FIRST READING
Isaiah 49:1-6
Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17
R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
GOSPEL
John 13:21-33, 36-38
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.
When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”
REFLECTIONS:
Jesus' disciples were put to the test as Jesus prepared
to make the final and ultimate sacrifice of his own life for their sake
and for all the world. What was different between Peter and Judas? Judas
deliberately betrayed his Master while Peter, in a moment of weakness,
denied him with an oath and a curse. Judas' act was cold and calculated.
Peter, however, never meant to do what he did. He acted impulsively, out
of weakness and cowardice. Jesus knew both the strength of Peter's loyalty
and the weakness of his resolution. He had a habit of speaking with his
heart without thinking through the implications of what he was saying.
The treachery of Judas, however, is seen at its worst when Jesus makes
his appeal by showing special affection to him at his last supper. John
says that Satan entered into Judas when he rejected Jesus and left to pursue
his evil course. Satan can twist love and turn it into hate. He can turn
holiness into pride, discipline into cruelty, affection into complacency.
We must be on our guard lest Satan turn us from the love of God and the
path which God has chosen for us. The Holy Spirit will give us grace and
strength in our time of testing. If we submit to Jesus we will walk in
the light of his truth and love. If we turn our backs on him we will stumble
and fall in the ways of sin and darkness. Are you ready to follow Jesus
in his way of the cross?
"Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag
downwards; an unconquered heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright
heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also,
O Lord my God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom
to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus
Christ, our Lord." (Prayer of Thomas Aquinas)
No comments:
Post a Comment