Wednesday of the Passion Week – 31st March 2021 – Matthew 26,14-25
Gracious Act of Hospitality
Today we reflect on the actions which led to Jesus’ betrayal and passion. The disciples of Jesus, until now, did not realize that one of their own was the traitor. They did not see any difference in the way Jesus treated Judas, which is remarkable testimony of His patience and love. Jesus is aware of the deeds of those who desire that He must suffer and be executed. He experiences the anguish of being betrayed. Nevertheless He did not condemn that person. What sets Him apart is that Jesus, in all His anguish and pain, draws strength from His Father who alone sustains Him.
Now it was during the Passover feast, as he was eating with his disciples, that Jesus announced the presence of a traitor. Judas was reclining to Jesus’ left and John was reclining at his right. It was an act of friendship to eat bread together, especially bread that had been dipped into the dish of herbs. It was also an honour to be given a morsel of bread by your host. Jesus gave the bread to Judas that reflects Ps 41,9 and Judas accepted it, knowing fully well that he was betraying his Master-Teacher. For Jesus, giving the bread was a gracious act of hospitality; for Judas, accepting the bread was an evil act of treachery. In fact, Mt 26,24 presents both the human and the divine sides of Judas’ action. From the divine point of view, Judas’ treachery was predicted in Scripture and was part of God’s plan. But from the human point of view, Judas was guilty of a base crime and was completely responsible for what he did. In fact, divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not in conflict, even though we may not be able to understand how they work together to fulfill God’s will.
