Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordiae.
Judas, hast thou betrayed the Son of Man with a kiss?
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today, sometimes called Spy Wednesday, is a reminder of what Judas has done.
Don Gerringer, in the liturgical year, tells us that the scribes and Pharisees had gathered together,
and because of the many, many Jews in Jerusalem at this time,
they were intent on postponing it,
because it was not the opportunity.
But then Judas came in and asked,
what would they give him for delivering Jesus to them?
The Jews, Don Gerringer goes on to remind them,
should have remembered that the Psalms had said
that he would be given over for 30 pieces of silver.
But they did not allude to that.
And this is a way that God had willed that Jesus, at this time,
would remember the Pasch, that Jesus would be sacrificed,
just like the Paschal lamb at the same Passover.
Instead of the type, the type which is the lamb,
which is a type of Christ, who will have Jesus himself.
He would be offered on the altar, as it were,
the altar of the cross, sacrificing himself for us.
All this is part of God's great plan, the hour of Jesus' death.
Death and our redemption on the cross.
And all the events that we have these days,
all remind us of this incredible event.
In a way, the greatest event in the history of mankind.
A God becoming man.
And as we see in the first readings,
the second reading from Isaiah,
the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter.
He was bruised for our iniquities.
And how he was looked upon as a leper.
And we see this all throughout the Passion.
How Jesus was, in a way, hated.
He was derided, save yourself, come down from the cross,
laughing at him, he saved others, he cannot save himself.
Also, we see in the first reading today,
an unusual passage, where we see that the protagonist
is given a garment of white, and the blood that he is pressing upon
his enemies is sprinkled upon him.
This alludes to something else in the drama of the Passion.
The final revenge, as it were,
on the Jews and those who have persecuted him.
And we see this.
This is why Jesus says to the women,
do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves.
For the day will come when the
He will say to the mountains, fall upon us.
And again, Don Gerringer tells us that this is a prophecy
to what will happen in 70 AD,
when the greatest massacres the world has ever seen.
The fall of Jerusalem, where Jerusalem was taken by Titus
and Jews, hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed.
So, this drama is enacted for us as we see these days.
The most important event in the world's history,
the event of the Son of God,
who has become man, giving his life for us on the cross.
And it's the most wonderful drama the world has ever seen.
Jesus accepting death because it's the will of the Father.
And?
As we see in today's gospel, forgiving his enemies.
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
And even bring in one of these malefactors, Dismas,
who prays, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
And Jesus promised that this day thou shalt be with him in paradise.
So, as we approach these days, let us enter in prayer.
Let us thank God for this most wonderful gift.
Let us ask.
Let us ask our Lady, who's at the foot of the cross
and is contemplating all this in her heart.
And what Jesus,
writers tell us, what Jesus tells, is suffering in his body,
she is suffering with the compassion of her heart.
So, she can teach us what we need to know.
She has taught us many things over the years, especially at Fatima,
reminding us that we should not offend God,
he's too much offended by sin.
And we're also reminded, as we see in Isaiah,
he was bruised for our iniquities.
We must never forget that our sins have crucified our loving Savior.
So, let us pray, as our Lady asked, the rosary,
especially the sorrowful mystery during these days,
contemplating Jesus willingly suffering for us, for our redemption.
Greater love than this no man has,
than he let us have.
He laid down his life for his friends.
We must never forget that.
And let us ask our Lady to help us to understand this,
so that we can pray and sacrifice, as she asked at Fatima,
for the many souls who will die and maybe not be saved.
The blood, sacred, precious blood of Jesus will die,
will be in vain for many souls.
That's not the will of God, of course.
He came to save all.
But because of the,
the hardness of heart of some,
they will not be saved.
But we can help to save them with our Lady.
Pray and sacrifice.
For many souls will be saved because you pray and sacrifice.
May the Lord bless you.
For plenty of reasons.
God bless you.
24 nós me convendemos por ti,
and you are our blessing,
fruit of your womb,