the crowd also went to meet Him was that they heard that He had worked this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Do you see that we avail nothing? Behold, the entire world has gone after Him! Now there were certain Gentiles among those who had gone up to worship on the feast. These therefore approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew; again, Andrew and Philip spoke to Jesus. But Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

 

Prayer:  Soul of Christ, sanctify me, Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me, Water from Christ’s side, wash me, Passion of Christ, strengthen me, O good Jesus, hear me, Within Thy wounds hide me, Suffer me not to be separated from Thee, From the malicious enemy defend me, In the hour of my death call me, And bid me come unto Thee, That I may praise Thee with Thy saints, and with Thy angels, Forever and ever, Amen.

Friday
John 12 cont… Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there also shall My servant be. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him. Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour! No, this is why I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name! There came therefore a voice from heaven, I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it again. Then the crowd which was standing round and had heard, said that it had thundered. Others said, An angel has spoken to Him. Jesus answered and said, Not for Me did this voice come, but for you.

 

Prayer:    Kýrie, eléison. Christe, eléison. Christe, eléison. (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy)

 

Saturday
Now is the judgment of the world; now will the prince of the world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself. Now He said this signifying by what death He was to die. The crowd answered Him, We have heard from the Law that the Christ abides forever. And how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man? Jesus therefore said to them, Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

OBSERVATION:  these readings from the John 12 are Christ’s revelation to his followers of His upcoming Passion and death which will be followed by His triumph.

 

Prayer:  Glória tíbi, Dómine ~ Laus tibi Christe [Glory to Thee, O Lord. ~ Praise be to Thee, O Christ)