Tuesday of Holy Week

April 7, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 49: 1-6

Psalm 71 “I will sing of your salvation.”

Gospel reading according to John 13: 21-33, 36-38

+

Homily: Judas′s betrayal and Peter′s denial

During the Passover meal, Jesus and his disciples were at the Upper Room (Cenacle) eating their last supper, for tonight Jesus will be betrayed by Judas Iscariot by handing him over to the chief priests and the elders.  “Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, ‵Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me′.” (John 13: 21).  Jesus was very much troubled and worried, for the hour has come for him to be delivered to his passion and suffering, crucifixion and death.  He knew well who will betray him.

Jesus wanted to know by his disciples that something will happen tonight.  One of them will betray him.  Everybody was confused and questioning each other by mere action and facial expression, without any verbal or oral questioning.  John, the beloved disciple of Jesus was reclining at Jesus′ side, when Simon Peter made a sign with him, as if he was saying to him to ask the Master who he was.  “One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus′ side.  So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.  He leaned back against Jesus′ chest and said to him, ‵Master, who is it?′ Jesus answered, ‵It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it′.  So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot” (John 13: 23-26).  John who leaned back at Jesus′ chest asked him who will betray him.  Without any further ado, he said that the one whom he has given a morsel bread dipped in wine was the one.  He dipped the morsel to wine and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

Judas accepted and received it for he knew that Jesus was referring to him who will betray him. “After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, ‵What you are going to do, do quickly′.  So he took the morsel and left at once.  And it was night” (John 13: 27, 30).  After receiving and eating it, Satan entered to him and he became courageous to perform his plan of selling Jesus to the Jewish leaders in the Temple. He has no remorse nor was afraid to do what he planned.  So, Jesus told him to proceed to what he should do and do it immediately.  And it was dark night, so morbid, so melancholic, so dangerous night for Jesus as well as for Judas.

But instead to be sad and lonely, gloomy and unhappy, Jesus experienced joy and happiness, success and glory, as if he already won the battle.  “When he had left, Jesus said, ‵Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once′.” (John 13: 31-32).  After Judas left, Jesus revealed to his disciples the glory he will receive when everything takes its place.  That he will give glory to God his Father if everything is fulfilled according to his plan, at the same time God will give glory to Jesus for being obedient to his will.

Jesus sincerely talked to his disciples.  He is leaving them.  He has few hours to be with them.  “‵My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.  You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‵Where I go you cannot come,′ so now I say to you‵.” (John 13: 33).  He repeated what he said to the Jews to them, that where he is going they cannot come.  Now, this time Simon Peter have couraged to ask Jesus where he is going.  “Simon Peter said to him, ‵Master, where are you going?′ Jesus answered him, ‵Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.′ Peter said to him, ‵Master, why can’t I follow you now?  I will lay down my life for you.′ Jesus answered, ‵Will you lay down your life for me?  Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times′.” (John 13: 36-38). Jesus said to him that he cannot follow him wherever he goes, but he said also to him that later he will follow him.  But Simon Peter, with his constant initiative and so act first, (laging nangunguna at pinangungunahan), that he will offer his life and even lay down his life first before something happens to Jesus.  But Jesus knew the capacity of Simon Peter, he knew him through and through, so he said to him, that before the cock crows he will deny him three times.