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Gospel: Matthew 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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I’m fascinated by Christ.
Though he knows all things – he knows that Judas wants to betray him – he doesn’t give up on him.
Before Judas abandons the Lord, and the community that he’s been a part of for the last three years, Jesus sends him warning signs.
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The night begins with Jesus on knees, a towel wrapped around his waist. He leans down and washes his disciples’ feet, bathing them in love, including Judas.
Then Jesus subtly warns Judas against carrying out this horrible deed, saying things like, “Not all of you are clean.”
And, “One of you will betray me,” as if the Lord is trying to prick his conscience.
Then he feeds Judas – a sign of hospitality – handing him a morsel of bread, which we believe to have been Jesus’ very own Body.
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Jesus washes Judas’ feet; he warns him; and he feeds him with his very Self. But Jesus will not take away his freedom.
I can only imagine the heartbreak our Good Shepherd felt as he watched his sheep flee into the night.
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Similarly, how often does the Lord try to lead us away from temptation and into a life of faith?
He pricks our conscience, gives us his Word, feeds us with his own Body, places holy desires in our heart, and sends us friends along the way.
Do we listen to his voice?
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“I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus says. “I know my sheep and they know me. They listen to my voice and follow me.”
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