Tuesday of Holy Week

READINGS

Gospel

John 13:21-33, 36-38

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, "Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus' side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to him, "Master, who is it?"Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it."So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, "Buy what we need for the feast, "or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, 'Where I go you cannot come,' so now I say it to you."Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?"Jesus answered him, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later."Peter said to him, "Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?

Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times."

REFLECTION

“Amen, Amen!” Jesus often says “Amen,amen” when he wants the apostles to pay attention.

The next thing He will say is something you need to hear.

Did you know that the secret of life is “paying attention”? When attention is paid, it is what you remember. Jesus makes two important predictions. “One of you will betray me.” And “The cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

None of the apostles were attentive to Judas.

He dipped the morsel in the cup and Jesus told him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” The apostles assumed that Judas was going to buy something for their feast. It wasn’t until they were in the Garden of Gethsemane and Judas kissed Jesus that he coluded with the Sanhedrin to have Jesus arrested.

Peter lacked the skill of being attentive. He forgot that Jesus told him he would deny him before the cock crowed three times. It wasn’t until he paid attention to the the sound of the cock crowing that he had just denied.

Pay attention to the intention. Judas was disallusioned about the fact that Jesus shared, “I will give up my life for you.” He wants Jesus to lead the Israelites as their King. He hoped Jesus would free them from the Romans.

Peter loves Jesus. He doesn’t want him to die. He wants Him to save them from slavery. Peter’s intention is to protect Jesus.

Paying attention will help us see things with clarity. It will help us to remember and think things through.

We are now in passion week. Pay attention to what the Lord wants us to remember. Jesus is the Messiah and He came to save us from our sins. Let’s join Jesus in remembering His Passion. This Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, the intitution of the Sacraments of Holy Orders and the Holy Eucharist. Good Friday will be the Way of the Cross, the crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ. Be Attentive!

Pray for priests to be holy and love the Eucharist! Pray the PAPA Prayer for. Priests!!!