The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to focus on our Mission as disciples of Christ even as we struggle to accept surrender, forgiveness, and Love as the path of our journey.
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims the Servant’s Mission.
* [49:1–7] The second of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4).
* [49:1] Gave me my name: designated me for a special task or mission (cf. Jer 1:5).
* [49:3] Israel: the servant is identified with the people of Israel as their ideal representative; however, vv. 5–6 seem to distinguish the servant from Israel.
* [49:6] The servant’s vocation extends beyond the restoration of Israel in order to bring the knowledge of Israel’s God to the rest of the earth; cf. Lk 2:32. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 49, n.d.)
Psalm 71 is a prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help.
* [Psalm 71] A lament of an old person (Ps 71:9, 18) whose afflictions are interpreted by enemies as a divine judgment (Ps 71:11). The first part of the Psalm pleads for help (Ps 71:1–4) on the basis of a hope learned from a lifetime’s experience of God; the second part describes the menace (Ps 71:9–13) yet remains buoyant (Ps 71:14–16); the third develops the theme of hope and praise. (Psalms, PSALM 71, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus foretells His Betrayal and Peter’s Denial.
* [13:31–17:26] Two farewell discourses and a prayer. These seem to be Johannine compositions, including sayings of Jesus at the Last Supper and on other occasions, modeled on similar farewell discourses in Greek literature and the Old Testament (of Moses, Joshua, David).
* [13:31–38] Introduction: departure and return. Terms of coming and going predominate. These verses form an introduction to the last discourse of Jesus, which extends through Jn 14–17. In it John has collected Jesus’ words to his own (Jn 13:1). There are indications that several speeches have been fused together, e.g., in Jn 14:31 and Jn 17:1. (John, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)
Nancy Shirley comments that we are all beloved children of Christ yet none among us are without sin/betrayal. So many times the ways of the world tempt us into a betrayal of our beliefs. Our true remorse and asking for forgiveness is heard over and over again. Our prayers are answered although not always in the way that we want or expect.
What is our purpose and how do we live it? What hope is there for us in this blighted world?
PRAY! Our greatest weapon against evil is prayer. Our humble acknowledgement of our own shortcomings and prayers for strength and understanding are key. The following quote has been attributed to St Augustine and sums it up nicely:
Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you (Shirley, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “Fight sin and put up with trials,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Your first task is to be dissatisfied with yourself, fight sin, and transform yourself into something better. Your second task is to put up with the trials and temptations of this world that will be brought on by the change in your life and to persevere to the very end in the midst of these things." (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 59,5) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 13:21-33, 36-38 asks “What could possibly be glorious about a tale of betrayal, rejection, suffering, and death?”
The glory that Jesus talked about at the Last Supper is not limited to the glory that awaits us in heaven. It was made manifest when his scattered disciples returned and received the Holy Spirit. It shone forth as they became bold, powerful witnesses to his death and resurrection. It was evident as the very people who had rejected Jesus received the grace of redemption and found their way back to the Lord. It radiated beyond Jerusalem as the Gentiles received the good news of salvation and became full members of the body of Christ.
Isn’t it amazing that all this happened because of the suffering and death of the Son of God? May we never forget that the glory of God is always shining—even in the times that look the bleakest.
“All praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!” (Meditation on John 13:21-33, 36-38, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler introduces the second song of the Suffering Servant in Deutero-Isaiah as a chosen one of God with the forceful weapon of love bringing glory for all the nations, the Gentiles. The one who betrays Jesus is less ambiguous in John’s Gospel as He hands the morsel of food to Judas who has chosen darkness over light as he leaves at night. Friar Jude notes that Jesus' hour of glory in the Gospel of John is marked by the outpouring of Love on the Cross.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Episcopal priest and CAC faculty emeritus Cynthia Bourgeault describes how we can follow the path of descent Jesus models. She observes that in Jesus everything hangs together around a single center of gravity…. In Greek the verb kenosein means “to let go,” or “to empty oneself,” and this is the word Paul chooses at the key moment in his celebrated teaching in Philippians 2:5–11 in order to describe what “the mind of Christ” is all about.
Thus he came and thus he went, giving himself fully into life and death, losing himself, squandering himself, “gambling away every gift God bestows.” It was not love stored up but love utterly poured out that opened the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Over and over, Jesus lays this path before us. There is nothing to be renounced or resisted. Everything can be embraced, but the catch is to cling to nothing. You let it go. You go through life like a knife goes through a done cake, picking up nothing, clinging to nothing, sticking to nothing. And grounded in that fundamental chastity of your being, you can then throw yourself out, pour yourself out, being able to give it all back, even giving back life itself. That’s the kenotic path in a nutshell. Very, very simple. It only costs everything. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder the events of Jesus' Passover in Jerusalem and seek the support of the Spirit as we participate in the “re-presenting” of the love, passion, and glory of Christ in surrender to the Will of the Father.
References
Isaiah, CHAPTER 49. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/49?1
John, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/13?21
Meditation on John 13:21-33, 36-38. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/15/1248000/
Psalms, PSALM 71. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/71?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Surrendering All. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/surrendering-all/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Betrayal and Faltering Loyalty to Jesus. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr15
Shirley, N. (2025, April 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/041525.html
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