GOSPEL READING:
John 13:16-2016 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, `He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."
Meditation: How do you treat those who cause you grief or
harm,
especially those who are close to you in some way? In his last
supper discourse,
Jesus addressed the issue of fidelity and disloyalty in
relationships.
Jesus knew beforehand that one of his own disciples would betray
him. Such
knowledge could have easily led Jesus to distance himself from
such a person
and to protect himself from harm's way. Instead, Jesus expresses
his love,
affection, and loyalty to those who were his own, even to the one
he knew
would "stab him in the back" when he got the opportunity. Jesus
used a
quotation from Psalm 41:9 which describes an act of treachery by
one's closest
friend. In the culture of Jesus' day, to eat bread with
someone
was a gesture of friendship and trust. Jesus extends such
friendship to
Judas right at the moment when Judas is conspiring to betray his
master.
The expression lift his heel against me reinforces the
brute nature
of this act of violent rejection.
Love and loyalty that endure to the end
Jesus loved his disciples to the end and proved his faithfulness
to
them even to death on the cross. Through his death and
resurrection Jesus
opened a new way of relationship and friendship with God. Jesus
tells his
disciples that if they accept him they also accept the Father who
sent
him. This principle extends to all who belong to Christ and who
speak in
his name. To accept the Lord's messenger is to accept Jesus
himself. The
great honor and the great responsibility a Christian has is to
stand in
the world for Jesus Christ. As his disciples and ambassadors (2
Corinthians
5:20), we are called to speak for him and to act on his
behalf. Are
you ready to stand for Jesus at the cross of humiliation,
rejection, opposition,
and suffering?
Eternal God, who are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you, that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom, in Jesus our Lord. (Prayer of Saint Augustine)
Psalm 89:2-3,21-27
2 For your steadfast love was established for ever, your faithfulness is firm as the heavens.
3 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;
21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.
23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He shall cry to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!'
27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
You have said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The Master wants his servants to reach their potential, by Origen, 185-254 A.D.
"The Savior, who is Lord, does something that surpasses all other
lords,
who have no desire to see their servants rise up to their level.
He is
such a Son of the Father's goodness and love that, although he was
Lord,
he produced servants who could become like him, their Lord, not
having
the spirit of bondage, which comes from fear, but the spirit of
adoption
in which they too cry, 'Abba, Father.' So then, before becoming
like their
teacher and lord, they need to have their feet washed because they
are
still deficient disciples who possess the spirit of bondage to
fear. But
when they attain the stature of master and lord... then they will
be able
to imitate their master and wash the disciple's feet as the
teacher. (excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.120-22)
