The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, April 8, 2004
Holy Thursday

Scripture from the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper:
Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Psalm 116:12-13,15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“Do you realize what I have done for you?”

What gracious, inspired words to begin this great three-day celebration. Jesus speaks to us through time. The disciples did not understand what He was doing or what was to happen. But here Jesus looks out of time and into our hearts and He asks, “Do you realize what I have done for you?”

Let’s look carefully at what He is asking us. Let us take the word “realize” apart and understand its fullness. Jesus asks us two questions here. The first is “Do you know what I have done for you?” He asks this out of time. It isn’t just to the disciples, but Jesus is looking at you out of the text. As you read the words, the words are reading you as well. Do you realize? Do you know the depths of His passionate love for us? Why is His experience on the cross called The Passion? Do you realize?

But what else can we read the word “realize” to mean? How providential the richness of translation. We can read the word realize to mean, “Do you make real what I have done for you?” In other words, does what Jesus did for us have any present and living reality in our lives? Are we changed because of the richness of His love? Are our lives transformed into the image of His? Do we make real to the world and to our neighbor the deep spiritual blessing of Christ’s sacrifice? Do we realize what He has done for us?

If we do not, then we fail in love. He asks us and the word searches us. Let it search you and your heart, let it change you to become like Him. Ask yourself today and each day, “Do you realize what Christ has done for you?” And if you do not, confess your failing and ask for the grace and strength to do so. Because the truth is, it is the only thing worth doing in life.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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posted by joachim at 4:15 AM