Lent Reflections: Holy Week 2025

Holy Week invites us into the very heart of our faith, guiding us step-by-step through the profound mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. As we journey from Palm Sunday to Easter, the Newman University community offers these final Lenten reflections.

April 13: Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50:4 – 7; Philippians 2:6 – 11; Luke 22: 14 – 23, 56

Before we begin the Eucharistic Celebration of the Mass today, we are invited to reflect on Luke’s Gospel that precedes the procession with palms. As we heed the words of Jesus to two of his disciples to enter the village and UNTETHER a colt and bring it to HIM, and if asked why, they were to respond the “MASTER HAS NEED OF IT.” We might ask what is tethered in me that is seeking to be freed in order to respond to the Master, Jesus.

As we move on through the rest of the liturgy for the day Jesus shares by his life what the untethering, “self-emptying” looks like.

Isaiah, “My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” In the Letter to Philippians and the Passion, Christ emptied Himself (kenosis), becoming obedient to the point of death. Fr. Ronald Rolheiser OMI, on the Kenosis of God has said that “self-empty” in the way of Jesus is described as “ ‘doing’ means being present without demanding that your presence be recognized and that its importance be acknowledged, being invitational rather than threating, living in a great patience, letting God be God and others be themselves without either having to submit to your timetable.”

Let us endeavor during this Holy Week journey to deeply appreciate and respond to Jesus’ call to voluntary self-emptying and genuine humble service for THE MASTER IS IN NEED OF US.

Sister Darlene Stoecklein ASC

April 14: Monday of Holy Week

Isaiah 42:1 – 7; John 12:1 – 11

In John 12: 1-11, Lazarus had been dead and had been raised from the dead. Let’s take this slowly, dead, then raised from the dead. This does not happen in this world, but it did happen. The glory of the Savior was approaching. The Passion of the Christ was approaching also. The Glory and the Passion provide the Promise of Eternal Life. The Chief Priests only knew life as it exists on earth, not as Jesus knew it existed in Heaven. The priests wanted Lazarus dead (again!) and they wanted Jesus dead also. They only saw death as an ending and not the beginning of the Glory of the Lord approaching.

Ronald Coleman, Board of Trustees Member

April 15: Tuesday of Holy Week

Isaiah 49:1 – 6; John 13:21 – 33, 36 – 38

Today we receive a message of comfort. Isaiah gives us a message of a servant of God who has despaired because he believes his labors to be in vain. John tells us that Jesus was troubled in spirit in the hours before his passion began. In both of these cases, the Lord lifts up his suffering servant and glorifies him in the sight of the nations. How often do we despair in our own lives because we suffer or believe our labors to be in vain? Take heart! The Lord will glorify every good in the end.

Caleb Papsdorf, Seminarian

April 16: Wednesday of Holy Week

Isaiah 50:4 – 9; Matthew 26:14 – 25

Jesus is the greatest example of a servant leader. He reminds us that we all have the tools to serve others. We are all given the tongue to teach and encourage those around us. We are given an ear to listen to God and others. Even in the suffering and opposition we can trust in God’s help. Jesus helps guide us in reflection and in adversity. Jesus encourages us to examine our hearts and motivations. The willingness of Jesus to forgive, even in the face of betrayal, truly demonstrates the power of love and compassion for one another.

Amy Briggs, Head Women’s Basketball Coach

April 17: Holy Thursday

Exodus 12:1 – 8, 11 – 14; l Cor 11:23 – 26; John 18:1 – 15

I am one of the people who has the honor and duty to wash feet at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. At the time and in the culture in which Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, the washing of feet would have been more of a duty than honor. It was ‘servant’s work’…perhaps even the work done by slaves.

Jesus, the Lord and Master, commands each and every one of his followers to ‘wash feet.’

“I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (John 13:15)

For my part, I confess that I do the foot washing during the liturgy more out a duty. It is not that washing peoples’ feet is beneath me. And it is not that I do not want to serve others. I most certainly do want to serve. It is, however, uncomfortable to witness the humility and the vulnerability of the persons allowing me to wash their feet. Many times, it is an intensely personal moment. It is meant to be so.

Likewise, whenever we encounter the opportunity to be of service to one another, let us allow it to be personal and humbling. For it is an encounter with Christ.

Rev. Ted Stoecklein, Mamber of the Board of Trustees

April 18: Good Friday

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Hebrews 4:14 – 16, 5:7 – 9; John 18:1 – 19:42

Isaiah prophesized about the coming of Christ. The narration of the Crucifixion reminds me of persons harmed beyond human measure, those people who have always borne the cost required to keep the rest of us living the good life. The passage also made me think of Christians who have witnessed to their faith over the centuries, willing to die for those weaker than themselves as they model their lives on Christ’s example.

Even though, God has invited us to live into his fullness, we continue to seek disunity, fighting against each other, still arguing about being right and about the things that Jesus has already turned upside-down and inside-out.

The words of Isaiah trigger me to ask myself the question, “What are the inequalities in my community that keep people quiet, allowing others to go like lambs to the slaughter?” As a Christian I need to be proactive about helping break up the oppression and injustices in my community.

Jose Montes, Custodial Services Supervisor

April 19: Easter Vigil

Isaiah 55:1 – 11; Romans 6:3 – 11; Mark 16:1- 8

Dear brothers and sisters, on this most sacred night,

in which our Lord Jesus Christ

passed over from death to life,

the Church calls upon her sons and daughters…

to come together to watch and pray…

Thus begins the “greatest and most noble of all solemnities.” On this holy night, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the resurrection of Christ. It is the turning point of the Triduum, the Passover of the new covenant, which marks Christ’s passage from death to life.

The magnitude of this ritual and celebration is our keystone belief as Christians. It is imperative that we pay attention to the revelations that we will see and hear; taste, touch and smell.

Jesus’ message is simple: Let everyone come to the waters for I am Life (Isaiah). Baptism into Christ is unity in death and unity in resurrection, which gives us freedom from death to life. (Romans)

The greatest of all messages: the tomb was empty (Mark). Jesus kept His Word that he would defeat death and give us now, and for all eternity, a personal encounter with the Risen Christ.

Let the Church say: thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!

Sister Diana Rawlings ASC