WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK (Matthew 26: 14-25) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- Apr 2
- 5 min read
FIRST READING - Is 50:4-9a
"My face I did not hide from insults and spitting."
A reading from the book of Isaiah
4 [a]The Lord God has given me
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to answer the weary
a word that will waken them.
Morning after morning
he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do;
5 The Lord God opened my ear;
I did not refuse,
did not turn away.
[b]6 I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who tore out my beard;
[c]My face I did not hide
from insults and spitting.
7 The Lord God is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
Therefore I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who declares my innocence is near.
Who will oppose me?
Let us appear together.
Who will dispute my right?
Let them confront me.
9 See, the Lord God is my help;
who will declare me guilty?
See, they will all wear out like a garment,
consumed by moths.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 26:14-25
"The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed."
✠From the Gospel according to Matthew
14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,[a] went to the chief priests 15 [b]and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, 16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,[c] the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 [d]He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” 19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”[e] 22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 [f]The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” 25 [g]Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK (Matthew 26: 14-25)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear people of God,
Today's Word of God reveals to humanity: when Judas spoke to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”
And the chief priests decided to give Judas thirty pieces of silver.
Judas, a trusted disciple of Jesus, sold his Master to the chief priests for the price of thirty pieces of silver.
One must ask: Who is Jesus that He would be sold for such a price!
Jesus is the Most High, the King of kings, the Savior of the world.
How heartbreaking it is!
Out of the love God has for His disciples and for the humanity He created! Jesus voluntarily offered His own life to redeem humanity from the dark death of the power of the grave.
And yet, now His trusted disciple has gone on to sell his very Master, sells his Savior to the band of apostates for the price of thirty pieces of silver.
The image of Judas selling the Lord shows that a passion for money and the dark power of death are invading and engulfing Judas's soul and body.
He could not distinguish the light of love from the path of darkness.
It is precisely his obsession with power and money that blinded his conscience and severed the sacred bond with his Master.
In the face of Judas's act of betrayal, selling out the Lord, Jesus said: “The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
These statements are also for anyone carrying a guilty conscience, like Judas, be warned, and to abandon the path of greed for money, status, power, and honor so as not to become one who sells the Lord for thirty pieces of silver.
The image of Judas betraying God in the past continues to play out in the lives of some people today: out of greed for personal gain, honor, and power, they dare to deny God, refusing to believe in, and not acknowledge the existence of the eternal God who is alive and present right beside them.
It is the image of those who reject the Christian faith to gain political or social power, status, and wealth.
God also wishes to say to them: For such people, “it would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
Today’s age is the age of the Holy Spirit at work.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, He continued to send the Holy Spirit to dwell with humanity, to enlighten, guide, and instruct people to recognize what is darkness and what is light.
When people follow God, believe in Him, and profess His holy name, they are following the path of light.
Conversely, when people reject God, do not accept the truth that comes from God, and do not accept God’s death and resurrection before others, they are walking the path of darkness.
As we prepare to enter the Paschal Triduum, God invites all His children to set aside time for quiet contemplation in His presence- to gaze upon the image of the Holy Cross, and to contemplate the image of Jesus, the King of Love, as He endures His Passion, being crucified, and dying upon that cross. Let us humbly and sincerely repent, acknowledging that it was our very sins that nailed the Lord to that cross.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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