20220413 LAST APPEAL
13 April, 2022, Wednesday of Holy Week
First reading | Isaiah 50:4-9 © |
Who thinks he has a case against me? Let him approach me
The Lord has given me
a disciple’s tongue.
So that I may know how to reply to the wearied
he provides me with speech.
Each morning he wakes me to hear,
to listen like a disciple.
The Lord has opened my ear.
For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.
The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.
My vindicator is here at hand. Does anyone start proceedings against me?
Then let us go to court together.
Who thinks he has a case against me?
Let him approach me.
The Lord is coming to my help,
who will dare to condemn me?
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 68(69):8-10,21-22,31,33-34 © |
In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.
It is for you that I suffer taunts,
that shame covers my face,
that I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother’s sons.
I burn with zeal for your house
and taunts against you fall on me.
In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.
Taunts have broken my heart;
I have reached the end of my strength.
I looked in vain for compassion,
for consolers; not one could I find.
For food they gave me poison;
in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.
I will praise God’s name with a song;
I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his servants in their chains.
In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.
Gospel Acclamation |
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Hail to you, our King!
Obedient to the Father, you were led to your crucifixion
as a meek lamb is led to the slaughter.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Or: |
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Hail to you, our King!
You alone have had compassion on our sins.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Gospel |
Matthew 26:14-25 © |
'The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will'
One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ ‘Go to so-and-so in the city’ he replied ‘and say to him, “The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples.”’ The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.
LAST APPEAL
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [IS 50:4-9; PS 68:8-10,21-22,31,33-34; MT 26:14-25]
Today, we read of the last appeal of Jesus to Judas to turn back from his betrayal of the Lord. Judas earlier on “went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.” What could be the reasons for Judas’ betrayal? We do not know for sure although there have been suggestions for the motive. The first motive was that Judas was disillusioned with the path Jesus was taking, the way of non-violence against the Romans. He thought Jesus would use His powers to start a rebellion against Rome and eject their invaders. When He did not act, Judas was resentful of Jesus and his love for Jesus turned to hatred, his admiration to despicability. However, some suggest that perhaps Judas wanted Jesus to act by bringing His enemies before Him. He wanted to force Jesus to act but he was again deeply disappointed. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested without a fight and even forbade His disciples to put up any resistance. There was a third hypothesis that Judas was greedy as he had been taking money from the common fund for his own use. So he sold Jesus for thirty silver pieces. Regardless of the motive, or a combination of all, it was tragic for Judas to betray our Lord.
So tragic was his betrayal that he became responsible for the tragic suffering of his Lord. It was a miscalculation on his part. Yet, this was also part of God’s plan, according to scriptures. At the meal, Jesus remarked, “The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will.'” How sad that these words were uttered! Whilst it is true that this was within the plan of God, it was not as if God forced Judas and planned for him to betray our Lord. This is not what was meant when the Lord said that it was as scriptures had foretold. All our actions are taken into consideration and God allows us freedom to do what we choose. It does not mean that Judas was unfairly made the culprit for betraying our Lord. Rather, God knew the freedom that Judas would exercise, and yet in His love, He did not use His divine power to stop him and rob him of his freedom to act. But it was a disastrous decision that Judas made, so much so that the Lord felt sorry for him when He said, “but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!”
Unfortunately, Judas did not know that Jesus was the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. He wanted Jesus to act according to his plan and his way. He thought the way to victory was through force and strength. He could not conceive of any other way to establish the kingdom of God. Likewise for the rest of the apostles. Thomas said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (Jn 11:16) They said to the Lord, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.” (Lk 22:38) But this was not the way of God. Indeed, how often have we chosen our way and made God out to be the One who caused it. How often have we wanted God to do our will and then frame it as the will of God. This is the sad mistake that many of us make. We want God to do our will, follow the way we think. We are not much different from Peter when he took the Lord aside “and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you” after His passion prophecy. (Mt 16:22)
The way of salvation in God’s plan is that Jesus would have to suffer for the salvation of many. As the third servant song in today’s first reading says, “For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face against insult and spittle.” It was not the Lord’s way to retaliate and to fight back because Jesus believed in non-violence and love of enemies. That was what He preached, but Judas did not remember. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, ‘Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well.’ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” (Mt 5:38-41,43-45)
But that was also the same way Jesus dealt with Judas. He loved him and sought to bring him back to his senses. In spite of the fact that Jesus knew that Judas had betrayed Him, He was calm and non-reactive. He was not angry with Judas; most probably, the Lord thought of him when He hung on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Judas was ignorant of God’s plan for Him. He could have been blinded by zeal for political liberation or by greed. So when they had their last Supper, described as a farewell meal in St John’s gospel, or Passover Meal in the Synoptics, Jesus was still seeking out Judas. He let them know when Judas was present that one of them would betray Him.
Jesus did not want to single out Judas but He made it clear that He knew what was happening. “When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.” Jesus was still trying to make him confront himself. Jesus wanted Judas to examine himself, his motives and most of all, to let him know that He loved him. In spite of the fact that he was betraying Him, the Lord reached out to him. Jesus never gave up on sinners.
But it was not just Judas who betrayed Him. Peter and the rest were not much better because they abandoned Him. When Jesus predicted the betrayal, “Peter said to him, ‘Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And so said all the disciples.” But later when He was arrested, “all the disciples deserted him and fled.” (Mt 26:56) Peter denied the Lord three times before two servants of the chief priests. As with Judas, the Lord reached out to Peter. He did not condemn him but sought to assure him that he was forgiven. When Peter denied Him the third time, “the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the words of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Lk 22:60-62)
The most tragic mistake of Judas was that he could have repented, but his pride and remorse were so great that he ended his life, unlike Peter who repented and sought forgiveness from the Lord. Peter was gradually healed after the resurrection. That is what the Devil seeks to do with us. He would make us sin and then make us hate ourselves for doing such foolish acts. He would put us to shame because, as the book of Revelation says, he is our accuser. (Rev 12:10) Those who are deep in sin will end up hating themselves, the whole world and become too proud to repent or face God in judgment. This is why the Lord said, it was better for Judas not to have been born. He died a tragic death, full of guilt and shame.
What about us? Will we respond to the appeal of our Lord to turn back to Him? Will we give up our sins, especially of hatred, revenge, anger and retaliation? Will we forgive like our Lord? This, too, is our Lord’s final appeal to us before the Triduum begins. Are we ready to follow Him up the road to Calvary and share in His glory at the resurrection? If we are ready, then we must abandon our ways, our will, our thoughts and put on the mind and heart of Christ.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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