Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 16 April
2014 - Catholic Meditations
Meditations: Matthew 26:
14 Then one of the twelve, who was
called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, 15 and said, “What are you
willing to give me, that I should deliver him to you?” They weighed out for him
thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
17 Now on the first day
of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you
want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He said, “Go into the
city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand.
I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”
19 The disciples did as
Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 Now when evening had
come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 21 As they were
eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
22 They were exceedingly
sorrowful, and each began to ask him, “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?”
23 He answered, “He who
dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same will betray me. 24 The Son of Man
goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of
Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Judas, who betrayed
him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?”
He said to him, “You
said it.”
Wednesday of Holy Week
One of you will betray
me. (Matthew 26:21)
Lord Jesus, you really
know how to upset people. “One of you will betray me”—what a bombshell! Sure,
your disciples are aware that someone is going to hand you over (Matthew 17:22;
20:18; 26:2). But to learn that it’s one of them! Who could it be?
I can picture the Eleven
gripped with horror at the terrifying possibilities. I see their fearful faces
turning to you, seeking assurance that they would never do such a thing:
“Surely it is not I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22). Even Peter is too stunned to deny
the possibility of his own weakness. Defenses fall, and eleven hearts face the
truth: Am I capable of betraying my Lord? Yes, I am.
You foresee, Jesus, what
will happen. The moment of clarity will pass. Soon your little band will be
justifying themselves and professing their undying loyalty (Matthew 26:35). But
then they’ll run away. How well you know these men—and how little they know
themselves! Still, how deeply you love them and want them to be one with you.
Right to the end, you work to call out the good you see in them.
You address that twelfth
disciple, your betrayer, and offer him one last chance to change course. Then,
before delivering yourself to your enemies, you hand yourself over to your
wavering friends: “Take and eat… . Drink” (Matthew 26:26, 27). Who but you
could have imagined this act of love!
Jesus, it is good for me
to be here, reflecting on this scene. Tomorrow, Holy Thursday, will remind me
in a special way that I’m in it. At every Mass, it’s like I’m sitting
elbow-to-elbow with the apostles at the Last Supper. Like them, I’m flawed and
weak. But as I eat your Body and drink your Blood, your life flows through me
and makes me strong. And so, looking not at my sins and liabilities but at your
power at work in me, I boldly dare to offer a prayer that many Eastern
Catholics recite before receiving Communion: “I will not betray you with a
kiss, as did Judas, but like the repentant thief, I openly profess you:
Remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.”
“Jesus, thank you for
giving your life out of love for me. You make my heart leap with joy!” Amen.
Isaiah 50: 4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those
who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with words
him who is weary.
He wakens morning by
morning,
he
wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord Yahweh has
opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious.
I have not turned back.
6 I gave my back to
those who beat me,
and my cheeks to those who plucked off the
hair.
I didn’t hide my face from shame and
spitting.
7 For the Lord Yahweh
will help me.
Therefore I have not been confounded.
Therefore I have set my
face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be
disappointed.
8 He who justifies me is
near.
Who will bring charges against me?
Let us stand up
together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord
Yahweh will help me!
Who is he who will condemn me?
Behold, they will all
grow old like a garment.
The moths will eat them up.
Psalm 69:8 I have become
a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother’s children.
9 For the zeal of your
house consumes me.
The reproaches of those who reproach you
have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and I
fasted,
that was to my reproach.
21 They also gave me
gall for my food.
In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to
drink.
22 Let their table before
them become a snare.
May it become a retribution and a trap.
31 It will please Yahweh
better than an ox,
or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
33 For Yahweh hears the
needy,
and doesn’t despise his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth
praise him;
the seas, and everything that moves
therein!
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