GOSPEL READING:
John 13:21-33,36-3821 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; 24 so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks." 25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor.30 So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come.' 36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward." 37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Isaiah 49:1-61 Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God." 5 And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength -- 6 he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
Meditation: 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.
Disordered love leads to hurtful desires and wrong deeds
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.
God never withholds his persevering grace and strength to
those who cling to him
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)
Psalm 71:1-6,15,17
1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Fight sin and put up with trials, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Your first task is to be dissatisfied with yourself, fight sin,
and transform yourself into something better. Your second task is
to put up with the trials and temptations of this world that will
be brought on by the change in your life and to persevere to the
very end in the midst of these things." (excerpt
from Commentary on Psalm 59,5)
