Apr 7, 2025 Written by 

Passion and compassion

Jesus' agitation over the imminent betrayal-delivery of Judas had caused questioning, pain and sadness in the disciple He loved and in all His intimates.

Francis (like John) was indeed 'the one Jesus loved', as he lived with his head reclining on the heart of Christ, feeling all the pulsations and twitches of his being handed over to his tormentors.

The morsel dipped and given to Judas Iscariot had caused Francis to place himself before the Cross, contemplating it.

Looking at it, he loved to call himself "a new madman", referring to St Paul, to the madness of the Cross (cf. 1 Cor 1:18-25).

The Poverello's madness consisted in wanting to live according to the Gospel, as Christ had outlined it.

According to some accounts he used to repeat: 'Love is not loved'. This was the cry that resounded in his heart and on his lips.

"Once he went alone near the church of Santa Maria della

Portiuncula, weeping and lamenting in a loud voice.

A pious man, hearing this, assumed that he was suffering from some illness or sorrow and, moved by compassion, asked him why he was weeping so.

Francis said:

"I weep for the passion of my Lord. For love of him I should not be ashamed to go moaning aloud for all the world".

Then the devout man also joined in Francis' lamentations.

Often, on rising from prayer, his eyes seemed to be full of blood, so reddened were they from weeping.

And he did not confine himself to tears, but, in memory of the sufferings of Christ, abstained from eating and drinking" (FF 1413).

In the soul of Francis, that morsel dipped and given to Judas was enough to abstain from all food, such was the pain and bitterness in Christ, delivered from human gain.

Clare of Assisi, who also understood the Passion of Jesus, continually meditated on the mysteries of the Cross.

"The Crucified beloved returns the lover, and she who is so inflamed with love for the mystery of the Cross, is by virtue of the Cross made luminous by signs and miracles.

For when he traced the sign of the life-giving Cross on the sick, he prodigiously removed sickness from them" (FF 3218).

 

«Having dipped the morsel therefore, he took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot» (Jn 13:26)

 

 

Holy Tuesday  (Jn 13:21-33.36-38)

157 Last modified on Monday, 07 April 2025 03:39
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Divisions among Christians, while they wound the Church, wound Christ; and divided, we cause a wound to Christ: the Church is indeed the body of which Christ is the Head (Pope Francis)
Le divisioni tra i cristiani, mentre feriscono la Chiesa, feriscono Cristo, e noi divisi provochiamo una ferita a Cristo: la Chiesa infatti è il corpo di cui Cristo è capo (Papa Francesco)
The glorification that Jesus asks for himself as High Priest, is the entry into full obedience to the Father, an obedience that leads to his fullest filial condition [Pope Benedict]
La glorificazione che Gesù chiede per se stesso, quale Sommo Sacerdote, è l'ingresso nella piena obbedienza al Padre, un'obbedienza che lo conduce alla sua più piena condizione filiale [Papa Benedetto]
All this helps us not to let our guard down before the depths of iniquity, before the mockery of the wicked. In these situations of weariness, the Lord says to us: “Have courage! I have overcome the world!” (Jn 16:33). The word of God gives us strength [Pope Francis]
Tutto questo aiuta a non farsi cadere le braccia davanti allo spessore dell’iniquità, davanti allo scherno dei malvagi. La parola del Signore per queste situazioni di stanchezza è: «Abbiate coraggio, io ho vinto il mondo!» (Gv 16,33). E questa parola ci darà forza [Papa Francesco]
The Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension. He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone (Pope Francis)
L’Ascensione non indica l’assenza di Gesù, ma ci dice che Egli è vivo in mezzo a noi in modo nuovo; non è più in un preciso posto del mondo come lo era prima dell’Ascensione; ora è nella signoria di Dio, presente in ogni spazio e tempo, vicino ad ognuno di noi. Nella nostra vita non siamo mai soli (Papa Francesco)
The Magnificat is the hymn of praise which rises from humanity redeemed by divine mercy, it rises from all the People of God; at the same time, it is a hymn that denounces the illusion of those who think they are lords of history and masters of their own destiny (Pope Benedict)
Il Magnificat è il canto di lode che sale dall’umanità redenta dalla divina misericordia, sale da tutto il popolo di Dio; in pari tempo è l’inno che denuncia l’illusione di coloro che si credono signori della storia e arbitri del loro destino (Papa Benedetto)
This unknown “thing” is the true “hope” which drives us, and at the same time the fact that it is unknown is the cause of all forms of despair and also of all efforts, whether positive or destructive, directed towards worldly authenticity and human authenticity (Spe Salvi n.12)
Questa « cosa » ignota è la vera « speranza » che ci spinge e il suo essere ignota è, al contempo, la causa di tutte le disperazioni come pure di tutti gli slanci positivi o distruttivi verso il mondo autentico e l'autentico uomo (Spe Salvi n.12)
«When the servant of God is troubled, as it happens, by something, he must get up immediately to pray, and persevere before the Supreme Father until he restores to him the joy of his salvation. Because if it remains in sadness, that Babylonian evil will grow and, in the end, will generate in the heart an indelible rust, if it is not removed with tears» (St Francis of Assisi, FS 709)

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