The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to accept the humiliation and betrayal that we may encounter in our presentation of truth, compassion, and love to the people in our environment.
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah shares the Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication.
* [50:4–11] The third of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4); in vv. 4–9 the servant speaks; in vv. 10–11 God addresses the people directly.
* [50:5] The servant, like a well-trained disciple, does not refuse the divine vocation.
* [50:6] He willingly submits to insults and beatings. Tore out my beard: a grave and painful insult. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 50 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 69 is a prayer for Deliverance from Persecution.
* [Psalm 69] A lament complaining of suffering in language both metaphorical (Ps 69:2–3, 15–16, the waters of chaos) and literal (Ps 69:4, 5, 9, 11–13, exhaustion, alienation from family and community, false accusation). In the second part the psalmist prays with special emphasis that the enemies be punished for all to see (Ps 69:23–29). Despite the pain, the psalmist does not lose hope that all be set right, and promises public praise (Ps 69:30–36). The Psalm, which depicts the suffering of the innocent just person vividly, is cited often by the New Testament especially in the passion accounts, e.g., Ps 69:5 in Jn 15:25; Ps 69:22 in Mk 15:23, 36 and parallels and in Jn 19:29. The Psalm prays not so much for personal vengeance as for public vindication of God’s justice. There was, at this time, no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place. Redress had to take place now, in the sight of all. (Psalms, PSALM 69 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Judas agrees to betray Jesus as he celebrates the Passover with the Disciples.
* [26:14] Iscariot: see note on Lk 6:16.
* [26:15] The motive of avarice is introduced by Judas’s question about the price for betrayal, which is absent in the Marcan source (Mk 14:10–11). Hand him over: the same Greek verb is used to express the saving purpose of God by which Jesus is handed over to death (cf. Mt 17:22; 20:18; 26:2) and the human malice that hands him over. Thirty pieces of silver: the price of the betrayal is found only in Matthew. It is derived from Zec 11:12 where it is the wages paid to the rejected shepherd, a cheap price (Zec 11:13). That amount is also the compensation paid to one whose slave has been gored by an ox (Ex 21:32).
* [26:17] The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread: see note on Mk 14:1. Matthew omits Mark’s “when they sacrificed the Passover lamb.”
* [26:18] By omitting much of Mk 14:13–15, adding My appointed time draws near, and turning the question into a statement, in your house I shall celebrate the Passover, Matthew has given this passage a solemnity and majesty greater than that of his source.
* [26:21] Given Matthew’s interest in the fulfillment of the Old Testament, it is curious that he omits the Marcan designation of Jesus’ betrayer as “one who is eating with me” (Mk 14:18), since that is probably an allusion to Ps 41:10. However, the shocking fact that the betrayer is one who shares table fellowship with Jesus is emphasized in Mt 26:23.
* [26:24] It would be better…born: the enormity of the deed is such that it would be better not to exist than to do it.
* [26:25] Peculiar to Matthew. You have said so: cf. Mt 26:64; 27:11. This is a half-affirmative. Emphasis is laid on the pronoun and the answer implies that the statement would not have been made if the question had not been asked. (Matthew, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB, n.d.)
Cindy Murphy McMahon invites us to imagine finding out that a dear, trusted friend had told authorities (who have trumped up, unjustified charges against you and evil intent) where to find you, all the while knowing you had done nothing wrong. Think of how painful that would be. The dread and sadness you would feel would be even worse because a chosen friend was aiding and abetting those who were out to kill you.
I think Jesus said, “… one of you will betray me,” due to a combination of B and C above. I do think he wanted to offer Judas the opportunity to come clean and be forgiven. But I also think possibly the stress he was under just spilled out of him as he thought about how the agony that would soon follow was being assisted by his friend and follower. John’s account does say Jesus was deeply troubled. (Murphy, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “God's help for a complete conversion,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"When we transform our old life and give our spirit a new image, we find it hard and tiring to turn back from the darkness of earthly passions to the serene calm of the divine light. We thus ask God to help us that a complete conversion may be brought about in us." (excerpt from Confessions 10,4) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 26:14-25 comments that there are times when we also risk placing Jesus in the back seat. How? When we rush headlong into our own plans without considering what he wants for us. Or when we think, like Judas, that we have a better plan and try to convince Jesus why he should agree with us. Because Jesus is our Lord and not just our teacher or friend, we must be sure we are following him.
It grieved the Lord to see Judas turning away from him. Jesus doesn’t want you to go your own way, either. Instead, he wants to lead you on a closer walk with him. Today, visualize giving Jesus the driver’s seat of your life. Ask him to help you keep your eyes fixed on him and to embrace the path he has for you. Remember, Jesus is more than a teacher or a prophet or a rabbi; he is Lord. Let him be the Lord of your life!
“Jesus, you are my Lord! I will follow wherever you lead me.” (Meditation on Matthew 26:14-25, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler introduces the Third Song of the Suffering Servant where we hear about meekness and the willingness to suffer in the service of God and while experiencing Divine help and refuge. Eastern Rites observe fasting on “Spy Wednesday”. Friar Jude notes that all the man at the Passover meal would dip in the bowl as we consider the revelation of Judas as the “one who will betray me”
Brian McLaren describes how healing occurs when we release our need for supremacy, certainty, and control.
The more we hear the sound of the genuine, the more the deepest habits of our hearts are renovated and remodeled in the way of love, and the more supremacy loses its appeal.… We surrender the supremacy of our ego, our self-centered demands for power, pleasure, prestige, prominence. We surrender the supremacy of our group, whether that group is defined by religion, race, politics, nationality, economic class, social status, or whatever. We even surrender the supremacy of our species, realizing that humans can’t survive and thrive unless the plankton and trees, the soil and bees, and the climate and seas thrive too. We gladly shed supremacy to make room for solidarity. That gain, we discover, is worth every cost….
As the desire to dominate slips through our fingers, something in us dies…. But in the letting go, something new comes, is born, begins, grows: a sense of connection, of not-aloneness, of communion and union and belonging. We descend from the ladders and pedestals we have erected, and we rejoin the community of creation, the network of shalom…. The loss is no small thing, ah, but the gain is incomparably greater. [2] (McLaren, n.d.)
We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we surrender to situations where our humiliation and even betrayal is the path that is likely to bring the greatest good to the events on our journey.
References
Isaiah, CHAPTER 50 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/50?4
Matthew, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/26?14
McLaren, B. (n.d.). Surrendering to Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/surrendering-to-love/
Meditation on Matthew 26:14-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/16/1249208/
Murphy, C. (2025, April 16). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/041625.html
Psalms, PSALM 69 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/69?8
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr16
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