Daily Readings - Wed Apr 16 2025
Isaiah
4The Lord has given me a learned tongue, so that I would know how to uphold with a word, one who has weakened. He rises in the morning, he rises to my ear in the morning, so that I may heed him like a teacher5The Lord God has opened my ear. And I do not contradict him. I have not turned back6I have given my body to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who plucked them. I have not averted my face from those who rebuked me and who spit on me7The Lord God is my helper. Therefore, I have not been confounded. Therefore, I have set my face like a very hard rock, and I know that I will not be confounded8He who justifies me is near. Who will speak against me? Let us stand together. Who is my adversary? Let him approach me9Behold, the Lord God is my helper. Who is the one who would condemn me? Behold, they will all be worn away like a garment; the moth will devour them
Matthew
14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the leaders of the priests15and he said to them, "What are you willing to give me, if I hand him over to you?" So they appointed thirty pieces of silver for him16And from then on, he sought an opportunity to betray him17Then, on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?18So Jesus said, "Go into the city, to a certain one, and say to him: ‘The Teacher said: My time is near. I am observing the Passover with you, along with my disciples.’ 19And the disciples did just as Jesus appointed to them. And they prepared the Passover20Then, when evening arrived, he sat at table with his twelve disciples21And while they were eating, he said: "Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me.22And being greatly saddened, each one of them began to say, "Surely, it is not I, Lord?23But he responded by saying: "He who dips his hand with me into the dish, the same will betray me24Indeed, the Son of man goes, just as it has been written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man will be betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had not been born.25Then Judas, who betrayed him, responded by saying, "Surely, it is not I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said it.26Now while they were eating the meal, Jesus took bread, and he blessed and broke and gave it to his disciples, and he said: "Take and eat. This is my body.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on trust, betrayal, and the unwavering commitment to God’s will. In the first reading from Isaiah, the prophet speaks of his complete surrender to God, even in the face of suffering and rejection. Despite being struck and spat upon, he does not turn away, for he knows the Lord is his helper. This passage is part of the Servant Songs, which foreshadow the mission of Jesus Christ, the ultimate servant who would endure suffering for the salvation of the world.
In the Gospel, we see the stark contrast between Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ trust in the Father. Judas, one of the twelve chosen disciples, chooses to hand Jesus over for silver, while Jesus, knowing what is about to happen, institutes the Eucharist as a gift of his body and blood. This act of love and surrender stands in stark opposition to Judas’ act of betrayal. The readings remind us that faithfulness and trust in God’s plan are at the heart of the Christian life, even when the road ahead is uncertain or difficult.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where do we stand in moments of trial or temptation? Do we, like Isaiah, set our faces like flint, trusting in God’s providence, or do we, like Judas, allow our fears and desires to lead us astray? May we learn to embrace the crosses we bear with faith, knowing that God is always near to us. Let us also deepen our appreciation for the Eucharist, the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, which sustains us on our journey of discipleship. In doing so, may we grow in fidelity and trust, becoming servants of the Lord who endure all things for the sake of His kingdom.