27 March 2024 - Wednesday of Holy Week - Gregory of Narek - Matthew 26:14-25

Gregory of Narek was born in Armenia in the middle of the 10th century. After the death of his parents, Gregory and his older brother were raised by an uncle who had them educated at the Narek monastery where the uncle was a monk. Gregory entered the monastery and was ordained a priest in 977. Gregory served as a professor of theology, writing a mystical interpretation of the Song of Songs and a long mystical poem called the Book of Prayer.” He died in the early 11th century and was buried within the walls of the Narek monastery in Turkey where he had spent his life. In 2015, when the world commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire, Pope Francis concelebrated a Mass at the Vatican with the Patriarch of the Armenian Church, declaring Gregory of Narek a Doctor of the Church.

We honor Gregory of Narek today in the middle of Holy Week as we get ready to celebrate the Triduum starting tomorrow. Yesterday, at the Chrism Mass, the priests of our Diocese renewed their promise of obedience to the Bishop. As I made the choice yesterday at Mass to continue to be obedient to him, I thought about the different choices we make in life. We make good choices that bring us closer to God, but we also make bad choices that turn away from God and lead us astray on our journey. 

In today's Gospel, Judas betrayed Jesus after he shared a meal with Jesus and the rest of his disciples on the Jewish holidays. Yet, Judas knew in his heart that he would deliver Jesus into the hands of those who wanted to kill him. Judas is an example of choosing to go down the wrong road and abandoning the faith. 

Jesus, as the Son of God, could have demanded that people serve him. But Jesus came to serve others, not to be served. Tomorrow, on Holy Thursday, we will remember how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, an action usually performed by a slave or a servant. Jesus came to serve and to help others, which is so different from the attitude that Judas had, how he would betray his friend for his personal gain.

As we commemorate Holy Week this week, let us remember all those things we need to get rid of so that we will be more like Jesus, who came to serve, and less like Judas, who betrayed Jesus and thought of his own gain.