Day Twenty-Eight of Lent – His Hands and Feet

REFLECTION AND PRAYER
Day Twenty-Eight of Lent
His Hands and Feet

Consider Jesus, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish. (Eleventh Station of the Cross, by Saint Alphonsus Liguori)

As our Blessed Mother stood before the Cross of her Son, she was compelled by love to adore the wounds in His sacred hands and feet. She was drawn to gaze at the nails that pierced her Son as they fixed His hands to the Cross. Such cruelty. So merciless. The pain caused by these nails was excruciating. All our Blessed Mother could do was to watch in love and ponder the wounds inflicted upon her divine Son.

Why did they nail Jesus to the Cross? It was to fulfill the Scripture that He was nailed to the Cross. Isaiah the prophet said, “He was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

“By His wounds we were healed.” What a mysterious statement. How is it that the wounds of Jesus bring healing to the world? As our Blessed Mother contemplated this great mystery, and adored the wounds in her Son’s hands and feet, she would have recalled the rest of Isaiah’s prophecy, “We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; Like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:6-7).

Jesus embraced the Cross and willingly allowed Himself to be pierced for our transgressions. He took upon Himself the consequences of our sin and paid the price of death. In this act of freely giving His life as the spotless and innocent Lamb, He destroyed the law of death and transformed sin and death into new life.

The mystery of Jesus’ suffering as the innocent Lamb is deep and beyond comprehension. Our Blessed Mother contemplated this great mystery of suffering in her heart and knew, by faith, that every wound and every nail brought untold grace into the world. She saw in her crucified Son the effects of the sins of the world. But she also saw sin destroyed by His free and innocent embrace.

Very often we fail to understand that our Lord’s suffering and death is a mystery. We fail to comprehend and to be grateful for the great mystery of His innocent suffering which sets us free.

Reflect, today, upon the wounds of the innocent Lamb of God. Gaze at His wounds with our Blessed Mother. See His wounds as the price of your sins. Allow your heart to be filled with deep gratitude as you ponder this unfathomable mystery.

PRAYER

My dear Mother, only your faith could penetrate the mystery of suffering, just as the nails penetrated the hands and feet of your divine Son. Only your love could comprehend the mercy and healing offered by your Son’s wounds. Draw me into this gaze of yours so that my mind and heart may penetrate its meaning.

My dear Mother, I also offer to you and to your Son the wounds that afflict me unjustly. May I never complain or turn away from the opportunity to give myself freely, and to accept suffering, for the healing of others. Teach me to imitate this great mystery of your Son in my own life.

My pierced Jesus, Your mother gazed with love at the wounds in Your hands and feet. She saw and believed in the healing that was made possible by Your free embrace of such cruelty. Give me the grace I need to also gaze at Your sacred wounds and to penetrate the meaning of their mystery. I thank You, dear Lord, for the abundant mercy You have poured forth from Your sacred wounds.

40 Days Journey with Our Lord
Day Twenty-Eight: Envy or Joy?

Envy is a form of sadness or bitterness experienced when we perceive good qualities or possessions in others, especially if we lack them. It is closely linked to jealousy, which is a selfish desire for what another person has or a fear of losing what we possess. These sins lead to slander, judgements, and gossip, and produce a disordered pleasure if we see them fail, or do not get something we want.

For those who are worldly and struggle with the love of money, material possessions, or status, envy will often lead to an obsession over what another enjoys. This form of envy is a double sin, in that the objects of their envy are unhealthy attachments. This worldly form of envy is often rooted in a lack of contentment with one’s own state in life. A misplaced value on the passing things of this world will inevitably lead to this more base form of envy. There will always be someone who has more, is more successful, or is more highly honored.

The cure for this form of envy is to put our priorities in right order, seeking first the Kingdom of God and the riches of Heaven. Many things we envy are unworthy of being envied. Conquering unhealthy attachments and desires will help free us from envying foolish things.

Envy can also be on a spiritual level. Those who love God and seek to serve His will might see others as holier than they are or more spiritually fruitful. They might see some beautiful virtue in another, a successful apostolate, or a God-given charism. Rather than rejoice, they resent not being recognized for what they themselves have done.

The cure for spiritual envy is genuine joy, kindness, gratitude, charity, and respect for every person. When we see others’ holy virtues, we must rejoice and give thanks to God. We must admire those virtues and humbly seek to imitate them.

When we encounter saintly people, we must understand that we are “on the same team,” so to speak. Those who conquer envy will go out of their way to encourage others, thank them, and give praise to God for His grace, alive in their lives. When someone fails, we must have heartfelt compassion for that person, refrain from rash judgment, offer mercy, and consider ways we can help.

From the Cross, Jesus said to the good thief, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). This statement provides insight into overcoming envy. Jesus’ incredible generosity toward one who was sinful should inspire us to have the same desire. If we can long for every soul to be with God forever in Heaven, then when we see their goodness, we will be consoled and rejoice, rather than become sad or jealous.

Ponder the ugly sin of envy today, but do so by turning your eyes to the spiritual riches of Heaven. If others manifest those spiritual riches, know that God can also bestow His abundant gifts upon you. Rejoice in the goodness of others, pray that you can learn from them, and thank God for the good witness they give.

PRAYER

My generous Lord, You bestow Your blessings in superabundance upon those who love You and serve Your holy will. Free me from every form of envy in life, and give me a genuine love for every way You are alive in others. When I see others’ virtues, fill me with a holy joy and gratitude so that I will be an encouragement to those whom You have placed in my life to jointly fulfill Your divine mission.

Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: mycatholiclife