The Encouraging Thomist

The Great Vigil of Easter Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Romans 6:3-11 Psalm 114 Mark 16:1-8 I. Alleluia!  Christ Our Passover Lamb   is risen from the dead! And we,   along with Mary the mother of James,   and Mary Magdalene,    and Salome     have no idea what to do! Can you blame them, though? Remember,  all of these women were there at the crucifixion.   They SAW what happened to Jesus,    they have been through the sorrow of the Holy Cross     and they have come to adorn and anoint the body of Jesus      for his final burial. They are walking together,  not at all thinking in their wildest dreams   that they would be looking into an empty tomb,    stone rolled away,     and an angel,      who very nonchalantly says,       "Hey, don't be alarmed,        Jesus is raised,         and He'...

Good Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 22 Hebrews 10:16-25 John 18:1-19:42 I. Christ Our Passover  has been sacrificed   for us.  Jesus Christ the innocent in place of the guilty,  offers himself and ascends the cross   to face the final powers of evil    that our frail humanity had been subject to     for all of time:      the powers of sin and death.  The Gospel of John  of all of the Gospels in the Bible   makes this truth clear and apparent.  When the mob comes to Gethsemane,  the very words of Christ   echoes of the power of the revealed name of God to Moses    "I AM THAT I AM,"     resound once again in Jesus's exchange with the soldiers: "Whom are you looking for?"   They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth."    Jesus replied, "I AM he."    With such force the Holy Name leaves the Son of God's mouth      that even those who had come to...

Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-35 I. Jesus, our Passover Lamb,  has given Himself    for us. By His servanthood,  by his betrayal into the hands of his slaughterers,   and by the giving of His very Body and Blood      to write a New Covenant      in the name of Jesus Christ,      our Spotless Lamb. For Jesus,  very God of very God,   to take a towel around his waist    and to wash the feet of his own disciples     was something that not even the disciples understood       at the time when Christ did it.  Instead, Jesus then takes his seat at the Table  and tells them plainly:   "If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,    you ought also to wash one another's feet.     I have set you an example,      that you should do as I have done." Servanthood is not just...