RELIGION AND ART

THERE WILL BE NO HOLY MASS Readings  THE SUFFERING SERVANT First Reading Isaiah 52:13-53:12 The servant of the Lord, an expiatory Sacrifice See, my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights. Lectures As the crowds were appalled on seeing him   so disfigured did he look that he seemed no longer human so will the crowds be astonished at him, and kings stand speechless before him; for they shall see something never told and witness something never heard before: ‘Who could believe what we have heard, and to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?’ Like a sapling he grew up in front of us, like a root in arid ground. Without beauty, without majesty we saw him, no looks to attract our eyes; a thing despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering, a man to make people screen their faces; he was despised and we took no account of him. And yet ours were the sufferings he bore, ours the sorrows he carried. But we, we t

  First Reading Isaiah 61:1-3,6,8-9    The Lord has anointed me Readings The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison; to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord, a day of vengeance   for our God, to comfort all those who mourn and to give them for ashes a garland; for mourning robe the oil of gladness, for despondency, praise. But you, you will be named ‘priests of the Lord’, they will call you ‘ministers of our God.’ I reward them faithfully and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their race will be famous throughout the nations, their descendants throughout the peoples. All who see them will admit that they are a race whom the Lord has blessed Second Reading Apoc.1:5-8  Jesus Christ has made us a line of kings and priests Lectures Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the Fi

WEDNESDY IN HOLY WEEK:  THE BETRAYAL First Reading Isaiah 50:4-9 Who thinks he has a case against me? Let him approach me The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied  he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. Readings The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face against insult and spittle. The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed. My vindicator is here at hand. Does anyone start proceedings against me? Then let us go to court together. Who thinks he has a case against me? Let him approach me.  The Lord is coming to my help, who will dare to condemn me? Gospel Matt. 26:14-25 'The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will'

TUESDAY HOLY WEEK IN LENT Gospel John 13:21-33,36-38   'What you are going to do, do quickly' Readings While at supper with his disciples, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, ‘I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, wondering which he meant. The disciple Jesus loved was reclining next to Jesus; Simon Peter signed to him and said, ‘Ask who it is he means’, so leaning back on Jesus’ breast he said, ‘Who is it, Lord?’ ‘It is the one’ replied Jesus ‘to whom I give the piece of bread that I shall dip in the dish.’ He dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At that instant, after Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus then said, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’ None of the others at table understood the reason he said this. Since Judas had charge of the common fund, some of them thought Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’, or telling him to give somethi