💖 HOMILY - APRIL 5 💖

First Reading - Isaiah 50:4-9

Gospel - Matthew 26:14-25

Today is traditionally known as “Spy Wednesday,” and was called by Christians as early as AD 250 the “the day of betrayal.” The readings of today draw our focus to reflect upon our faithfulness to God and His voice like a faithful disciple.

The first reading narrates the Third song of the servant. In this third song, the servant appears like a sage, a faithful disciple of Yahweh, who is charged to teach the 'God- fearers' or righteous Jews and also the strays or the unenlightened nations (non-Jews as depicted by those 'walk in darkness,') to put their faith and hope in God. The servant also condemns those who 'stoke the fire' or the sowers of discord. The song also paints the mission of the servant as fraught with hardships and sufferings but he courageously endures everything placing trust in God that He will grant him final triumph before everyone. Hence, the servant suffers trusting in God as can be picturised in the suffering of Jesus as well by the betrayal of Judas accompanied by his passion and death.

Today’s Gospel describes how Judas secretly planned to betray Jesus for thirty silver pieces (the price of a slave), and how he was seeking an opportunity to betray his master. We also learn how Jesus had his plans for celebrating his last Passover supper with his disciples carried out in a house prearranged by him. In Jesus’ time, the Passover supper was celebrated on the first day of the week of Unleavened Bread. During the meal, Jesus dramatically declared that one of the disciples was planning to betray Him and hinted that it was Judas.

Bible scholars suggest three reasons why Judas betrayed Jesus. The primary reason seems to have been his greed for money. John tells us that Judas used to steal from the common fund. Bitter hatred due to disillusionment might have been a second reason. As a zealot who hated the Romans, Judas might have expected that his master would overthrow the Romans using his Divine power. Instead he preached love and peace. A third reason may have been that Judas supposed that his betrayal would give Jesus an occasion to fight back and conquer the Romans. That may be the reason why he committed suicide when he saw Jesus arrested without any resistance from Him.

Dear friends, we, too, can betray Jesus and his ideals for money, power and influence, or for selfish pleasure. Let us examine our conscience when we wrongly think that our God disappoints us by promoting chastity, poverty, justice, and righteousness in the Holy Bible, by not answering our prayers as and when we want, by allowing suffering and premature death in our families and communities, and by not punishing the wicked right here, right now. Let us be on our guard not to betray Jesus as Judas did.

The Holy Week is the time to assess our life, examine our conscience, do penance for our infidelity and make practical resolutions to reform our lives with God’s help.

We can be little Judases, if we fall to small temptations which we can’t seem to overcome. These little things can have a negative impact on our spiritual life over time.

Let's pray that we may be able to remain faithful to Jesus always.