Daily Readings - Wed Mar 31 2021
Isaiah
4The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.5The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.7For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.8He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.9Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
Matthew
14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,15And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.16And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.17Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?18And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.19And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.20Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.21And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.22And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?23And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments that invite us to reflect on trust, betrayal, and the unwavering fidelity of God. The first reading from Isaiah presents the figure of the Suffering Servant, who, despite enduring mockery, spitting, and rejection, remains steadfast in his trust in the Lord. The servant’s resolve is unshakable, for he knows that God is his helper and that he will not be put to shame. This passage is part of a series of “Suffering Servant” songs in Isaiah, which foreshadow the mission of Jesus Christ, who would endure similar trials for the sake of humanity.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to the events leading up to Jesus’ Passion. Here, we see the stark contrast between Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ act of self-giving love. Judas, driven by greed and his own desires, betrays Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, while Jesus, in the same breath, institutes the Eucharist, offering his body and blood for the salvation of the world. This passage reminds us that betrayal and sin are real, but they do not have the final word. Instead, it is God’s love, poured out for us, that defines our story.
These readings call us to examine our own lives. Like the Suffering Servant, we are often called to trust in God even when the road ahead seems uncertain or difficult. Like Judas, we may at times choose our own way over God’s, but unlike Judas, we are invited to return to the Lord with repentant hearts. Jesus’ words at the Last Supper—“Take and eat, this is my body”—remind us that God’s love is always available to us, even in the midst of our failures. Let us strive to live with the same fidelity as the Suffering Servant, trusting in God’s plan, and let us approach the Eucharist with gratitude, knowing that it is a gift of love that transforms us and calls us to live for others.