Rev. Edy Santos
Before the church's Great Solemnity
We prepare for the closing of Lent and will enter the central episode of Holy Week, the great solemnity of the church, the Holy Pascual Triduum. We have gone through forty days of reflection, fasting, abstinence, and other spiritual and penitential exercises that may well have nourished our faith and disposed us to surrender, sacrifice, and resurrection to a life renewed in the love of God.
But before entering the great solemnity, there must be a preparation that motivates us and guides us in the will of God.
The text of Isaiah 50:4-9a gives us this preamble by showing us the teaching on which Who we follow makes sense and what we can learn from Him.
The Servant shares how God wakes him each morning to listen and learn from His instructions. Let us remember how many times Jesus said in his ministry: "The things that I tell you I have heard from my Father." He stated over and over again. He had the ear of an apprentice.
On this Wednesday of Holy Week, we can meditate if we have the ear of the apprentice. Do we understand the importance of listening to God's instructions? Are we open to his direction, even in difficult times? It can also inspire us to trust in God's protection and to show love and kindness to those who might hurt us. Through this passage, we can find encouragement and strength to remain firm in our faith and trust God's plan.
Let's take those feelings to the celebration of the Holy Paschal Triduum; let's prepare our hearts and enter into "Listen to God's instructions" mode to wash our feet from sin and receive the Sacrament of the Altar with dignity; to crucify everything that hurts us and abandon ourselves more in the trust of God; to maintain our hope with Christ's light in the promise of a resurrection to life that does not perish, and to declare with firm faith finally:
The Almighty Lord is the one who helps me! Who will condemn me?