Christ underwent his Passion and death.

The Eucharist is a participation both in Christ's sacrifice and his heavenly victory,

Christ underwent his Passion and death freely,

because of the sins of all men and out of infinite love.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord God

Has taught me so I speak as his disciple and I know how to sustain the weary.

Morning after morning he wakes me up to hear, to listen like a disciple.

The Lord God has opened my ear. I have not rebelled, nor have I withdrawn.

 

I offered my back to those who strike me, my cheeks to those who pulled my beard;

neither did I shield my face from blows, spittle and disgrace. I have not despaired,

for the Lord God comes to my help. So, like a flint I set my face, knowing that I will not be disgraced.

 

He who avenges me is near. Who then will accuse me? Let us confront each other. Who is now my accuser? Let him approach.

If the Lord God is my help, who will condemn me? All of them will wear out like cloth; the moth will devour them.

 

Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 & 33-34 Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,

"How much will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They promised to give him thirty pieces of silver;

and from then on, he kept looking for the best way to hand Jesus over to them.

 

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him,

"Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city,

to the house of a certain man, and tell him, 'The Master says:

My hour is near, and I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples in your house."

The disciples did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover meal.

 

When it was evening, Jesus sat at table with the Twelve. While they were eating, Jesus said,

"Truly I say to you: one of you will betray me." They were deeply distressed,

and they asked him, one after the other, "You do not mean me, do you, Lord?"

 

He answered, "The one who dips his bread with me will betray me.

The Son of Man is going as the Scriptures say he will. But alas for that one who betrays the Son of Man:

better for him not to have been born." Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked,

"You do not mean me, Master, do you?" Jesus replied, "You have said it."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

"Faithful to Christ and to his commands."

Preparations are taking place: preparations for the Passover meal and preparations for betrayal.

One is done at the Lord's command, the other is made against him.

We invest so much effort and energy in carrying out all sorts of activities,

and yet not all of them are in keeping with our ultimate goal, that of sharing in God's heavenly Banquet.

 

Christ underwent his Passion and death to give us a seat at the banquet in God's Kingdom and

we are called in our Christian life to carry out deeds which reflect our desire for eternal life.

The Eucharist is a participation both in Christ's sacrifice and his heavenly victory,

and it nourishes us on our pilgrim way as we journey to be with God in heaven.

 

We are nourished to act with love. And so, both in our prayers and our everyday actions we are to prepare for the heavenly Banquet.

This is Christ's command to us, just as he commanded his disciples to make preparations for the Passover.

Yet, "alas for that one who betrays the Son of Man..." "You do not mean me, Master, do you?"

Let's be faithful disciples: faithful to Christ and to his commands.