Monday of Holy Week marks the beginning of the most solemn week in the liturgical calendar, deeply immersing the faithful in the final events of Christ's earthly life and preparing them for the profound mysteries of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, which are central to salvation history.
Monday of Holy Week, commemorated on April 14, 2025, serves as a crucial prelude within the liturgical calendar, initiating the journey through the final days of Christ's public ministry leading up to His redemptive sacrifice. The readings for this day often focus on narratives such as the anointing at Bethany or prophecies concerning Christ's suffering, drawing the faithful into a deeper contemplation of His impending Passion. This day's significance in salvation history lies in its role of setting the stage for the Paschal Mystery, inviting believers to reflect on the immense love and sacrifice of Jesus, thereby preparing their hearts and minds for the solemnity of the Sacred Triduum and the joyful celebration of Easter, which culminate the work of human redemption.
Monday of Holy Week, observed on April 14, 2025, marks the solemn entrance into the most sacred period of the Roman Catholic liturgical year. This day, following Palm Sunday, initiates the final, profound journey with Jesus Christ as the Church accompanies Him through the last days of His earthly life, leading directly to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. It is a time of intense spiritual focus, where the faithful are invited to contemplate the depth of God's love and the immeasurable sacrifice of His Son. Unlike the preceding Sundays of Lent, which built towards this period with themes of conversion and discipleship, Monday of Holy Week immediately plunges the believer into the immediate preparations for the Paschal Mystery, setting a somber yet hopeful tone for the week that culminates in the triumphant joy of Easter.
The liturgy for Monday of Holy Week in the Roman Rite typically centers on the Gospel account of the Anointing at Bethany from John 12:1-11. This poignant narrative recounts Jesus' visit to Bethany, six days before Passover, where Martha served, Lazarus, recently raised from the dead, reclined at table with Him, and Mary, Lazarus's sister, performed an act of profound devotion. Taking a pound of costly perfumed oil, genuine aromatic nard, Mary anointed Jesus' feet and dried them with her hair, filling the house with the fragrance of the ointment. This act of lavish love and worship is immediately met with protest from Judas Iscariot, who feigns concern for the poor but is, in reality, motivated by greed, as he was the treasurer and used to steal from the common purse. Jesus, however, defends Mary's action, stating, "Let her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial." This verse underscores the prophetic nature of Mary's gesture, foretelling and preparing for the anointing of Jesus' body after His death, an act that would otherwise be impossible due to the haste of His burial.
The observance of Holy Week, including its initial days, has deep roots in the early Christian community, particularly in Jerusalem, where the events of Christ's Passion unfolded. Historical accounts, such as the *Peregrinatio Egeriae* (Pilgrimage of Egeria), a 4th-century travelogue, provide invaluable insights into the elaborate and devout liturgical practices of Holy Week in the Holy City. Egeria describes how Christians would follow in procession, visiting the very sites of Christ's Passion and Resurrection, with specific readings and prayers assigned to each day and location. While the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) developed distinct and ancient rites, the days preceding it, including Monday, gradually acquired their own liturgical character, integrating readings that prepared the faithful for the unfolding drama. These practices, originating in Jerusalem, spread throughout the Christian world, adapting to local customs while retaining the core purpose of commemorating Christ's final days. Over centuries, the lectionary for Monday of Holy Week solidified around themes of Jesus' final teachings, prophecies of His suffering, and specific events like the Anointing at Bethany, deepening the spiritual anticipation.
Thematically, Monday of Holy Week is rich with layers of meaning that invite profound reflection. Mary's act of anointing is not merely a gesture of hospitality but a prophetic symbol of Christ's impending death and burial. Her lavish pouring of costly oil signifies an unreserved love and devotion, contrasting sharply with the calculating and treacherous heart of Judas. This juxtaposition highlights the central themes of love versus betrayal, generosity versus avarice, and selfless worship versus self-serving hypocrisy. The day's liturgy thus serves as a somber reminder of the human condition and the varied responses to divine love. It prompts the faithful to examine their own hearts, to discern whether their actions are motivated by genuine love for Christ or by worldly concerns. Moreover, it emphasizes Jesus' foreknowledge of His Passion and His acceptance of His destiny, even as He is surrounded by both profound devotion and insidious plotting.
In the grand narrative of salvation history, Monday of Holy Week plays a crucial role by deepening the understanding of the Paschal Mystery. Mary's anointing, recognized by Jesus as preparation for His burial, underscores the reality and inevitability of His death, not as a tragic accident, but as a deliberate act of redemption. This event reveals Christ's mission to offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity. The presence of Lazarus, recently raised from the dead, also serves as a powerful prefigurement of Christ's own resurrection, yet it is juxtaposed with the immediate focus on His impending death. This day illustrates the human rejection and and betrayal that Christ would endure, culminating in His crucifixion, but also highlights the profound acts of love and reverence shown to Him. It is a day that solidifies the transition from Christ's public ministry to the direct path of His Passion, emphasizing that every step taken by Jesus in these final days is a deliberate move towards fulfilling the Father's will for the salvation of the world.
For Catholics today, observing Monday of Holy Week means engaging deeply with the liturgical readings and entering into a spiritual posture of contemplation and preparation. It is a call to follow Christ closely, to meditate on His journey to the cross, and to understand the profound implications of His sacrifice for personal salvation and the world. The day encourages personal prayer, reflection, and perhaps acts of charity, mirroring Mary's selfless devotion. As the week progresses towards the Sacred Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday – the intensity of the Church's remembrance grows. Monday of Holy Week, therefore, is not merely a historical recounting but a living participation in the mysteries of faith, inviting believers to cleanse their hearts, deepen their faith, and prepare to celebrate the victory of life over death, sin over grace, and hope over despair, that is found in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It sets the tone for a week where every moment is imbued with sacred meaning, guiding the faithful towards the ultimate triumph of Easter.
Six days before the Passover, the air in Bethany was thick with anticipation, but also with the gentle hum of everyday life. Jesus, having recently raised Lazarus from the dead, was a guest in their home, sharing a meal with Martha, who served diligently, and Lazarus himself, who reclined at the table, a living testament to divine power. The atmosphere was one of quiet gratitude and profound intimacy. Then, Mary, Lazarus's sister, rose. In her hands, she held an alabaster jar, not of common oil, but of pure nard, a perfume so rare and precious that its value alone could sustain a family for a year. Without a word, her eyes fixed on Jesus, she broke the seal.
A gasp, perhaps, or a murmur, might have rippled through the small gathering as the rich, intoxicating scent of the nard filled the entire house. Mary knelt, not before a king on a throne, but before her Lord, humble and vulnerable. She began to pour the fragrant oil over Jesus' feet, an act of unparalleled devotion. And then, in a gesture that spoke volumes of her love and humility, she unbound her hair, letting it fall freely, and used it to wipe His feet, mingling her tears, perhaps, with the precious oil. It was an act of complete surrender, a pouring out of her very self, a silent prayer of profound adoration.
But not all hearts in that room were filled with admiration. From the shadows, a voice, sharp and laced with feigned indignation, cut through the sacred silence. It was Judas Iscariot, ever the pragmatist, ever the one with an eye on the purse. “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages and given to the poor?” he demanded, his words echoing with a false piety. Yet, the Gospel tells us, his concern was not for the poor, but because he was a thief, and being in charge of the common fund, he used to pilfer from it. His words were a cloak for his avarice, a stark contrast to Mary's selfless love.
Jesus, however, saw beyond the surface, into the depths of both Mary's heart and Judas's deceit. His voice, gentle yet firm, broke the tension. “Let her alone,” He commanded. “Let her keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” In those words, Jesus revealed the profound prophetic significance of Mary's act. She was not merely offering a gift; she was performing an anointing for His impending death, a sacred ritual for His burial that would soon follow. Her intuitive love had transcended the immediate moment, touching upon the very heart of His mission and sacrifice. Mary, through her spontaneous and lavish devotion, had unknowingly participated in the preparation for the greatest act of love in salvation history, revealing a faith that saw beyond the present, embracing the mystery of His Passion with an open heart. Her character was revealed as one of pure, uncalculating love, a stark and dramatic counterpoint to the calculating betrayal that would soon unfold.
April 18, 2011
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are beginning Holy Week, which leads us to Easter, the feast of the Lord’s Resurrection. This week is called “holy” because in it the most important events of our salvation took place: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time of special grace, during which the Church invites us to enter more deeply into this mystery. In the first three days, the Church, enlightened by the Word of God, contemplates the mystery of Christ, who draws near to his death, but already manifests his victory. The central point of Holy Week is the Sacred Triduum of Easter: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It is a single great mystery of the death and Resurrection of Christ, which culminates in the solemn Easter Vigil, on the Holy Night of the Resurrection.
In these days, the Church relives the events that occurred in Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago. We are called to live what Jesus lived, following in his footsteps through prayer and penance. In particular, we are called to consider his suffering, which he endured out of love for us. The Lord Jesus, in his immense love, offered himself up for our salvation. He bore our sins, our weaknesses, our sorrows. He was scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified, and died for us. He gave his life for us, that we might have eternal life.
Holy Week is a privileged time when we are called to draw near to Jesus: to accompany him in his suffering, in his sacrifice, and in his victory. We are called to contemplate the depths of his love, a love that led him to give his very life for us. In these days, we are invited to reflect on the meaning of Christ's Passion and Death, and on the immense love that motivated him. We are called to recognize that Jesus suffered and died for us, for our salvation, for the remission of our sins. His sacrifice is the supreme act of love, which opens for us the way to new life, to reconciliation with God.
Today's liturgy already introduces us to the atmosphere of Holy Week. The Gospel of John (12:1-11) presents us with the anointing at Bethany. Six days before the Passover, Jesus comes to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, lived. Martha serves, Lazarus is at table with Jesus, and Mary, Lazarus's sister, takes a pound of costly perfumed oil, anoints Jesus' feet, and wipes them with her hair. This gesture is an act of profound love and devotion, a prelude to the anointing of Jesus' body for burial. It shows Mary's extraordinary faith and love for Jesus, recognizing in him not only the one who raised her brother but the Lord who is about to offer himself for the salvation of the world. Judas Iscariot protests, feigning concern for the poor, but his true motive is avarice. Jesus defends Mary, stating, "Let her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial." This passage highlights the contrast between Mary's generous love and Judas's calculating betrayal, and it underscores Jesus' awareness of his impending death.
This week, therefore, we are called to follow Jesus with sincere hearts, to live with him the mystery of his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. It is a time for conversion, for a deeper commitment to follow Christ, and for renewed faith in his saving power. Let us allow ourselves to be guided by the liturgy, by the Word of God, by the signs and symbols that the Church offers us in these days. Let us enter into the heart of the Paschal Mystery, which is the heart of our faith. Let us open our hearts to the grace that the Lord wants to pour out on us, so that we may truly participate in his Passion and Resurrection, and thus become new creatures in Christ.
May this Holy Week be for all of us a time of intense prayer, profound reflection, and sincere conversion. May we truly accompany Jesus on his journey to the Cross, and may we be filled with hope in his glorious Resurrection. Amen.