the Last Supper

'Twas on that dark and doleful night,

When pow'rs of earth and hell arose

Against the Son of God's delight

And friends betrayed him to his foes.

Before the mournful scene began,

He took the bread and blessed and broke;

What love through all his actions ran,

What wondrous words of love he spoke.

"This is my Body, giv'n for you,

Receive and eat the living Food."

Then took the cup and blessed the wine;

"'Tis the new cov'nant in my Blood."

"Do this", he cried, "till time shall end

In mem'ry of the Son of Man;

Meet at my table and record

The love and dying of your Lord."

Jesus, your feast we celebrate,

We show your death, we sing your name,

Till you return and we shall eat

The marriage supper of the Lamb.

- Magnificat, Holy Week 2017

(Jesus Washing Peter's Feet, by Ford Madox Brown)

"There is only one temptation. All particular temptations are expressions of this one original or 'primordial' temptation. This is the temptation to believe that the fulfillment of the desires of the human heart depends entirely on us. Dependence on another leaves us at the mercy of what we cannot control. Therefore, we are tempted to reject all forms of dependence. The most radical form of dependence is love. Therefore, the original temptation is to deny that our existence is a pure and perfect gift of an infinite Love that deserves to be loved in return. The fullest revelation that God is love is the Incarnation of Christ. Therefore, the primordial temptation is to reject the Incarnation and its consequences."

                                                     -  Lorenzo Albacete