John 8:48-59
Observations of the passage
-- v.48 when they call him a Samaritan, they're considering him to be somebody outside of the covenant... the view that Jews had of the Samaritans... yet the Samaritans thought that they were the true guardians of the covenant
-- v.49 if Jesus is the son of God, then he is worthy to receive the honor that would be due to God... so their dishonor of him is dishonor towards the Father
-- v. 50 notice the detachment in not seeking his own glory
-- notice the relationality and dependence on the Father evident in acknowledging He is the one to seek the glory of the Son
-- v.51 notice the humble self-awareness of Jesus as the Son of the Father who can speak a life-giving word for those who will obey that word... the ownership of life in his words
-- v.52 the Jews are assuming that Abraham must have listened to the Word of God, yet he died... even if Jesus spoke the word of God, somebody believing his word would still die as Abraham did... yet Jesus is promising life to those who keep his word, promising they will not taste death
-- v.53-54 it seems by Jesus words fact it is the Father who is responsible for Abraham seen the glory of Jesus... which explains the move of Jesus from the line spoken by his opponents about the greatness of Abraham and the prophets to his own line about the Father glorifying him
-- v.54 it seems glory must be relational, if Jesus says his glory means nothing if it comes from himself...
-- v.56 there is an ambiguity in Abraham rejoicing to see the day of Jesus... the concept easily refers to Jesus' eternal pre-existence... but could also mean Abraham thinking of the fulfillment ultimate of god's promises to him
= Abraham seeing the figure of Christ in Genesis 22, the handing over of Isaac
= Abraham experiencing the voice of God making a promise, which is certainly through the Son
= Abraham being the first to hear the promise of God... which is made in light of the Son who becomes flesh
-- v.57 Jesus' opponents seem unable to think in a way other than chronological meaning... [ how about us? ]
-- v.58 "I AM" is clearly code language claiming that Jesus is one with the LORD of the Old Testament
Dom Prosper Gueranger, The Liturgical Year on Veiling of Images for Passion Sunday
"The presentiment of that awful hour leads the afflicted mother to veil the image of her Jesus: the cross is hidden from the eyes of the faithful. The statues of the saints, too, are covered; for it is but just that, if the glory of the Master be eclipsed, the servant should not appear. The interpreters of the liturgy tell us that this ceremony of veiling the crucifix during Passiontide, expresses the humiliation to which our Saviour subjected Himself, of hiding Himself when the Jews threatened to stone Him, as is related in the Gospel of Passion Sunday. The Church begins this solemn rite with the Vespers of the Saturday before Passion Sunday. Thus it is that, in those years when the feast of our Lady’s Annunciation falls in Passion-week, the statue of Mary, the Mother of God, remains veiled, even on that very day when the Archangel greets her as being full of grace, and blessed among women."
Catholic Encyclopedia on Veiling of Images for Passion Sunday
"The rubrical prescriptions of the Roman Missal, Breviary, and "Caeremoniale Episcoporum" for this time are: before Vespers of Saturday preceding Passion Sunday the crosses, statues, and pictures of Our Lord and of the saints on the altar and throughout the church, with the sole exception of the crosses and pictures of the Way of the Cross, are to be covered with a violet veil, not translucent, nor in any way ornamented. The crosses remain covered until after the solemn denudation of the principal crucifix on Good Friday. The statues and pictures retain their covering, no matter what feast may occur, until the Gloria in Excelsis of Holy Saturday. According to an answer of the S. R. C. of 14 May, 1878, the practice may be tolerated of keeping the statue of St. Joseph, if outside the sanctuary, uncovered during the month of March, which is dedicated to his honour, even during Passiontide. In the Masses de tempore the Psalm Judica is not said; the Gloria Patri is omitted at the Asperges, the Introit, and the Lavabo; only two orations are recited and the Preface is of the Holy Cross. In the Dominical and ferial offices of the Breviary the doxology is omitted in the Invitatorium and in the responses, whether long or short. The crosses are veiled because Christ during this time no longer walked openly among the people, but hid himself. Hence in the papal chapel the veiling formerly took place at the words of the Gospel: "Jesus autem abscondebat se." Another reason is added by Durandus, namely that Christ's divinity was hidden when he arrived at the time of His suffering and death. The images of the saints also are covered because it would seem improper for the servants to appear when the Master himself is hidden."
