Wednesday of Holy Week

April 17, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-9a

Psalm: 69

Second Reading:

Gospel reading according to Matthew 26: 14-25

+

Homily

Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples who will betray Jesus, were Satan entered to him, left the Cenacle and the supper of the Passover feast.  He went to the temple area to meet the chief priests, the scribes and the Pharisees, the whole Sanhedrin to prepare the plot they made to trap Jesus and to kill him.  “One of the twelve, who was called Judas, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’  They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from then on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over” (Mt. 26: 14-16).  He was very willing to hand over Jesus to them, he asked them how much he can receive from selling his Master and Teacher, the Messiah, the Christ – Son of God and Son of Man, and they gave him thirty pieces of silver coins in exchange of capturing Jesus, persecute him and put his to death.  That is the price of Jesus’ life, only thirty pieces of silver coins.

When the time comes, the disciples asked Jesus where they will prepare the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.  “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, ‘Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover’?” (Mt. 26: 17).  He gave them instructions, where to go, who to meet and how to prepare the place of the celebration of that feast.  “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’.” (Mt. 26: 18).  Earlier Jesus himself contacted the owner of the place where they will hold the Feast.  His time is running short.  “The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover” (Mt. 26: 19).  When they found the owner and was brought to the place where they will celebrate the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, they prepared the place, set up the table and the food they will share.. 

When the evening came and when they were at table to start the feast, Jesus spoke to them seriously, and with lots of emotions. “When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve.  And while they were eating, he said, ‘Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me’.” (Mt. 26: 20-21).  He said to them that one of them will betray him.  He cannot say this if the hour has not yet come.  But the time is coming nearer for him to be taken away by a betrayal of a friend and at the same time one of the chosen disciples.

All the disciples were affected of his saying.  “Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after the other, ‘Surely it is not I, Lord?’” (Mt. 26: 22). They were become distressed when he heard this.  So one by one they asked him if he is the one who will betray him.  To indicate who he is, he made a unique gesture.  “He said in reply, ‘He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.  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’.” (Mt. 26: 23-24).  We can foresee that the one who will betray Jesus seats near him, or he has to stand up and come closer to Jesus to dip his bread into the dish, for Jesus said he is the one (betrayer) who dipped his hand into the dish.  He indicated also how he will die, as it was written in the book of the prophets.  Nevertheless, he felt sorry for that betrayer for worse thing will come to him that is why he said that it would be better for him not to be born and met him and became member of him.

When Judas’ turned came, he pretended that he did not know who this traitor is, in spite he talked and made connivance already to the chief priests, and he already received the money as his reward.  “Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, ‘Surely, it is not I, Rabbi?’  He answered, ‘You have said so’.” (Mt. 26: 25). And despite that he dipped his finger to the dish with morsel of bread as a sign of whom Jesus was referring to.  "Dead ma" (malisyya) he asked Jesus, “It is not I, Rabbi?” as if he did not know, though he knew very well and he consented the killing of Jesus by the authorities and those in power and in position.  Judas was a great opponent of truth for Satan was with him.