Wednesday of Holy Week
“The teacher says, ‘My appointed time draws near.’”
It is good for us to remember that “the teacher” is the Incarnate Word! God’s Word, sent into the world to redeem it, is calling our attention to “the hour” when not just unredeemed humanity but the universe will be created anew in his act of obedient love of the Father, Creator of all.
This “hour” addresses the tragedy of Adam’s sin and its effects. It is, as it were, a canvas, on which is painted this cosmic redemption, and also the seemingly less cosmic, sin of Judas. Like knots in a fine piece of wood, we see streaks that have their part to play. St. Augustine puts it like this:
God has made good use even of the bad works of the devil…and the traitor Judas for our redemption and salvation, so too in the hidden and secret recesses of the whole of creation, which neither our eyes nor our minds are sharp enough to penetrate, God knows how he makes good use of the bad so that in everything that comes to be and is accomplished in the world the will of the Almighty may be fulfilled.
One application of this for our lives lies comes in the secrets of our minds and hearts where we grapple with our thoughts about tragedies in our lives and those in the world. We are called to be mindful of Christ’s redeeming hour. It’s alluded to in the Second Luminous Mystery of the rosary where Jesus replies to Mary that it is not yet his “hour!”
In the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the Church reminds us that God the Father has given his Son over to time to redeem it. She begins the Vigil of Easter by reminding us that the Risen Lord is the Lord of time! The “hour” of redemption has now gone out into the whole cosmos and is guiding it to glory. We must come along! We want to give our ‘yes’ with Christ to our little hour on the earth. We do it daily and we will do it end the hour of our death comes.
This ‘yes’ is the direct opposite of all those stubborn acts of will, of disobedience, to receiving the forgiveness and love of God in our lives.
Reflection by Fr. Xavier Nacke, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources