Monday of Holy Week

Servant Of The Poor

Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II

Introduction

Holy Week is for us the time when we meditate on the saving death of our Lord. The days of his suffering are approaching. The first reading gives us the first of the famous songs about the Servant of Yahweh. The liturgy of the Holy Week characterises Jesus as the Servant of Yahweh. This first song speaks, perhaps directly, about the attitude and role of God’s people, but we find these exemplified fully in Jesus, the perfect servant of God and of people. He is shown here to us as God’s servant who came to serve the poor and the suffering by bringing them justice and freedom, and light in darkness to all; he will be the covenant for us, the people, by uniting us with God and one another. All of these, he did for us by his saving death.

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
You have called your people
to be the servant of one another
In the cause of justice and mercy.
You showed us in Jesus, your Son,
What it means to serve
and how much this may cost us.
Fill us with the Spirit of Jesus,
that we too may not break those who are weak
nor repel those groping in the dark.
Let him teach us to serve and to love,
with compassion for the helpless
and respect for the least and the poorest,
together with Jesus Christ, our Lord.

First Reading

Isaiah 42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
Upon whom I have put my Spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
Until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spreads out the earth with its crops,
Who gives breath to its people
and spirit to those who walk on it:
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
To open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
When evildoers come at me
to devour my flesh,
My foes and my enemies
themselves stumble and fall.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Alleluia Verse

Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ

Hail to you, our King;
you alone are compassionate with our faults.

Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ

Gospel

John 12:1-11

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
"Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages
and given to the poor?"
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, "Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.

Prayers of the Faithful

Indifference and routine are perhaps more deadening and corrosive to the Christian life than calamities and acute sufferings, for we are often not aware of them. Let us pray to our Father in heaven that we may struggle to regain our freedom, which Christ redeemed for us with his life, and let us say: Lord, set your people free.

– For the Church, that like the Lord, Jesus Christ, it may shun positions of power to share the life and miseries of the faithful and to lift them up to the joys and life of the risen Lord, we pray: Lord, set your people free.

– For those who are resigned to a life of boredom and routine, that they may answer Christ’s challenge to grow to his full maturity, we pray: Lord, set your people free.

– For those who have handed over their inner freedom to publicity, social pressure and conformism, that they may dare again to be themselves and to take their lives into their own hands, we pray: Lord, set your people free.

– For those who fight injustice and oppression, that they may not be moved by hatred, but that they may be driven by a genuine love and concern for their neighbour, we pray: Lord, set your people free.

– For those who are afraid of death, that they may rely on Christ, who overcame death by the cross and turned it into a gift of life, we pray: Lord, set your people free.

Lord, our God, the loyal death of your Son made it possible for us to become free people and to discover joy in its fullness. Through his death and resurrection, may the pains and storms of life become instruments of the freedom, joy, and happiness promised to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord, our God,
With your Son in our midst,
we your people, ask of you today:
To bring us, sinners
the justice of your forgiving love
and help us to establish
true justice on earth,
that we, the people of your lasting love,
may never be a scandal to our neighbour
but servants and signs of hope and joy.
Let this be our offering to you
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
by the body and blood of your Son,
You call us to serve the cause of right.
Breathe into us, your people,
The Spirit of justice of your Son.
Let him take us by the hand
and make us with him
the source of unity and light
to the poor and the blind of our day,
to the seekers of love and truth.
Be with us, your people,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

We know that these days of the Holy Week, the Lord Jesus will lead us from death to life if we learn from him to love and serve one another. And to live for one another, even at the cost of sacrificing ourselves. May God give you this courage and bless you: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTION:

John 12:1-11

A Farewell Gathering: Mary’s Lavish Love

On this first day of Holy Week, we meditate on the mystery of Jesus' death and resurrection. Any amount of explanation falls short in the presence of Divinemystery. Instead, let us step into the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary—a family cherished by Jesus.

Lazarus, raised to life by Jesus, and his sisters, Martha and Mary, know that no welcome is too extravagant for their beloved guest. Without hesitation, they open the doors of their home, their hearts wide. It is a farewell gathering - similar to the Last Supper - an offering of undying loyalty.

Mary, attuned to the gravity of the moment, senses impending pain. Then, in a gesture both scandalous and sacred, she anoints His feet. Perfume mingles with tears, kisses, and loosened hair. The room buzzes with disapproval. But Mary’s love knows no bounds. She pours out her soul, sensing that this farewell is more than a parting—it is a prelude to suffering.

Judas, the pragmatic disciple, also appears in the scene, but he makes calculations. The disciple who was handpicked by Jesus and had accompanied him during the years of his ministry did not understand anything more than calculations of income and expenses! Three hundred silver coins - that's what he calculated as the value of the perfume. Sadly, he will betray Jesus for just thirty silver coins-ten times less valuable than a perfume jar.

In Mary's anointing, John provides a glimpse of the resurrection. Jesus will be wrapped in linen and anointed for burial. Mary’s perfume lingers—a fragrant witness. In her lavish love, we find hope. As we journey the way of the cross, may our hearts echo Mary’s devotion. Let us not be scared of wasting our lives on Jesus, so we discover eternal life.

======================

John 12:1-11

The patience of God and our response

As we enter into the depths of Holy Week, we are invited into the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Mary, who has encountered the love of Christ, stands before us as a witness of gratitude and humility. She does not dwell in guilt but rejoices in the mercy she has received. She sees the world through the lens of forgiveness, and like Mary, we are called to recognise the immense gift of God’s mercy.

This week, we also reflect on the patience of Jesus—especially towards Judas. Knowing of his betrayal, Jesus does not expose or condemn him but instead extends patience and love, hoping for his conversion. How often do we test God's patience with our sins, our doubts, and our failures? Yet, like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God continues to wait, arms open, always ready to welcome us home. When we contemplate this mystery of divine patience, our hearts should echo a simple but profound prayer: Thank You, Lord.

Judas is a man consumed by material concerns. Do we sometimes fall into the same trap, allowing our worries about finances and worldly possessions to overshadow our faith? Do we calculate and measure everything—even our devotion to God—through the lens of personal gain? Holy Week is a time for honest self-examination.

Finally, let us turn our hearts to the poor. True faith must be expressed in action. This Easter, let us perform concrete acts of love—feeding the hungry, assisting the elderly, and comforting the lonely. May our faith come alive through charity. May this Holy Week be a time of grace.

The patience of God and our response - Youtube