Dear children: After Judas agreed to meet the Jews in the garden to show them where to find Jesus, he snatched up the money they gave him and put it into his purse. Then he went back to the place where Jesus and the other Apostles were. He hid the money carefully for he did not want any of them to know what he had done. But Jesus knew all that had happened. He tried to catch Judas' eye to make him sorry. But Judas kept his eyes turned away from Jesus. He did not want to look at his Master's face. Jesus would have forgiven him his dreadful sin, if he had only told Him that he was sorry. But the heart of Judas was like stone and he kept his secret to himself.
The Apostles now sat down to supper and Jesus spoke kindly to them about many things them that one of them was to betray; very night. He said this so that Judas still have time to tell Jesus that he was The other Apostles were surprised when heard this. They asked Our Lord, "Is it I, Lord! " But Judas was silent. He pretended that he did not know anything about it. Our Lord then told his Apostles that He was soon going to die and that this was to be His last supper with them. At this supper He blessed bread and wine and told them to eat and drink of it, for i t was His Body and Blood. This was their first Communion.
Judas then went out of the room, for he wanted to get to the garden before Jesus and the other Apostles arrived there. He did not stay to make a thanksgiving. Often you see people running out of church almost as soon as they have received Holy Communion. These people do not stay to give thanks to Our Lord.
After a while Jesus left the supper room and went into a large garden filled with olive trees. The Apostles were very tired and they soon fell asleep. Jesus left them and walked away a little distance and then knelt down to pray. While he was praying, He saw before Him all the horrible sins that were ever committed or that would be committed till the end of the world. These sins pressed so heavily upon Him that He sweat blood. You know that when you are very much frightened your whole body becomes cold and water is pressed out of every pore of your skin. But Jesus' agony was so great that the very blood was forced through the veins and trickled to the ground. For three hours He prayed and suffered in this way. How our dear Lord must have prayed for us that night! He knew all the sins each one of us would ever commit. He asked His Heavenly Father not to punish us for them, but to punish Him. He prayed that He might not lose us His children through sin. Oh, if you only thought often of the suffering Jesus bore for you that night! How it would help to keep you from sin. Ask Jesus again and again to help you with His grace never to hurt Him again by sin.
Practice:
1. I will think of the suffering of Jesus in the Garden and ask Him to give me the grace never again to hurt Him by sin.
2. I will thank Jesus for giving His Body and Blood in Holy Communion.
I wish I were the little key
That locks Love's Captive in ,
And lets Him out to go and free
A sinful heart from sin.
I wish I were the little bell
That tinkles for the Host
When God comes down each day to dwell,
With hearts He loves the most.
I wish I were the chalice fair,
That holds the blood of Love,
When every flash lights holy prayer,
Upon its way above.
I wish I were the little flower
So near the Host's sweet face,
Or like the light that half an hour
Burns on the shrine of grace.
I wish I were the altar where
As on His Mother's breast,
Christ nestles, like a child, fore 'er
In Eucharistic rest.
But oh! my God, I wish the most
That my poor heart may be
A home all holy for each Host
That comes in love to me.
Father Abram Ryan
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued tomorrow . . . . . . . . . .
The Apostles now sat down to supper and Jesus spoke kindly to them about many things them that one of them was to betray; very night. He said this so that Judas still have time to tell Jesus that he was The other Apostles were surprised when heard this. They asked Our Lord, "Is it I, Lord! " But Judas was silent. He pretended that he did not know anything about it. Our Lord then told his Apostles that He was soon going to die and that this was to be His last supper with them. At this supper He blessed bread and wine and told them to eat and drink of it, for i t was His Body and Blood. This was their first Communion.
Judas then went out of the room, for he wanted to get to the garden before Jesus and the other Apostles arrived there. He did not stay to make a thanksgiving. Often you see people running out of church almost as soon as they have received Holy Communion. These people do not stay to give thanks to Our Lord.
After a while Jesus left the supper room and went into a large garden filled with olive trees. The Apostles were very tired and they soon fell asleep. Jesus left them and walked away a little distance and then knelt down to pray. While he was praying, He saw before Him all the horrible sins that were ever committed or that would be committed till the end of the world. These sins pressed so heavily upon Him that He sweat blood. You know that when you are very much frightened your whole body becomes cold and water is pressed out of every pore of your skin. But Jesus' agony was so great that the very blood was forced through the veins and trickled to the ground. For three hours He prayed and suffered in this way. How our dear Lord must have prayed for us that night! He knew all the sins each one of us would ever commit. He asked His Heavenly Father not to punish us for them, but to punish Him. He prayed that He might not lose us His children through sin. Oh, if you only thought often of the suffering Jesus bore for you that night! How it would help to keep you from sin. Ask Jesus again and again to help you with His grace never to hurt Him again by sin.
Practice:
1. I will think of the suffering of Jesus in the Garden and ask Him to give me the grace never again to hurt Him by sin.
2. I will thank Jesus for giving His Body and Blood in Holy Communion.
I wish I were the little key
That locks Love's Captive in ,
And lets Him out to go and free
A sinful heart from sin.
I wish I were the little bell
That tinkles for the Host
When God comes down each day to dwell,
With hearts He loves the most.
I wish I were the chalice fair,
That holds the blood of Love,
When every flash lights holy prayer,
Upon its way above.
I wish I were the little flower
So near the Host's sweet face,
Or like the light that half an hour
Burns on the shrine of grace.
I wish I were the altar where
As on His Mother's breast,
Christ nestles, like a child, fore 'er
In Eucharistic rest.
But oh! my God, I wish the most
That my poor heart may be
A home all holy for each Host
That comes in love to me.
Father Abram Ryan
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued tomorrow . . . . . . . . . .
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