1ST READING
We are invited to reflect upon the Jewish event of the Passover, whereby they celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt. The angel of death has “passed over” the houses of the Jewish people (marked with the blood of the Passover Lamb) when he kills every first-born of the land. Pharaoh lets the people go and the Israelites begin their journey through the desert to the Promised Land. Let us follow the development of this story through the Easter mysteries.
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month, every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. 4 If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. 5 The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or thegoats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. 7They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. 8 That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the Lord. 12 For on this same night, I will go through Egypt, striking down every first-born of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt — I, the Lord! 13 But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. 14 This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution.
P S A L M
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18
R: Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
12 How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? 13 The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. (R) 15 Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones. 16 I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. (R) 17 To you will Ioffer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. 18 My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all His people. (R)
2ND READING
The inauguration of the Eucharist is an important development, whereby much of the Passover of the Jews is adapted for Christian purposes. We remember the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus with the same import and intensity as the Jews did the Passover. However, we remember it weekly, even daily, if we like. This should indicate to us the importance with which the Church views the celebration of the Eucharist.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
23 Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
GOSPEL
Jesus demonstrates to His disciples the true spirit of leadership that He expects from them and their successors. It is imperative that all who aspire to leadership in the Church reflect often upon the nature of servant-leadership, in order to never lose the idea that leadership is always about serving the people of God. It should never be seen as a source of acclaim and privilege for the individual. Herein lies one of the biggest traps of leadership.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you.
John 13:1-15
1 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 He rose from supper and took off His outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” 9Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
LIST
think: Leadership is always about serving the people of God and should never be seen as a source of acclaim and privilege for the individiual.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today_
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 43-46
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