Tuesday in Holy Week 2021
Introduction – As the great Three Days draw near, we hear Paul proclaim Christ crucified as the wisdom and power of God. Jesus speaks of the grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies in order that it may bear fruit. We die with Christ in baptism that we may be raised with him to new life. We will celebrate this great mystery of death and resurrection at Easter on Saturday evening and Sunday.
Prayer of the Day – Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you. Grant that our love may not grow cold in your service, and that we may not fail or deny you in the time of trial, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7 – Here the servant, identified as Israel, speaks for herself and describes her honored mission. Called before her birth like Jeremiah and John the Baptist, the servant is not only to restore Israel. The servant’s ultimate assignment is to bring news of God’s victory to the ends of the earth. God in faithfulness has chosen Israel for this task.
1Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
2He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.
3And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.” 5And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength—
6he says, It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
7Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
2He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.
3And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.” 5And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength—
6he says, It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
7Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Psalm: Psalm 71:1-14
1In you, O Lord, have I | taken refuge; let me never be | put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and | set me free; incline your ear to | me and save me.
3Be my strong rock, a castle to | keep me safe; you are my crag | and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand | of the wicked,
from the clutches of the evildoer and | the oppressor.
5For you are my hope, | O Lord God, my confidence since | I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother’s womb you have | been my strength; my praise shall be al- | ways of you.
7I have become a por- | tent to many; but you are my refuge | and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full | of your praise and your glory all | the day long.
9Do not cast me off in | my old age; forsake me not when | my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talk- | ing against me,
and those who lie in wait for my life take coun- | sel together.
11They say, “Pursue and seize that one whom God | has forsaken;
because there is none | who will save.”
12 O God, be not | far from me; come quickly to help me, | O my God.
13May my accusers be put to shame and | waste away;
let those who seek my misfortune be engulfed by scorn | and reproach.
14 But I shall always | wait in patience, and shall praise you | more and more.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and | set me free; incline your ear to | me and save me.
3Be my strong rock, a castle to | keep me safe; you are my crag | and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand | of the wicked,
from the clutches of the evildoer and | the oppressor.
5For you are my hope, | O Lord God, my confidence since | I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother’s womb you have | been my strength; my praise shall be al- | ways of you.
7I have become a por- | tent to many; but you are my refuge | and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full | of your praise and your glory all | the day long.
9Do not cast me off in | my old age; forsake me not when | my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talk- | ing against me,
and those who lie in wait for my life take coun- | sel together.
11They say, “Pursue and seize that one whom God | has forsaken;
because there is none | who will save.”
12 O God, be not | far from me; come quickly to help me, | O my God.
13May my accusers be put to shame and | waste away;
let those who seek my misfortune be engulfed by scorn | and reproach.
14 But I shall always | wait in patience, and shall praise you | more and more.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 – To the world, the word of the cross is silly, because it claims God’s power is most fully revealed in complete, utter weakness. For those who are being saved, however, the word of the cross unveils God’s true wisdom, power, and source of true life.
18The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Gospel: John 12:20-36 – Knowing that his hour has come, Jesus announces that his death will be an exaltation. When he is lifted up in death, drawing people to new life, God’s name will be glorified.
20Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
27“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—”Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
27“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—”Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
HOMILY: Back during the Council of Nicaea, when the Nicene Creed was being formulated, the early church fathers were discussing Jesus and his divinity and his humanity. Some believed that Jesus was completely God. Others argued that Jesus was completely God and completely human-completely Jesus. After much discussion, the early church father determined that we are to focus on Jesus as completely God and completely human- a weird math problem that looks like: 100% God + 100% human=100% Jesus. Those who focused only on the 100% God idea missed the entire concept of Jesus and his humanity-and we see that humanity on display in this reading today.
Jesus is reflecting here on his death. His role as the Son of God will be marked by his role as the Son of Man-his divinity will be shown most clearly as he suffers the human death that is to come. It is only through his dying that his victory over death may be achieved. That is his sacrifice. That is his purpose as the Savior of humanity. But that sacrifice and that purpose cost him his very life.
Jesus here is instructing his followers, you and me, that first, he will die in order to bear much fruit-purchasing for us our salvation. He is also inviting us to follow his example, to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of others, to put ourselves last over the needs of others in our love and obedience for God. We love God by loving others. Jesus did it, and he asks us, as his followers, to do the same. It is in this way that we live up to our Baptismal calling to be children of the Light who share the love and light of Jesus in the world. A blessed Holy Tuesday be with you all.
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