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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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Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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In his book, No Man is an Island, Thomas Merton insists upon the importance of community. We need the strength that comes from sharing our lives with others.

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In today’s Gospel, for example, the Angel Gabriel announces God’s plan for Mary. She’s to become the Mother of God, a tremendous responsibility; one she cannot bear alone.

To ensure that Mary never becomes an island – that she’s never isolated – the Lord blesses her with friends along the way.

Today we find the Angel Gabriel. Tomorrow she’ll visit Elizabeth.

After giving birth to Jesus, Joseph and the shepherds will surround her.

Even as Jesus dies upon the Cross, the Apostle John is there to comfort her, and bring her into his home.

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Mary never journeyed alone.

Neither should we.

Who are the friends the Lord has given me along my journey? And equally, how am I that friend for others?

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As Merton reminds us, “No man – no person – is an island.”

Friends are given to enrich us and strengthen us along the way.

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