Holy Week - Monday April 6th
PRAYER FOR MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020
OPENING
Jesus criticized the religious leaders of his time for serving themselves rather than caring for the people. When Jesus’ popularity began growing quickly, those leaders felt so threatened that they got people to lie about Jesus so that they could accuse him of a crime.
- All make the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
PSALM (For a longer psalm, see page xiv.) Psalm 34:4–5, 6–7, 16–17, 18–19
The Lord saves the crushed in spirit.
The Lord saves the crushed in spirit.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
The Lord saves the crushed in spirit.
GOSPEL Matthew 26:57, 59–62b, 63–64a, 65c–66
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. The chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’” The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so.” Then the high priest said, “You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
- Please observe silence
FOR SILENT REFLECTION
Think about this silently in your heart. When angry, do you ever accuse people of things they didn’t say or do?
CLOSING PRAYER
Let us pray to God for our needs and the needs of others: our family, neighborhood, and the world. For each need we say, “Lord, hear our prayer.”
Let us pray: Our Father . . . Amen.
God of mercy,
give us the courage to always speak the truth.
May our words be helpful and supportive.
May our actions be honest and kind.
We ask this in Christ’s name.
Amen.
Daily Reflections for Holy Week
Monday
On the night before He died, Jesus washed the feet of the apostles. He said to them “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:14-15).
What does it mean to wash one another’s feet? Who are the people in your life whose feet you need to wash? Is there someone in your life who you know you should be helping, but are afraid to? How can you overcome this fear so that you are truly following Jesus’ model?
