AECI Lenten 2025 Reflection: 'Steer Us From Hardness Of Heart' (Easter Triduum - 'The Treasure Of New Life')

AECI Lenten 2025 Reflection: 'Steer Us From Hardness Of Heart'

Easter Triduum - 'The Treasure Of New Life'

Holy Thursday

Amidst a turbulent political and social context in Jerusalem and amidst the genuine hardship and burdens that human beings faced then - as they do today - Jesus gathers his 'friends' together for a final meal, saying '... I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you' (Luke 22:15).

Giving thanks, he broke bread and gave it to each of his disciples, then in a similar fashion took a cup of wine, gave thanks and distributed it. Speaking of 'the new covenant' he looked into the hearts and the minds of each of his followers present. He knew of Judas' act of betrayal. He knew of the plot to kill him. He knew of human intransigence and wickedness, of human 'hardness'.

He knew also of human possibility and potential, of faith and promise.

Today we gaze into the 'upper room' and we allow our hearts to be touched by two things.

The outstretched hand of service, of sharing, and the reaching hand of unity. of belonging.

Easter Triduum - 'The Treasure Of New Life'

Good Friday

'For it is from within, from the human heart,

that evil intentions come'

(Mark 7:21)

Jesus encounters the powerful groups of his day early in his ministry. He is under no illusion as to their motivations and their intentions.

In chapter 7 of the Gospel of Mark, we read of how he quotes, before the Pharisees and 'scribes' who had come from Jerusalem to question him, the words of the Prophet Isaiah: 'This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'

He implores the crowd gathered '... let anyone with ears to hear now listen'.

Over the course of these last six weeks or so , we have sought to 'examine the heart', to look specifically at our life experience and motivation , our spiritual direction and priorities.

Today we step away from our own context, and that of first century Palestine.

We shall purely 'behold the man' (John 19.5)

ECCE HOMO

The man who now is subject to those evil intentions and manoeuvrings that spring from the heart.

FALSE ACCUSATION

RIDICULE

ABUSE

VIOLENCE

CRUCIFIXION (Salvador Dali)

How often do we fail to see the victim because we hurl and we throw so many 'nails'?