Spy Wednesday - Judas Torn Between Jesus and Satan

 The Gospel Reading for Holy Wednesday (Matthew 26:14-25) has three parts: Judas betrays Jesus to serve as a spy for the chief priests to catch Jesus: vv. 14-16, Preparation for Passover Seder Dinner (Lord’s Supper):vv. 17-19, Jesus speaks about his betrayer at the supper: vv. 20-25. In fact, the Gospel Reading for Holy Wednesday (Matthew 26:14-25) is contained in the Gospel Reading for Palm Sunday Mass on Cycle A (Matthew 26:14—27:66). Since this year is on Cycle B, the Gospel Reading for Palm Sunday Mass is Mark 14:1-15:47.

Wednesday of Holy Week (Holy Wednesday) is also known as Spy Wednesday, as this day before Holy Thursday, which commemorates Lord’s Supper, is when Judas Iscariot served as a spy for the chief priests, who wanted have Jesus killed (Matthew 26:14-16). Then, as the Lord’s Supper began, before instituting the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus foretold about the betrayer and foretold again about his death (Matthew 26:20-25). When he told about his death for the last time during the supper, Jesus indicated that he will go as written about him (Matthew 26:24), referring to the suffering servant songs, especially the fourth song, Isaiah 53.

The two main issues to reflect on Spy Wednesday is that Judas became a paid spy for the chief priests as he was to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16) and Jesus spoke of his betrayer at Last Supper and spoke of his death (Matthew 26:20-25). And, these two issues are also reflected in the Gospel Readings for Palm Sunday Mass and Holy Tuesday, as found in the below table:

	Palm Sunday Gospel Reading	Holy Tuesday Gospel Reading	Holy Wednesday Gospel Reading
Judas agrees to be paid to serve the chief priests as their spy	Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over (Mark 14:10-11).		Then 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 (Matthew 26:14-16).
Jesus speaks of his betrayer at the Supper	When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, “Surely it is not I?” He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For 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 (Mark 14:17-21).	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 he 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 he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night (John 13:21-30).	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”(Matthew 26:20-25).

At Last Supper, Jesus told that the one who is to betray was the one who will dip his hand with him (Matthew 26:23//Mark 14:20). In John’s version, read on Holy Tuesday, Jesus said that his betrayer is the one whom Jesus gives a dipped piece of bread (John 13:26). And this reflects these words of David:

Even my trusted friend, who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me (Psalm 41:10).

All twelve ate Passover bread with Jesus. But, among them, the one to betray Jesus, the one who had begun working on betraying Jesus to sell him for the chief priests, is one close enough to receive a piece of dipped bread. And, it was Judas.

In terms of Judas, Jesus said that it would be rather better if he had never been born (Matthew 26:24//Mark 14:21). This statement sure sounds so harsh, and the tone of this statement reflect the distress of Jesus.

Why Jesus was so troubled about Judas to be his betrayer? It was because he was close enough to him to share his dipped bread. Being betrayed by someone so close really hurts. Yet, Jesus still cared about Judas, already sensing that he would suffer the consequence of betraying Jesus, leading to self-destruction (Matthew 27:3-10).

Nevertheless, Jesus also knew that this betrayal leads to his glorification. Perhaps, the below words of Paul help us make sense out of Jesus’ harsh words of woe on Judas:

You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can oppose his will?” But who indeed are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is made say to its maker, “Why have you created me so?”

Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for a noble purpose and another for an ignoble one?

What if God, wishing to show his wrath and make known his power, has endured with much patience the vessels of wrath made for destruction?

This was to make known the riches of his glory to the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared previously for glory, namely, us whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles.  Romans 9:19-24

Though Judas has been demonized for what he did to Jesus, on Spy Wednesday, it is important that we rather reflect the significance of Judas to the glorification of Jesus and our salvation,  Judas was caught was torn between Jesus' suffering servant mission for our salvation and Satan. 

The Suffering Servant of God to be Betrayed and Denied yet to be Glorified – Tuesday of Holy Week

 Because we are reading from the four songs of the suffering servant from the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 42:1–9; 49:1–13; 50:4–11; and 52:13—53:12, from Palm Sunday to Good Friday during Holy Week, except Holy Thursday, for Frist Readings, we reflect Jesus in his last days readying for the Passion with anointing, his betrayer working as a spy for those who plot to kill him, Last Supper to institute the Eucharist, to give the new commandment of love through his servant leadership of foot washing, and to give a farewell discourse and prayer, praying in agony, and his arrest, followed by his Via Dorolosa, reflected on the 14 stations of the Cross. The motif in these servant songs is Jesus, as the suffering servant, sent by the Father to complete his mission as described in these four songs.

For today’s First Reading, we read from Isaiah 49:1-6. It is noteworthy that the portion of the servant songs we read today is addressed to Israelites in diaspora, as it begins with these words of the servant, Christ:

Hear me, coastlands, listen, distant peoples (Isaiah 49:1a).

Coastlands suggest distant lands, referring to the ends of the earth, where Israelites had been taken in exile but brought back to Jerusalem from (Isaiah 41:9). It can also mean all the ends of the earth that turn to God as His power and glory are made known to (Psalm 22:28; 98:3), alluding to the glory of Christ’s resurrection made known to all over the world through his catholic (universal Church).

And Christ says:

Before birth the Lord called me, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name (Isaiah 49:1b).

This refers to Jesus was called even before the Creation, from eternal past (John 1:1; Colossians 1:17), to be incarnated to come to us (John 1:14), out of God’s love (John 3:16). At Annunciation, through Gabriel, God told Mary of her virgin conception of His Son and him to be names “Jesus”(Luke 1:31), which means “Lord saves”, referring to “Hosanna”.

 As the above words in Isaiah 49:1b are reiterated as, “who (Lord) formed me as his servant from the womb (Isaiah 49:5a), Christ, the Son, has been called from the pre-incarnation eternal past, to serve the Father’s will, as reflected in the First Readings from the suffering servant songs for Holy Week, including today’s.

Christ in Jesus has his mouth made like a sharp-edged sward, while he is like a sharpened arrow, like a concealed weapon (Isaiah 49:2). This suggests that his Word in his kerygma can cut through, as his divine authority works like a sharpened arrow to be on target – reflecting the authority and power of Jesus’ public ministry. But, as he had his youth years rather in obscurity – until he began to be known in public upon his Baptism, all the Messianic power and the divine authority in Jesus were like a concealed weapon. In fact, in regard to his Christological-Messianic identity, to those who persecuted and those who were with them, demanding Jesus to be crucified (Mark 15:13, 15), his authority and power remained concealed for they were obstinately blind to this truth (John 9:40-41).

Now Christ tells of his servant identity, as told by the Father: You are my servant (Isaiah 49:3a). Through his service in public ministry, his glory is shown (Isaiah 49:3b).

Then, the servant-Messiah said:

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, for nothing and for naught spent my strength, yet my right is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God (Isaiah 49:4).

This suggests that the service performed by Christ is not appreciated but rather has become object of persecution, leading to his passion and death on the Cross. In this regard, this also refers to what Paul addresses as the paradox of the Cross (1 Corinthians 1:18-15), as Jesus’ death on the Cross is nothing but his defeat and failure to those are blind to his Christological truth, while it is the glorious triumph of God’s will fulfilled by his service.

As the servant of Yahweh, who incarnated Christ the Son in Mary’s womb at Annunciation, as reflected in Isaiah 49:5a, “For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb”, Jesus has come to Jerusalem to redeem the lost sheep of the Father – us, the sinners, who have gotten lost in sins – so that his glory in his death on the Cross and in his Resurrection, followed by his Ascension, will be known to all the ends of the earth, as reflected in Isaiah 49:6, in juxtaposition to the post-exilic redemption of the Israelites from the Babylonian captivity. Then, from the post-resurrection period, Paschaltide, on, especially, upon Pentecost, the glory of God in Christ will be known to all the ends of the earth and all nations on earth will turn to God  as reflected in Psalm 22:28 and Psalm 98:3

Today’s First Reading portion of the servant song (Isaiah 49:1-6) assures that Christ’s Passion and death are not in vain but to redeem us from the bonds of sins and to turn all nations to God through his three-fold glory in death on the Cross, in Resurrection, and in Ascension.

Now, today’s Gospel Reading (John 13:21-33, 36-38) takes us ahead to Last Supper, during which Jesus spoke of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot.

Today’s Gospel narrative begins with an indication that Jesus was deeply troubled and  foretold of the betrayal to be committed by one of the twelve dinning with him (John 13:21a). Jesus was greatly distressed about what? About his death becoming imminent, as his arrest would be a few hours ahead? No. His distress was rather because he still loved Judas, though he knew of his betrayal. Because Jesus still loved and cared for him, he was so distressed to know that devil had already induced him to betray (John 13:2). That is why he said when he washed his disciples feet, “Not all of you are clean” (John 13:11), referring to Judas. Jesus would not be so troubled had his betrayer were an outside, not Judas, who was one of the twelve.

So, in great distress, Jesus “dropped a bomb”, saying:

Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me (John 13:21b).

And, this one to betray is not the one who is not clean (John 13:11).

In reaction, the disciples were quite shaken. It was the “bomb”’s effect on them.

So, they were quite anxious to whom Jesus was referring as a betrayer (John 13:22), and Peter signaled to John, who was leaning toward Jesus, to ask him who is to betray him (John 13:23-24). And, John asked Jesus who it would be (John 13:25).

And Jesus answered:

It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it (John 13:26a).

In other words, Jesus told that the one who is to betray is one of you that I honor, because a person given a dipped piece of bread by the host means an honored or special guest at dinner. So, Jesus gave it to Judas and told him to do what he had to do rather quickly (John 13:26b-27). And upon this ordinary dinner gesture of giving a dipped piece of bread to an honored guest, Satan entered Judas (v27).

Judas was already under the influence of Satan at the beginning of Last Supper (John 13:2). But, upon receiving the dipped bread from Jesus, Satan was in full control of Judas and put him in action to betray Jesus.

Being fully aware of this, because everything is under the Father’s control (John 13:4), Jesus said and did this so that his answer to John’s inquiry on who the betrayer is would not make unnecessary emotional commotions. And, the fact Jesus told Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly”(John 13:27) makes it clear that he was fully aware of what lied ahead, led by Judas’ betrayal. And, he knew it was to fulfill his service to the will of the Father (Matthew 26:39//Mark 14:36//Luke 22:42; John 6:38), as the suffering servant to die.

Sure enough, the way Jesus answered the who-the-betrayer-is question did not disturb the emotions of the disciples any further, as they thought Judas left upon taking the dipped piece of bread from Jesus to go on errand, while they continued to dine without even thinking Judas would be the one to betray at that moment (John 13:28-29).

And the darkness of night is already creeping in (John 13:30), as this moments leads to Tenebrae service’s beginning for Paschal Triduum.

Upon Judas’ departure from dinner, 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” (John 13:31-33).

The hour has come as the darkness of Satan has been on, as reflected in Tenebrae Service. Yet, in this darkness, the glorification of Jesus, the suffering servant of the Father, has begun. And, it also means that his death – his departure to pass from his earthly life has now become imminent. In terms of where Jesus is about to go, it is not accessible to anyone (v.33), as he repeatedly told his accusers before (John 7:33; 8:21) and tells so to Peter, as he asked Jesus where he is going:

Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later (John 13:36).

But, it seemed that Peter sensed that Jesus referred to his death in saying “where I am going”, because Peter said Jesus:

Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you (John 13:37).

To this, Jesus foretold Peter’s denials of him (John 13:38).

What we get from today’s Gospel Reading (John 13:21-33, 36-38) is that Jesus, who is the servant of God, reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-6) is about to be betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter, as the darkness of evil is creeping in, as the Passion of God’s suffering servant is imminent – following Last Supper.

But, the Gospel Reading also tells that the hour of the suffering servant’s Passion to  his death is also the glorification of the servant (John 13:31-32 – Isaiah 49:3; 52:13; 53:11-12). And, this glorification shall shine as light to all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). That is why the servant’s suffering and death is not made in vain (Isaiah 49:4). It is for our redemption from the darkness of sins as we become the new Israel through Christ the servant (Isaiah 49:5).

Johannine Account of Jesus’ Anointing in Bethany: Jesus Anointed as the Servant to Die and to Rise – Monday of Holy Week

Some year's ago, one of my students told me, in regard to today's Gospel Reading(John 12:1`-11), "Mr. Masa, so, Jesus got a sort of 'spa treatment' before he suffered and died?" It seemed that this Gospel narrative gave him an impression that Jesus needed a luxury spa treatment as very heavy stuff was ahead of him to accomplish. 

But, this "luxury spa treatment" - anointing, before entering his Passion - has Christological and soteriological significance that we cannot afford to miss

Adelante

                                                                            *****

 
Holy Week began yesterday – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. As reflected in the  Gospel Reading for Procession before Mass with palm waving (Mark 11:1-10 for Cycle B), this feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem to consummate his mission on the Cross. This is the very last time for Jesus to come to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, which is on the first night of the seven-day long feast of the Unleavened Bread to remember how God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 12 – 13).

On that day, residents of Jerusalem cried out,” Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!”(Mark 11:9-10). They praised and asked Jesus to save  (hosanna) them, reflecting Psalm 118:25, “יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yahweh), אָֽנָּ֥א (ana – I pray) נָּ֑א (na –now) הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה (howosiah –save)” (Lord, save us!).  Hosanna means howosiah (הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה) ana (save!, I pray). And, the name, Jesus, really means yeshua (שׁוּעַ‎ ) , which implicates, Yahweh howosiah, Lord saves. Thus, people shouted “Hosanna” to Jesus suggests that they recognized him as Lord who saves, because his arrival in Jerusalem was to fulfill Zechariah 9:9, the coming of the Messiah-King. However, as the Gospel Reading for Palm Sunday Mass (Mark 14:1-15:47) reminds, the initial jubilation in welcoming and praising Jesus, spreading cloaks to show reverence to king (cf. 2 Kings 9:13) and waving palm branches to express festive joy (cf. Leviticus 23:40) (Mark 11:9), turned into their murderous mob indignant, demanding Pilate to kill Jesus (Mark 15:13-14).

During Holy Week, we remember and reflect how Jesus spent his last days in Jerusalem and Bethany, as reflected in the Palm Sunday Gospel reading and the Gospel Readings of each day during Holy Week.

The below you find a list of all First Readings and Gospel Reading during Holy Week: from Palm Sunday to Good Friday. There is no Mass from dawn to Sunday on Holy Saturday, because this is the day when the Church waits for the Lord to rise at his tomb. On Holy Saturday, the alter is made bare and there is no Mass. After sundown, we begin Paschal Vigil Mass.

Sunday	Isaiah 50:4-7	A: Matthew 26:14-27:66 B: Mark 14:1-15:47 C: Luke 22:14-23:56
Monday	Isaiah 42:1-7	John 12:1-11
Tuesday	Isaiah 49:1-6	John 13:21-33, 36-38
Wednesday	Isaiah 50:4-9	Matthew 26:14-25
Thursday	Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14	John 13:1-15
Friday   (Service - No Mass)	Isaiah 52:13-53:12	John 18:1-19:42

 From the above list, you realized that First Readings during Holy Week, except the one on Holy Thursday, reflect what are known as the Four Songs of Suffering Songs: Isaiah 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–7; and 52:13–53:12, found in the Deutero Isaiah, which is known as the Book of Consolation (Isaiah 40-55). The first three songs (Isaiah 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–7) point to the fourth one (Isaiah 52:13-53:12), as they reflect how Jesus, as the servant of the Father to face intensifying the darkness of suffering to his death, maintaining his strengths through his unweaving confidence in the Father to be resurrected. The increasing darkness of human evil, inflicting the increasing suffering to death on Jesus is also reflected in the tenabrae service, which runs through Paschal Triduum.

Because we commemorate Last Supper that Jesus hosted for his last Passover Seder dinner, the First Reading for this day is taken from Exodus 12, which addresses Passover (Pesach). The Gospel Reading for Holy Thursday from John 13 does not address the supper itself but the foot washing that Jesus performed on his disciples and the new commandment (mandatum novum). This is why Holy Thursday is also known as Maundy Thursday.

The long Passion narrative for Palm Sunday Mass reflects how Jesus was from his anointing in Bethany on Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday) to the death and burial of Jesus on Good Friday. And the Gospel Readings from Monday to Friday on Holy Week give more specific stories corresponding to what Jesus did and what happened to Jesus on each day of Holy Week, except on Tuesday. The Gospel Reading on Tuesday reflects the announcement of Judah’s betrayal, giving the new commandment of love, and the foretelling of Peter’s denial at Last Supper. This helps us connect to the Gospel Reading for Wednesday, reflecting on how Judas betrayed as a spy for those who had planned to have Jesus killed, thus known as Spy Wednesday, as well as, to the Gospel Reading for Good Friday, describes how Judas’ betrayal led to the arrest of Jesus, followed by his trial by the Sanhedrin and by the Pilate, being tortured and crowned with thorns, carrying the Cross, being crucified and lifted up on the Cross, dying on the Cross, and being buried, reflecting the second, third, fourth, and fifth sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary,  and the latter part of the Good Friday Johannine Passion Gospel Reading reflect the Via Dorolosa punctuated with the 14 Stations of the Cross.

With the above general flow of the Scripture readings throughout Holy Week, today’s Gospel Reading (John 12:1-11) is the Johannine account of Jesus’ anointment in Bethany.

Though Mark puts the anointment of Jesus in Bethany after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, as it was read on Palm Sunday, John describes it before his entry into Jerusalem. And, Mark described this event was at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany, and it was an unnamed woman to anoint Jesus, according to Mark. On the other hand, John describes that the anointing of Jesus before his Passion took place at the house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, in Bethany, and it was Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus to anoint Jesus. Lazarus was the one, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1-44). And, prior to this, Jesus had visited this house (Luke 10:38-42). Thus, to Jesus, it was a very familiar place, and he was with very good friends, when he was anointed before entering in Jerusalem to go through the Passion toward death.

Below, you can compare and contrast the Mark’s version of Jesus’ anointing, as read on Palm Sunday, and John’s version, as read today.

Mark 14:3-9 : part of the Palm Sunday (B) Gospel Reading

John 12:1-11 : Monday of Holy Week Gospel Reading

When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.   There were some who were indignant. “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?   It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages and the money given to the poor.” They were infuriated with her.   Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.   Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.   So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”   [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.   And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

 

One interesting difference between Mark’s version and John’s version is that an unnamed woman anointed Jesus on his head, according to Mark, while Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointed Jesus on his feet, according to John. And, Mary dried Jesus’ feet with her hair.

In the Johannine account of Jesus’ anointing, there is an image alluded to Last Supper. Both Jesus and Lazarus were reclining at dinner, and this is juxtaposed Jesus and John being close at Last Supper. And, Mary anointed Jesus on his feet, not his head, projecting to Jesus washing his disciples’ feet at Last Supper.

Mark described the woman anointing the head of Jesus. And this recalls Samuel anointing on David’s head as king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13) . Thus, the Maran version of Jesus’ anointing implies that Jesus entered in Jerusalem as the King and to die as the King of the Jews, as it was why he had to be executed by the Romans. On the other hand, John’s version gives an impression that Jesus was anointed as a servant leader by his fellow servant, Mary. And, as the servant leader, Jesus initiated the foot washing for his disciples at Last Supper.

Reading these two Gospel accounts on Jesus anointing on Palm Sunday and Monday of Holy Week, in contrast, we see that Jesus as both King (anointed on head) and Servant (anointed on feet). And, Jesus was killed because he was falsely accused to have claimed himself as the king of the Jews, while the First Readings of not only today but the rest of the days of Holy Week, except for Holy Thursday, we see Jesus as the suffering servant to die to fulfill the salvific will of the Father.

By Mary, Jesus was anointed on his feet to die as not only the servant leader to wash his disciples’ feet as an act of love that he commands but also as the servant reflected in the four songs of the suffering servant (Isaiah 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–7; and 52:13–53:12) , serving the will of the Father on him and for our salvation.

Jesus is, indeed, the anointed Servant King to die and rise for us.

Palm Sunday Gospel Readings for Procession and Mass Call Us to Examine Ourselves

 Palm Sunday marks the first day of the Holy Week, as it commemorates the first day of the week that Jesus entered Jerusalem, while people of this holy city welcomed him with reverence, waving palm branches. This is reflected in the Gospel Reading for the procession before Mass (Mark 11:1-10). However, in the Gospel Reading for Mass (Mark 14:1-15:47), you can see how these people, who welcomed Jesus turned into the hostile mob toward Jesus, shouting repeatedly to the Roman authority to crucify him.

There was only a short span of time – 5 days from the day they welcomed him to the day they demand his death.

What was all this psychology of change on them about?

How come the minds of the residents of Jerusalem changed so quickly and drastically?

As the Holy Week is the last leg of our Lenten journey, which is to examine our own hearts and mind for cleansing.

Therefore, I invites you to scan your own heart and mind to see if you find a psychological disposition that reflects such a change of attitudes toward Jesus witnessed among the people of Jerusalem as you reflect both Gospel readings (Mark 11:1-10 and 14:1-15:47).

In doing this exercise, think of what has been going on these days – how hatred and anger can be inflamed in human minds and manifest in violent collective actions so fast with fear-causing false information.

Not only the hearts and minds of people of Jerusalem but also of the Roman authorities were put in effective mind-control scheme by the Sanhedrin leaders in order to have Jesus killed. This psychopathology is still prevalent, as if we had not learned a lesson even after 2,000 years.

Nevertheless, the victim of this human evil, Jesus, remained faithful to his mission because of his absolute confidence in the one who sent him, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-7). And, the one who sent him to subject to this human evil vindicated him, as reflected in the Second Reading (Philippians 2:6-11).

What was beaten and put to shameful death was his body.  But, Jesus’ resolved spirit remained faithful to the will of the one who sent him. For this, he was glorified in his death, which was seen as a despised defeat by het faithless but to the faithful, it was a step to defeat the human evil by God’s powerful love.

Therefore, one lesson to take to our heart on Palm Sunday and throughout Holy Week is to come up with our ways to overcome evil with love, as God has shown to us through his Son. For this lesson, He made the Word incarnated, brought to us through Mary’s womb in the human flesh of Jesus. 

Good Coming out of Evil as Prophesized by Caiaphas and as by Jesus: Reflected in Ezekiel’s Post-Exilic Prophetic Vision – Saturday of the Fifth Week of lent

 Remember how we started Lent on Ash Wednesday? Remember the Word of God to start Lent on that day?

Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning (Joel 2:12).

Returning to God is a running theme throughout Lent. Now, we are about to enter the very last week of Lent – Holy Week, as Palm Sunday is tomorrow.

In today’s Scripture Readings (Ezekiel 37:21-28; John 11:45-56), we can decipher a theme of returning to God. It is not that we struggle to find a way to return to God but through God’s providence that we return to Him. And, we recognize in the Gospel Reading (John 11:45-56) that it is through Jesus that we return to God. We also understand that the Passion and death, which Jesus is about to enter, as reflected during the Holy Week, is for this reason. God wants to bring everyone of His children back to Him at the expenses of His Son.

As it is the Saturday before Palm Sunday, today’s Gospel Reading (John 11:45-56), which describes how the seventh sign that Jesus performed (John 11:17-44) prompted the religious authority council, Sanhedrin, to firmly determine to kill Jesus (John 11:53). What is very important in this Gospel reading is the words of Caiaphas, the high priest of that year: It is better that Jesus alone dies rather than letting the whole Jewish nation perish by the hands of the Romans (John 11:50) to give a justification to the Sanhedrin’s decision to have Jesus killed.

According to John, what Caiaphas said of Jesus to die to save the Jewish nation implies not just to preserve the Jewish nation but to bring back diaspora Israelites scattered across the Greco-Roman world (John 11:51-52). And, this can be imaged as reflected in today’s First Reading (Ezekiel 37:21-28) – scattered diaspora Israelites brought back to reunited kingdom of Israel, which had been divided since the death of Solomon because of his sin, as Ahijah prophesized to Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:30-39), after the Babylonian exile.

Perhaps, Caiaphas’ intention to let Jesus be the scapegoat offered to the Romans to save the Jewish nation from their hands so that fellow Israelites in diaspora can return to be reunited as one nation rather in a geopolitical sense. However, it was more of what Jesus implied in saying, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself”(John 12:32).

For Jesus to bring all scattered people – as the Good Shepherd to bring the sheep scattered by false shepherds (John 10:12-13; cf. Zechariah 11:4-14) into his fold –he has to lay his life first (John 10:11, 15, 18). So, his body will be lifted up on the Cross, as the serpent on Moses’ pole was lifted, for eternal life to us (John 3:14), implying that we, as God’s sheep under his shepherding care, are to be gathered as one for eternal life.

It has become so certain that the religious authority will arrest and have Jesus killed by the hands of the Romans, as so determined by the Sanhedrin. And Caiaphas justified this as to save the Jewish nation from the hands of the Romans. But, unbeknownst to this high priest and the rest of the Sanhedrin members was that it was alluded to what Jesus said in John 12:32- how the risen Jesus will gather scattered believers to form the Church upon Pentecost as the pretext to the Kingdom on earth as it in heaven. It is the Kingdom, where he reigns as the King of the Universe.

Return of the God’s sheep upon the Good Shepherd being lifted up first on the Cross, then through his death as a grain of wheat to bring greater harvest, lifted up again to resurrect, lifted up again to ascend to bring the Holy Spirit (John 16:7) to form the gathered sheep into his Church to bring more sheep in (John 10:16).

Now, this is how the accusation against Jesus for healing a paralytic man on Sabbath (John 5:1-9), as the third sign, evolved in, through his accuser’s arguments with Jesus in Jerusalem, as written in John 5, 7-11, before Jesus enters in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to consummate his mission on the Cross.

Though the evil power of the Sanhedrin is about to have Jesus killed to make a political compromise with the Romans for the sake of the nation of Israel and for the diaspora to have the nation to return, as Caiaphas justified this decision, Jesus knew he was to be killed to bring the scattered sheep back to his fold, as in an image of Ezekiel 37:21-28, and as he himself said in John 12:32, to establish his Church upon Pentecost so that more sheep can be brought in.

Yes, God makes good out of human evil. And the goodness that God makes out of human evil wins. And this is also implicated in what Paul describes as the paradox of the Cross (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Hostility Against Jesus Continue to Grow to Trap Him : Persistent Ignorance Leads to Growing Motive to Kill Jesus - Friday of the Firth Week of Lent

Today’s Gospel Reading (John 10:31-42) begins with a scene that the accusers of Jesus picking up stones to stone him, again.

But, why they kept trying to kill Jesus?

The Gospel text for today (John 10:31-42) comes on the heel of Jesus’ statement to his accusers:

I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice ; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal lie, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one (John 10:25-30).

He spoke this to his accusers in response to their statement:

How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly (John 10:24).

This took place after Jesus gave his Christological discourse, known as the Good Shepherd Discourse, in which Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd, and those who believe in him as the Messiah and follow him as the sheep given to him by the Father (John 10:1-18). We will read this Gospel text for the Good Shepherd Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Paschaltide: vv. 1-10 for A; vv. 11-18 for B).

Jesus spoke the Good Shepherd Discourse as the argument with his accusers went on upon performing his sixth sign, healing a man born blind (John 9:1-41), as read on the Fourth Sunday of Lent on Cycle A.

It became more evident that there was a growing division between those who began to believe in Jesus and those who did not (John 10:19-21).

So once again, those who have been accusing Jesus for being blasphemous (John 5:18; 8:53) and demonic (John 7:20; 8:48, 52) tried to stone Jesus to death again (John 10:31) after they did before (John 8:59).

Jesus said to his accusers, as they were about to stone him again:

I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me? (John 10:32).

It is so ironic that all the works that Jesus did as the Father’s work in Jerusalem, including healing a paralytic man, as the third sign (John 5:1-9) and healing a man born blind as the sixth sign  (John 9:1-7), were taken by the accuser as a good reason for them to kill him. It was because they regarded Jesus as blasphemous, as well as, possessed or demonic, for his good works performed on behalf of the Father.

So, they explained why they were trying to kill him:

We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God (John 10:33).

His accusers made it clear that they wanted to kill Jesus because he has committed blasphemy, as violation of Exodus 22:28; Leviticus 24:16, just as they interpreted his work of healing the paralytic man on a Sabbath day (John 5:18). And, this is what they will use as their reason to demand Pilate to execute Jesus later (John 19:7).

Perhaps, if he did not explain why he performed healing works on Sabbath (John 5:1-9; 9:1-7) as works of the Father, Jesus might not have been accused for blasphemy but rather regarded as possessed. But, it was because he had been repeatedly explained that his works are performed as work of the Father because not only he was sent by the Father but he is one with the Father, as we can see in what he said in John 5:17 on.

So, Jesus said in response to their accusation against him for blasphemy for speaking his unique relationship with the Father:

Is it not written in your law, “I said, ‘You are gods”’? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, “I am the Son of God”?  If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father (John 10:34-38).

In the above rebuttal to his accusers, Jesus was referring to Deuteronomy 1:17 in saying “Is it not written in your law..”, because it says, “for the judgment is God’s”, as this portion of the Law reminds those who serve God as judges (elders) are working on behalf of Him. Jesus was making his point that his works represent the Father’s just as works of judges represent God’s – as so written in Deuteronomy 1:17. And the spirit of Deuteronomy 1:17, which is reflected in Jesus’ words in John 10:34, is further addressed in Psalm 82:6, which tells that those who serve as judges to render God’s judgements, are regarded sons of the Most High.  And in Psalm 82:5, those who do not understand this divine character reflected in their judgeship are wondering in darkness. Thus, in the above response to his accuser, Jesus was also implying that they were in darkness for failing to recognize the justification of Jesus’ works as the Father’s and his being as one with Him.

His accusers boast their knowledge of the Scriptures. And Jesus even cited the Scriptures in his response.

Did they finally wake up?

No.

Instead, they reacted violently as they remained in darkness. So, this time, Jesus escape, as it was not the appointed time for Jesus’s passion toward death.

It was clear to Jesus at that point, however, that the time for him to be lifted up on the Cross was drawing near as the accusers were growing in hostility against him. In such a situation, Jesus could have felt as Jeremiah felt, as reflected in today’s First Reading (Jeremiah 20:10-13).

It was evident to Jesus that his accusers were on every corner in Jerusalem. They were trying to trap him, taking every work and word of his against him. But, he is confident that the Father remains with him and will make these accusers stumble, as said in 1 Peter 2:4-8.

As Jeremiah did not let intensifying persecution disrupt his prophetic mission for his steadfast faith in God (Jeremiah 20:10-13), Jesus continued to confront his accusers while their desire to kill him grew further.  And you will see this in the daily Gospel readings into the Holy Week.