Wednesday of Holy Week
During Holy Week we journey with Christ in his Passion. Our readings today offer glimpses into his suffering. The Isaiah passage and the psalm describe some of the physical abuse, ridicule, insults, and rejection that Christ endured. The Gospel presents Jesus’ betrayal by Judas Iscariot, one of his closest companions. As we contemplate Christ’s suffering, we not only recognize the extent to which he was willing to suffer for our sake, we also better understand the passionate, unconditional, eternal love that motivated his suffering.
I’m reminded of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She experienced incredible empathy for the suffering Christ, identifying particularly with his thirst on the Cross. St. Mother Teresa recognized that Jesus’ physical thirst was symbolic of his thirst for souls and that when he cried out “I thirst!” that it was a cry of love for each and every human being. Christ’s thirst represented a divine longing to pour out extravagant love upon every person and to receive back the love of every human heart. St. Mother Teresa developed a deep desire to help to satisfy her Lord’s thirst by passionately loving him and loving the Christ in each one of her fellow humans.
One of St. Mother Teresa’s greatest letters is entitled, “I Thirst for You.” You can find the text here. For our reflection today, I encourage you to read and receive this powerful love letter, written to you as if it were from Christ himself. As you journey with Jesus in his Passion this week, may you experience the overwhelming and passionate love of Christ, a love that is exemplified in his willingness to suffer and die so that you might live and be free. May you come to know that Christ thirsts for YOU. Friends, a blessed Holy Week and glorious Easter to you and your loved ones!
Elizabeth Wourms