HE CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY(Isaiah 50:4-9/Psalm 69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34/Matthew 26:14-25)

HE CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY

(Wednesday April 17, 2019 Wednesday of the Holy Week)

Now that we have a few days left before the crucifixion and Death of Christ, the first reading presents us with a song of a suffering servant which in this context refers to Christ. “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. Going to the gospel reading of today we see that Christ’s anxiety increases because His Passion is drawing near and was deeply distressed.

At this juncture, He revealed to His disciples about His betrayal by one of them. This revelation threw the whole college of the Apostles into a state of serious confusion. This chaotic situation made them begin to wonder and raising questions; Who could this be? Who among them is making this wicked and treacherous plan? Even Judas who is to betrayal the Master even confused the situation by asking the same question. What led me into a sober reflection is that Christ put up a dreadful warning concerning who is to betray Him and what faces such a person afterwards “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”

Even if for no other thing, this dreaded warning from Christ could have changed the mind of Judas to withdraw from being used by the devil to betray his Master. Even it was obvious from Christ’s response in the gospel that he Judas is the one to betray Him. Why did the devil take hold of Judas? The devil took hold of Jesus because while others were busy preparing to eat the Last Supper with their Master, Judas was busy making wicked plans to hand over the Master to the chief priests and the Jewish authorities. As if that one was not enough, he went along to participate in the Holy meal (the meal Christ instituted with His Body and Blood) meant for those who have prepared themselves. This reading is pointing out something very important.

We need to prepare ourselves very well before approaching the table of the Eucharist so that the devil will not use the same means that will bring us life to destroy us especially those who are approaching the Eucharistic meal unprepared. Look at what happened that day, other disciples of Christ participated in this Holy meal and ate the Body and drank the Blood of Christ and nothing happened to them because they prepared themselves before the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. Judas participated in the same meal as well but because he never prepared himself for the meal but rather was occupied with evil thoughts and that was why when Christ gave him His Body and Blood instead of such bringing him transformation, the devil instantly entered him and he became more confused, physically and spiritually unrest. Immediately He received this he left to execute the wicked plans he started with the Jews.

The opening paragraph of the gospel puts this clearly “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” So dear brothers and sisters let us learn our lessons from the gospel of today. In the first place, we need to make use of Sacrament of Reconciliation anything we fall short of the glory of God and avoid receiving Holy Eucharist with hearts filled with evil and sins as Judas did. Secondly, the Holy week is here with us, let us join others to prepare and celebrate this Holy period that wrought our salvation as the other disciples of Christ did by working together with their Master and executed all His instructions before and during the Last Supper as we read in the gospel of today.

Let us stop giving excuses on why we should not participate actively in this Holy period. Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me grace not to betray you, but to keep doing the things that will praise your name. Amen.