Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 13, 21-33, 36-38
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom 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.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
“Buy what we need for the feast,”
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.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.
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 it to you.”
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 I not 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.”
Reclining at table with his disciples
1. They looked at one another. Sometimes we find it hard to take responsibility for our mistakes and the events in our lives. We tend to put up barriers or cover things up, hoping the issues will go unnoticed, but they remain just beneath the surface, like hidden moisture behind a wall. Instead of ignoring what’s really happening, give yourself the opportunity today to honestly face your circumstances and recognize your true situation.
2. Judas Iscariot. When obsession takes hold, it can bring about deep suffering. Life’s challenges can lead you to forget who gives meaning to your life and who you should never harm. Some people will betray or even destroy others for the sake of money or power. That’s why you must remember who you should never disappoint or betray—the one who lifted you out of the depths of despair.
3. Peter. Jesus shows us that even those closest to us can let us down, but life doesn’t end because of their actions. Instead, we must continue moving forward, even when faced with betrayal or deception. These are hard blows, but what helps us endure is remembering our identity, who we are and what our purpose is. Today, bring to God in prayer those who have betrayed or abandoned you.
Remember that something good is on the way!God bless you and keep you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
