The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Our Lord’s Example During Holy Week

Episode Date: April 2, 2021

What example did Jesus leave us just hours before his Passion, and how are we following it today? Today, Jeff reflects on John 13 and its relation to Holy Week 2021, and how we can follow Christ’s example every day. He also speaks with Anna Mitchell about Bible in a Year, featuring Fr. Mike. Snippet from the Show “It is only Jesus’ cross that gives our cross meaning.” Email us with comments or questions at [e-mail] Text “jeffcavins” to 33-777 to subscribe and get Jeff’s shownotes delivered straight to your email! Or visit ascensionpress.com/thejeffcavinsshow for full shownotes!

You're listening to the Jeff Kaven Show, episode 212, Jesus Example in Holy Week. Hey, I'm Jeff Kavins. How do you simplify your life? How do you study the Bible? All the way from motorcycle trips to raising kids, we're going to talk about the faith and life in general. It's the Jeff Kaven show. And I do thank you for joining me. In Holy Week, it is the, the, The Week of Weeks, it's the Sunday of Sundays, the resurrection of Jesus, and I want to talk to you briefly today about Jesus' example in Holy Week. I want to give you also the opportunity to get all of our show notes. Once again, all you've got to do is text my name, Jeff Kavins, text it to 33777, and you'll get all of the show notes.

Well, this is the week of weeks and it's the Sunday of Sundays, as I said, and everything in the liturgical calendar really focuses and points to this ultimate act of Jesus, the death, burial, and resurrection. And St. Paul says in the Corinthians that if this didn't happen, well, your faith is in vain. And so everything that we teach, everything that we know, our worldview, the way we behave, the way we think, everything rests on the resurrection of Jesus. I want to talk to you a little bit about going into Holy Week and the proper attitude that we should have if we really want to get all that God has for us out of Holy Week.

And we start with Holy Thursday, and I encourage you to go and to participate in all of it. Thursday, Friday, the Easter Vigil on Saturday night. Sunday morning. This is something that my wife and I try to do every single year is to go through everything, even Sunday morning after we've gone through the vigil on Saturday night. You know, so often people will look at Holy Week in advance and they'll think, wow, that's such a busy week. And, oh, you know, there's so much going on. You know, after all, we've got to get the Easter eggs painted. And, you know, the grandkids are coming over for the Easter egg hunt. And we've got the meal and all these things. and all that is good and well, but it is what's happening on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

that really, really counts. And your disposition, your attitude going into it is very, very important. And the proper attitude to enter Holy Week really is that I'm going to get as much out of this as I possibly can. I'm going to put this first. It's going to be a priority in our schedule this week. And that's something that you can adjust in your own thinking. So when you think about Thursday night, yes, we're going to go through that. Even if it's in the afternoon, late afternoon, we're going to participate. We're going to clear our mind and we're going to completely enter into this mystery. And then Friday night in the veneration of the cross. And then, of course, the Easter vigil, where we bring people into the church.

and we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Now, my wife and I were doing our reading on Thursday morning, and, of course, the story there, the reading is John Chapter 13, and we see something really extraordinary about Jesus giving an example to the apostles, and this is just hours before he is going to be crucified. And then, of course, after that, we're going to have the resurrection of Jesus. But I want to read to you from John chapter 13 what happened here right before Jesus was of course betrayed by Judas, which is already in the works, and then he's going to go down to the

Garden of Gitsemone, and that's where he's going to be arrested, and he'll go on trial, and they will end up crucifying him. But he rises from the dead, and that's the good news. So John Chapter 13, The principal message here is Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. And that's what we are going to take a serious look at on Thursday of Holy Week. We see here, starting in verse 12 of John 13, when he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, do you understand what I have done to you? you call me teacher and lord and you are right for so i am if i then your lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for i have given you as an example i have given you an example

that you also should do just as i have done to you now i find this extraordinary because We are only literally hours away from the crucifixion of Jesus, and he provides a tremendous example to his followers, to the apostles, of what should be done prior to this amazing ordeal, the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. And the example that he sets is really extraordinary. It is to wash the feet of the disciples. Now, you would think that if Jesus were to be crucified, that he would want his disciples to kind of minister to him, you know? I mean, if it was me, I'd say, you guys, in the next 72 or so hours, I am going to go through something for the sins of the world that is absolutely incredible.

And I would like it if you guys would prepare me and minister to me and comfort me. And the only thing he says here about it is he, in one of the other Gospels, he says that he wants them to, pray with him one hour, wait with him one hour in the Garden of Gisemone. But the attention is not on him prior to this sacrifice. It is upon serving the disciples. And that is so amazing. And what is even more amazing is that earlier in chapter 13 of John, he announces that one of them is going to betray him. And when he says that he's going to wash the feet of the disciples, they say, well, we should be washing your feet. He says, no, the one whose feet is washed, they are clean. Because Peter said, well, if you're going to wash my feet, do my hands in my head also.

And Jesus said, well, if I wash your feet, you are clean. But not all of you are clean. And, of course, that was pointing to Judas Ascariot. And so what is amazing to me is that he still washed the feet of the one who betrayed him. This is an existence. example for us going into Holy Week, and that is that no matter what has happened to us this year, no matter the emails, the texts, the words that were spoken, the actions that were taken that might have been offensive to you, you remain in the posture of a servant, of one who is going to serve. And after the last supper, you know, I imagine Jesus leaving the last supper and going down into the Kidron Valley and resting at the base of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gatsemone.

And it's there that he enters into this amazing ordeal. And he is doing this. He's loving even the one that betrayed him. Now, I would encourage you to take that as an example going into Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And that is that you as a disciple are going to, with Jesus, during Holy Week, pick up. your cross and follow him. In fact, he says in one point in the Gospels, if you want to be my disciple, then pick up your cross and follow me. And we follow him by walking in this example of washing the feet of other people. And so even on Thursday, as feet are being washed,

we can actively think and meditate on maybe the things that have happened to us this year. And yes, I'm going to, I am going to be a servant. I'm going to humble myself and I'm going to serve, even those who betray me or those who say something about me or slanderous in some way. Maybe that's, that's happened to you. Now, I know that Thursday might have passed by the time that you listen to this, but you can retroact. You can say, you know what, I'm going to remember this throughout all of Holy Week, and then even the days, the weeks, and the months after Holy Week. This is such a great lesson. And we move from Holy Thursday to Friday, where we have an opportunity in a very solemn, very serious atmosphere.

We are going to venerate the cross, because it is only Jesus' cross that gives your cross meaning. that's something really to understand. It is only in his cross that we find meaning in our cross. And I would ask you to think for a moment, what has been your cross this year? What is the cross right now that you are going through? And as you go up on Friday and you venerate that cross, some of the parishes probably are going to do it a little bit different this year because it's still COVID season.

Maybe they won't allow everyone to come up and venerate the cross together. Maybe they'll have people leave the sanctuary one at a time, distanced, and you will have that moment alone with the cross. And that's at that point, you can say, Jesus, Jesus, I believe you, thank you for dying for me. It is in you that all of my pain, all of my life, all of my mission, all of my desires and dreams, everything makes sense because of what you did. I will take the posture of a servant like you did as Holy Week opened up and you wash the feet of the disciples.

We can do that. We can do that. And then after Friday, well, let me just remind you about something about that cross just for a moment. It just came to me just now. And it was something that Paul said in Galatians 220. And of course, that, as you know, is my favorite verse. And it really comes alive during Holy Week.

And especially when we touch that cross, we venerate that cross. Galatians 2.20 says, I have been crucified with Christ. And it's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered himself up. for me. And so we go from Thursday to Friday to the magnificent, the mass of all masses, the one and only mass that is celebrated during the vigil. Oh, I tell you, I look so forward to it, and I know what people are going to say. They're going to say, but Jeff, that is such a long mass. And I've got children. Do you know what? Some of my best,

memories growing up were the memories of going to the Christmas Eve Mass at midnight with my grandparents and all my aunts and uncles. We went to bed at 7 o'clock and our parents woke us up at 1130 and we went to Mass and there was something so mystical and so powerful about that. Yeah, our kids might have a little bit of a difficulty staying up, but I think it's a good idea personally to bring them and let them see the majesty of Jesus and to see the beautiful worship that the church gives to this event, the rising of Jesus from the dead. And as you go into that long mass, settle in and lean forward. In other words, say, I'm going to take this in. Every reading, every response, the Eucharist, the people that coming into the Catholic Church, those who are

going to be baptized and to receive the Holy Spirit and confirmation. And then they're going to receive the Eucharist. These are the sacraments of initiation. And for you to participate and your children to participate in it is amazing. It is amazing. And we join with all the communion of saints for this tremendous mass. Then on Easter morning, if you choose to go again, it's just more. It's just more. And again, you can drive home the point that I have been crucified with Christ, but I've also risen with Christ. And now my life has meaning. If you will carve out, listen, my friend, if you will carve out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and to say, this is holy, this is distinct, this is sanctified time. And forget about everything else.

forget about sports, forget about the stock market, forget about work, and enter into this temple in time. Your heart will be nurtured, you'll be encouraged, but more than anything else, Jesus will receive the praise and thanksgiving and the worship that is due him. The lamb who was slain will receive the fruit of his suffering through you. This is not a cross. go through the trituum. You are carrying a cross through the tritium. That is an important thing to remember. Carry your cross throughout the trituum. On behalf of Ascension Press, my family, my wife, and our whole family, we really wish you a holy, holy week and pray that it will be fruitful in your life. Now, when I come back from the break, I have a really an interesting

interview, Anna Mitchell from Sunrise Radio Show. She did a phenomenal job of trying to get to the heart of the Bible in a year with Father Mike Schmitz and myself. And I wanted to share that interview with you because I think we did a good job of laying out, what is Bible in a year? Why should people go through it? How can they get involved in it? What were we trying to accomplish in reading the Bible in a year? You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. Nestled under the warm Florida Sun is a university whose name indicates a vocational call. Ave Maria, Latin for Hail Mary, recalls the Angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary of her future vocation, becoming the mother of God.

Enriched by God's grace, Mary freely ascends to this call. This is the model for all students. Come to Ave Maria University, where we offer a liberal arts curriculum buoyed by the sacraments. This empowers you to clearly see your vocational call. whatever that might be. Ave Maria University, your vocation location. Visit Ave Maria.edu or call 1-833 AMU-S-W-FL. Okay, I want to share with you this interview, Anna Mitchell.

And by the way, kudos to Anna Mitchell. I think, personally, she's one of the best interviewers in the Catholic world today. And it's always a joy to be on her show. Anna Mitchell, Sunrise Morning Show. Joining us now on the Sunrise Morning Show is Jeff Kavens. He is the man behind the Great Adventure Bible timeline through Ascension Press. Good morning, Jeff. Good morning. How are you?

I am doing fine and really excited to get to talk to you today. You are, of course, the special guest for Father Mike Schmitz's Bible in a year podcast. How have you guys been taking in the fact that this has been one of the top podcasts in the United States this year? Well, it actually surprised us, you know, and we turned the corner in January, and our producer called and said, you're number one. I had no idea what they were talking about. I thought they were talking about my regular podcast, and I said, I mean, like in the Catholic arena? And she said, no. And I said, religion? No. She said everything. And I said, you've got to be

kidding. And I looked at Apple, and sure enough, we were number one. And we thought, How does that happen? You know, it's just two guys from Minnesota reading the Bible, and it went to number one, which some of the statisticians that we've talked to said, that's nearly impossible. So we have to give God the credit on this. Yeah, God is good. Amen to that. Now, what is your role as the special guest on this podcast with Father Mike?

Sure. Well, I developed a great adventure Bible study, which is a system to read the Bible in chronologic order, is the key to really understanding the overarching story. And so when Father Mike decided to read the Bible, you know, he realized, even in his own life, that you really need some guidance on how to walk through this entire story because it's got twist and turns. If you don't know where you're going and you don't have a guide to kind of lead you down that path, you can get very confused.

And so I came in at the beginning to kind of set the stage, and then I come in every time there is a major shift in the story that corresponds to the great adventure Bible periods. And so I get together with him and say, all right, these are the major characters now. These are the major events. And guys, this is where you're going to get lost if you don't pay attention. And so he does the daily stuff. And I'm more of the trail guide. Nice.

Now, those who started on January 1st are now entering month four of reading the Bible. every day with Father Mike. So some might be wondering why in the world would we be talking about this now. But of course, you know, first of all, for those who haven't begun, you can begin any time with day one. All of the podcasts are available through Ascension Press. But also, Jeff, how important is this week, Holy Week, when it comes to the story of the Bible? Sure. Well, that's a great question. This week is the zenets of the entire story. This is the top. And, And the story begins really the day after Christ the king. And the whole story of salvation history is Christocentric, meaning that it finds everything,

finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And that fulfillment comes to a climax in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which is the most important event in history. And so we now are entering into that event. And no matter when you start the Bible in a year, you can start afresh, and there's going to be people starting with you. And so there's every next year, we'll do this again. You know, there's going to be a climax in the story on Easter. So the important thing is to realize that the Holy Week is really the fulfillment of everything that went before it, starting in Genesis all the way to Malachi and Maccabees in the Old Testament. Yeah, I was going to ask, I mean, how does understanding the Old Testament, particularly illuminate the mysteries that we celebrate during Holy Week? Yeah. Well, you know, we have typology in the Old Testament. For example, we have Noah and the

Ark as relating to the church. We have the 12 tribes relating to the 12 disciples. We have the Passover Lamb, which is the central redemptive event in the Old Testament, and we see the fulfillment of that in Jesus, who is the Lamb of God. Remember in Matthew chapter 3, when John Baptist saw Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry, he said to everyone, hey, behold, the Lamb of God has come to take away the sins of the world. And that baptism and coming out of the water and the spirit coming down on Jesus, which is related to confirmation, that was the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. And later on in John, he said, if the Father has sent me, so I send you.

And so we go forth in the power of baptism and the Holy Spirit, and we do the works that Jesus called us to do. And so Easter is really the realization that, yes, sin has been overcome, and we are free. And we are free with the Passover, the new Passover meal to walk in this freedom and this victory that Christ provides for us. Jeff, I know that you are a former non-denominational pastor. So how does reading the Bible as a Catholic sort of, I mean, I think about, you know, reading the Old Testament and knowing that it all culminates in the new covenant of the Eucharist. I mean, what is it like reading the Bible as a Catholic specifically? Oh, wow.

You know, it's everything. It's everything. You know, I knew the Bible pretty well in my 30s when I was a pastor. And when I came back into the Catholic church because I was raised Catholic, it was like someone gave me the key to the entire story. And suddenly it made complete sense with the sacraments and encountering Christ and the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, the communion of saints, the papacy. the concept of the word of God being scripture and tradition, everything suddenly made sense. You know, I was interviewed just a year after I came back into the Catholic Church, and I was able to put all the pieces together, and I remember people like yourself and others that were interviewing me saying, how did you learn about the Catholic faith so quickly? And I said, well, I knew the Bible

pretty well, but I lacked the one key to understanding all of it, and that was the Catholic perspective. And once I received that key, wow, a Bible study took on a whole new dimension and a whole new understanding of salvation history. And it was like, it was like a big party for me, to be honest. It's awesome. I mean, everything you're saying is so cool. But, you know, Jeff, what does this mean for me? Sure. Well, and that's a good question is that, yeah, this drama is spectacular and the fulfillment of this great drama with Jesus is spectacular but it gets back down to even the readings for today from Isaiah 49 that I created you and I named you from your mother's womb and I and then it goes on and says and you I have crafted you you are like a

polished arrow in my quiver and and so this this this this this this cosmic event that Jesus is a part of, and that is the death, burial and resurrection, had me in mind, and had you in mind, and had all of our listeners in mind that God wants to make you a polished arrow in his quiver. And it's the work of the cross that gives us now the power to become what God called us to be, even from our mother's womb. We've been talking to Jeff. Kavans, and you can find the Great Adventure Bible Timeline at ascensionpress.com. It's also where you can find Father Mike Schmidt's podcast, the Bible in a year, and also where you can find the Great Adventure Bible, which Jeff is the Bible that I prefer

these days. I love it, man. Thank you so much for putting that together. And you can find Ascension Press linked at sunrise morning show.com. Jeff Kavins, thank you so much. A blessed to a holy week to you. Thank you. God bless you. Well, that's what I have for you this week. And again, may you have a holy, holy week. God bless.