First Reading (Is 49,1-6)
Reading from the Prophet Isaiah.
Marine nations, listen to me, distant peoples, pay attention: the Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he had my name in mind; he made my word a sharp sword, protected me in the shadow of his hand and made me a sharp arrow, hidden in his quiver, and said to me: “You are my Servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
And I said: “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength fruitlessly, in vain; However, the Lord will give me justice and my God will reward me.” And now the Lord says to me – he who prepared me from birth to be his servant – that I should recover Jacob for him and make Israel unite with him; In the eyes of the Lord this is my glory.
He said: “It is not enough for you to be my Servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the remnants of Israel: I will make you a light of the nations, so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (John 13:21-33.36-38)
— PROCLAMATION of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, being at the table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply moved and testified: “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Bewildered, the disciples looked at each other, as they did not know who Jesus was talking about.
One of them, whom Jesus loved, was leaning next to Jesus. Simon Peter gave him a sign to find out who Jesus was talking about. Then the disciple, reclining on Jesus’ chest, asked him: “Lord, who is this?”
Jesus replied: “He is the one to whom I give the piece of bread dipped in the sauce.” Then Jesus dipped a piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the piece of bread, Satan entered Judas. Then Jesus said to him, “Whatever you have to do, do it quickly.”
None of those present understood why Jesus told them this. As Judas kept the purse, some thought that Jesus wanted to tell him: ‘Buy what we need for the festival’, or to give something to the poor. After receiving the piece of bread, Judas immediately left. It was night.
After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God was glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him soon. Little children, I am still with you for a short time. You will look for me, and now I say to you, as I also said to the Jews, ‘Where I go, you cannot go.’”
Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow me later.” Peter said, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will give my life for you!” Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I tell you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, I would like to start our reflection with a question: have you ever felt betrayed? Have you ever been in a situation where someone you deeply trusted let you down? I’m sure many of us have experienced this pain, this feeling of betrayal that hits us like an arrow to the heart. And it is exactly this feeling of betrayal that I would like to reflect on today, in light of the biblical passages presented to us.
In the first reading, we find the words of the prophet Isaiah, who tells us about the Suffering Servant, the chosen one of God, who is called from the womb to carry out a special mission. The Lord says: “Before you were born, I knew you; before you came to light, I consecrated you, to be my prophet to the nations” (Is 49,1). These words remind us of God’s unconditional love for each of us, how He has known us from the beginning and has a unique plan for each of us.
But, unfortunately, things don’t always go as we expect. In the Gospel of John, we are introduced to the betrayal of Judas, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Jesus, knowing that his time had come, gathered his disciples for a last supper. He shared bread with them and said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (John 13:21). Betrayal was near, and Jesus’ heart must have been filled with anguish and pain.
Judas’ betrayal is a powerful reminder of how flawed we are and how the world around us is full of disappointments. But it also reminds us of the depth of God’s love, which, even in the face of betrayal and pain, never abandons us. Just as Jesus forgave Judas, even knowing his impending betrayal, He also calls us to forgive those who betrayed us.
When we reflect on these biblical passages, we realize that betrayal is present in our daily lives in many ways. We can be betrayed by friends, family, co-workers and even ourselves. However, God calls us not to allow betrayal to consume us. He invites us to look beyond betrayal and find healing in His merciful love.
A powerful image we can use to understand this healing is that of a wound. When we are betrayed, a wound is opened in our heart. This wound can consume us, trap us in the past and prevent us from moving forward. But God, in His infinite mercy, wants to heal our wounds and free us from the weight of betrayal. He is like a loving physician who applies a healing balm to our wounds, bringing relief and restoration.
As we reflect on betrayal, we can also remember the betrayal of Peter, another of Jesus’ disciples. Peter, full of confidence in himself, said to Jesus, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” (John 13:37). However, shortly after, he denied Jesus three times. Pedro experienced firsthand the weight of betrayal and the pain of denial.
But Pedro’s story doesn’t end there. After Jesus’ resurrection, He appears to Peter on the beach and asks him three times: “Peter, do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). These three questions correspond to Peter’s three denials. And as Peter responds with a heartfelt “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” Jesus commissions him to care for His sheep, to continue His work.
This story of redemption shows us that God can use even the most painful experiences of betrayal to transform us and empower us to be better. He does not leave us stuck in the past, but calls us to look to the future with hope and purpose.
Given these stories of betrayal and redemption, how can we apply these principles to our own lives? First, we need to recognize that we are all susceptible to betrayal. None of us are immune to disappointments and emotional wounds. However, the power of faith is in how we respond to these situations.
Instead of allowing ourselves to be consumed by resentment and bitterness, we are called to forgive as Jesus forgave. Forgiveness does not mean ignoring pain or accepting cheating behavior, but rather releasing the weight of resentment and allowing God to heal our hearts. Forgiveness frees us to live a full life, full of love and joy, instead of being enslaved by the past.
Furthermore, we must remember that all of us, at some point, can also be the traitor. How many times have we betrayed God’s trust and strayed from His path? However, just as Jesus forgave Judas and Peter, He also extends His hand of mercy to us. No matter how far we have gone, how far we have strayed from His teachings, God is always willing to welcome us back into His loving embrace.
And finally, just as Peter was called to care for Jesus’ sheep, we are also called to care for one another. Betrayal can leave people with deep scars, and it is our responsibility to act with compassion and empathy. We are to be instruments of God’s love, offering support, comfort, and guidance to those who have been hurt.
Dear brothers and sisters, today we are challenged to reflect on the theme of betrayal and redemption. May we find strength in the Word of God and the example of Jesus to overcome the betrayals in our lives. May we forgive as we have been forgiven and extend the hand of mercy to others. And may we be agents of healing and hope in a world wounded by betrayal.
As we prepare to receive the Eucharist, the sacrament of love and reconciliation, let us ask God to help us forgive those who have betrayed us and find healing for our own wounds. May God’s grace be with us, strengthening and guiding us on our path of discipleship.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
