WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK 2011 - WHY WAS THIS DAY TRADITIONALLY KNOWN, AS "SPY WEDNESDAY" ?...........

Wednesday of Holy Week, found me awake very early, so after praying, pondering, and catching up with the latest news on the radio, in the newspaper, and on television; before coming to my blog.  I will celebrate the 8 am OLOL Parish Mass, and am scheduled to attend my first Amputee Support Group Meeting at Anchor Prosthetics, on Auburn Boulevard at 5:30 pm. The remainder of my day will be preparatory and  restful, before the start of the intensive liturgies of the Easter Triduum tomorrow.  We will conclude scheduled Confessions for this week tonight from 7-8 pm; and if I am back in time from my support group meeting, I will take the second half hour of them, splitting the six hours since last Friday, exactly in half between me and Fr. Pius.  The SacredScriptures proclaimed at Mass on this Wednesday of Holy Week, are an extended version of Isaiah 50:1-9a;, the Suffering Servant Song, we heard Verses 1-4; of - as the First Reading of the Liturgy of the Word, on Palm Sunday.  This Suffering Servant Song has Isaiah reverbiating with the bravery and courage with which the one Who offers Himself sacrificially for others, perseveres despite the anguish and pain inflicted upon Him.  Having heard from John's Gospel on Monday and Tuesday, today, we hear  from Matthew 26:14-25; which presents us with the discourse between Jesus and His Disciples at the Passover Table about the One who would betray Him.  This passage includes an exchange between Jesus and Judas, in which Christ proclaims the woeful gravity of the act of betrayal and in which Judas, disclaims being the betrayer, although it is he who has conspired with the authorities to hand Jesus over to them.   Formerly this day was popularly  designated as, "Spy Wednesday",  referring to the betrayal of Jesus The Christ, by Judas Iscariot.  The conspiracy of sin Judas entered into is a sign to us of the need to be vigiliant in renouncing the selfishness of sin and to honor our relationship with Jesus Chrrist, as the One who possesses the power to forgive us and Who by His Paschal Mystery of Passion, Death, and Resurrection, redeems us to live in freedom, fidelity, fellowship, and faith.  Make time to pray and prepare to enter the Easter Triduum tomorrow with your participation in the Three Days, a priority for you and your families in Living Faith, as you remember and give life to the Paschal Mystery of Jesus The Christ...........Fr.  Troy