Daily Readings - Wed Mar 31 2021
Isaiah
4The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.5The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.6I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.7Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.8He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!9It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.
Matthew
14Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests15and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.17On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"18He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'"19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."22They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"23Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and 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.