Daily Mass Readings + Gospel Reflection - Matthew 26: 14-26 - April 5, 2023 - Wednesday of Holy Week

Lectionary: 259

Reading 1

Is 50:4-9a

The Lord GOD has given me

a well-trained tongue,

That I might know how to speak to the weary

a word that will rouse them.

Morning after morning

he opens my ear that I may hear;

And I have not rebelled,

have not turned back.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;

My face I did not shield

from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,

therefore I am not disgraced;

I have set my face like flint,

knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

He is near who upholds my right;

if anyone wishes to oppose me,

let us appear together.

Who disputes my right?

Let him confront me.

See, the Lord GOD is my help;

who will prove me wrong?

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.

For your sake I bear insult,

and shame covers my face.

I have become an outcast to my brothers,

a stranger to my mother's sons,

because zeal for your house consumes me,

and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak,

I looked for sympathy, but there was none;

for consolers, not one could I find.

Rather they put gall in my food,

and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

I will praise the name of God in song,

and I will glorify him with thanksgiving:

"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;

you who seek God, may your hearts revive!

For the LORD hears the poor,

and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Verse Before the Gospel

Hail to you, our King;

you alone are compassionate with our errors.

Or

Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father;

you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.

Gospel

Mt 26:14-25

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,

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 that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

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?"

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.""'

The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,

and prepared the Passover.

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."

Deeply distressed at this,

they began to say to him one after another,

"Surely it is not I, Lord?"

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."

Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,

"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"

He answered, "You have said so."

Gospel Reflection

In today's Gospel passage, we hear about Judas' betrayal of Jesus, which ultimately led to His crucifixion. It is a sad and painful reminder of the human capacity for sin and betrayal.

Judas was one of Jesus' closest disciples, yet he was willing to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. This choice shows us that even those who have been with Jesus can fall away from Him. It is a reminder that we all must be vigilant against the temptation to betray Jesus and follow our own self-interest.

Additionally, Jesus' response to Judas' betrayal is a lesson in love and forgiveness. He does not seek retribution or revenge, but instead, He continues to show love to Judas even in His betrayal, offering him the bread and wine of communion.

As we reflect on this passage, let us examine our own hearts and intentions. Are we following Jesus wholeheartedly, or are there areas of our lives where we have fallen away? Let us also strive to imitate Jesus' example of love and forgiveness, even in the face of betrayal and injustice. Let us continuously seek to deepen our relationship with Him, so that we may never be tempted to betray Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

As we reflect on the passage from Matthew 26:14-26, we come to realize that even your own disciples were not immune to the temptations of greed and betrayal. We pray that you guide us in our own lives, helping us to resist these same temptations.

We ask that you fill our hearts with the same humility and devotion that Jesus showed when he washed the feet of his disciples. Give us the courage to follow in his footsteps, to humble ourselves before those we might otherwise be tempted to judge or condemn.

Help us to remember that our salvation lies not in wealth or possessions, but in our love for you and for one another. Grant us the grace to be faithful to your teachings, and to always seek your will in all that we do.

May we never forget the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us in his death and resurrection. Help us to fully appreciate the gift of the Eucharist, and to always approach it with reverence and gratitude.

In all things, we offer this prayer in the name of our Lord and Savior. Amen.