Catholic Pundit Wannabe: Monday of Holy Week: Traditional Commentary and Chant

The Accursed Fig Tree by James Tissot

“This morning, also, Jesus goes with His disciples to Jerusalem. He is fasting, for the Gospel tells us that He was hungry. He approaches a fig-tree, which is by the way-side; but finds nothing on it, save leaves only. Jesus, wishing to give us an instruction, curses the fig-tree, which immediately withers away. He would hereby teach us what they are to expect, who have nothing but good desires, and never produce in themselves the fruit of a real conversion. Nor is the allusion to Jerusalem less evident. This city is zealous for the exterior of divine worship; but her heart is hard and obstinate, and she is plotting, at this very hour, the death of the Son of God. . . .

“In the Gradual, the Royal Prophet [David] again calls down, on the executioners of our Lord, the chastisements they have deserved by their ingratitude and their obstinacy in sin."

Gradual: Exsurge Domine: Arise O Lord Psalm 34,23

From the combox: “According to William Prescott in 'The Conquest of Peru', this gradual was chanted the Pizarro and his men in the dead of night before their confrontation with the Inca and his army at the Battle of Cajamarca. They had sent a party to speak with the Inca during the day, and they had been sent back with a guarantee of peace. However, no one believed it and all of Pizarro's men expected to die the next day. During the night they could see the Inca campfires, as numerous as the stars in the sky, lining the valley. They were a thousand miles from the nearest Europeans in Panama and several thousands of miles from Europe itself.”

Ps 34:23 et 3.
Exsúrge, Dómine, et inténde iudício meo, Deus meus et Dóminus meus, in causam meam.
V. Effúnde frámeam, et conclúde advérsus eos, qui me persequúntur.

Ps 34:23; 34:3
Arise, and be attentive to my judgment : to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
V. Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me

Gospel

Ointment of the Magdalene by James Tissot

"The event related in this passage of the Gospel took place on Saturday, the eve of Palm Sunday; but, as formerly there was no Station for that day, the reading of this Gospel was deferred till the following Monday. . . .

"Mary Magdalene . . . knows that the Jews are plotting Jesus’ death; the Holy Ghost, who guides her through the different degrees of perfection, inspires her, on the occasion mentioned in to-day’s Gospel, with the performance of an action which prophesies what she most dreads. . . .

"During the repast, Magdalene is seen entering the room, holding in her hand a vase of precious spikenard. She advances towards Jesus, kneels at His feet, anoints them with the perfume, and wipes them with her hair, as on the previous occasion. . . .

"Whether or no Magdalene herself understood the full import of what the Holy Ghost inspired her to do, the Gospel does not say; but Jesus Himself revealed the mystery to His disciples, and we gather from His words that this action of Magdalene was, in a certain manner, the commencement of His Passion: 'She, in pouring this ointment upon My body, hath done it for My burial.’"

All quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are extracts from Monday in Holy Week by Dom Guerangér.

Incidentally, "Exsurge Domine" is also the title of the papal bull promulgated by Pope Leo X to censure the teachings of Martin Luther.

This post is part of a series titled "Traditions of Holy Week," with commentary from Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, illustrations by James Tissot for The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and chants from each day's liturgy. Unless otherwise indicated, the quotes are from Dom Guerangér's writings for each day. See also:

Note: Links will not work until the actual day.