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The Light of the World
Monday
Like the Master, the Church is maligned and persecuted by her enemies. “My face I did
not turn away from those who struck Me and spit upon Me. For thirty pieces of silver
I was appraised by them. Look, O Lord, to the lips of those who hate Me, and see what
they plot against Me” (Antiphons at Lauds). Today the Church gathers her children for
the celebration of the holy mysteries in the church of the holy virgin St. Praxedes, who,
with St. Prudentiana, devoted herself to the service of Christ in the poor. Mary anointing
the feet of the Lord in the Gospel of the Mass represents St. Praxedes, who anointed the
feet of the Lord in the person of the poor. Judas protests at this extravagance and at the
waste of the precious ointment. The liturgy is moved by Christ’s twofold offering of His
body: to His enemies that it might be tortured, and to Mary that it might be anointed
and prepared for burial.
“The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I do not resist; I have not gone back. I have given
my body to the strikers and my cheeks to them that plucked them; I have not turned away
my face from them that rebuked me and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper” (Epistle).
With deep sympathy we watch Him as He offers His cheek to the traitor to be kissed. “Dost
thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lk 22:48.) He offers His hands to those who come
to the Garden of Olives to take Him; He offers His body to those who would scourge Him;
He bows His head as they offer Him the crown of thorns. His hands and feet He extends
willing that they may be nailed to the cross. His heart is bared for the soldier who lifts up
his spear to pierce it. Now He has given up everything in obedience to His Father. “By His
bruises we are healed” (Is 53:5).
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, today brings precious ointment that she may anoint the feet
of Jesus in Bethany. She presses forward lovingly to the Lord and shares most intimately His
sufferings. Even when He is taken prisoner by His enemies, even when He is being put to death,
she does not desert Him, but draws still nearer to Him. We, too, should anoint the feet of Jesus.
During these days more than ever we should draw nearer to Him and assure Him of our faith,
our devotion, and our loyalty. With Mary and St. Praxedes we should serve Him and “anoint
His feet” in the person of His poor. “As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you
did it to Me” (Mt 25:40).
Judas and Mary are both with Christ, and to both He gives His body. Today Mary anoints His
body; in a few days Judas will greet Him with a treasonable kiss. We should emulate the conduct
of Mary. We come to Him during these days to participate in His sufferings and to comfort
Him with our tears of love and gratitude. Thus we help Him carry His cross and imprint His
image upon our soul.
The abuse of Christ and His body did not cease with His passion and death. The abuse
continues in the persecution of His Church. His teaching, His Church, His priests, His faithful
followers, still suffer from the enemies of Christ. We can prove our love for Christ by remaining
all the more faithful and loyal to Him when these persecutions come.
“I have given My body to the strikers, and My cheeks to them that plucked them.”
With unshakable patience, without complaint, without becoming angry or impatient,
Christ submitted to these indignities. His only word is the prayer, “Father, forgive them,
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