Spy Wednesday

Ish 50:4-9, Mt. 26:14-25. The early Church was aware that Jesus was betrayed to His enemies by one of His closest associates and refers to the Liturgy of Wednesday in the Holy Week as “Spy Wednesday.” Though this was an uncomfortable truth for the early Church, there was no attempt to gloss over the disturbing truth that, in the words of today’s Gospel, Jesus was betrayed by someone who dipped his hand into the same dish with Jesus, someone who was an intimate member of His group. The Gospel declares that when Jesus announced that one of those sharing table with Him would betray Him, everyone present was “greatly distressed.”

To be betrayed by someone you trust is very distressing for the one betrayed and for all those associated with him. Some of us may have had the experience of our trust being betrayed, we confide in someone and they use that information against us. In the case of Jesus, human betrayal did not have the last word; God had the last word by raising His Son from the dead. God brought good out of the evil of betrayal and many other evils that Jesus endured. God can also bring good out of the negativity that we sometimes have to endure from others. As we contemplate on the events of Holy Week, we are challenged to trust that God can work in life-giving ways even in those dark experiences that are contrary to what God desires for us. As the Suffering Servant Songs which forms today's first reading, the Lord had to suffer and go through much pain and great difficulties because of His commitment to bring us salvation and grace. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this suffering Servant of God as one whom the Lord would give all the punishments and sufferings due for us. Yet, He would neither protest or grumble against this, as it was by His will that He took up His Cross to suffer for our sake.

May the Lord God grant us the grace to rise again with Christ from our bad ways of life! Amen!! Good morning, peace be with you!!!