Today is Holy Wednesday, a day infamously known as ‘Spy Wednesday’ on which day we commemorate the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Almighty God, grant that we who are continually afflicted because of our evil deeds may be freed by the passion of your only-begotten Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Gospel: (Matthew 26:14-25) Let us ponder on some of the highlights of today’s Gospel 1. The tension in the group of friends is now palpable: they no longer avoid going to Jerusalem, but decide to have the most solemn ritual meal of the year in the city. I make an effort to feel the tension in the reading of today, and to stay with Jesus and his friends as they face the uncertainty of the next few hours. 2. Judas asked the chief priests how much they would give him, if he delivered Jesus into their hands. They paid him thirty pieces of silver – a considerable sum. It seems that all he could do was to indicate a suitable time and place to arrest him. 3. Holy Week is an invitation to walk closely with Jesus: we fix our gaze on him and accompany him in his suffering; we let him look closely at us and see us as we really are. We do not have to present a brave face to him, but can tell him about where we have been disappointed, let down - perhaps even betrayed. We avoid getting stuck in our own misfortune by seeing as he sees, by learning from his heart.

Life Lessons from these highlights: 1. Look at Judas and watch him – fearfully betraying Jesus. Look at Jesus as his heart goes out to the weakness of disciples. In all sorts of weakness in our lives, the love of God is triumphant. Let him be the strength in your weakness and sinfulness. 2. The real sin of Judas was not his betrayal; it was rather his rejection of the light. Judas refused to believe in the possibility of forgiveness. Let us not imitate him. No matter what wrong we have done we can turn to Jesus for forgiveness and healing. Aware of my own fragility, I ask Jesus for the strength that I need to give witness to his spirit in difficult moments.

Let us conclude with the Perseverance prayer by St. Pope John Paul II. Accept us! Lord. Look into our hearts! Accept our concerns and our hopes! Help us, you who are full of grace, to live in grace, to persevere in grace, and, if necessary, to return to the grace of the living God, which is man’s greatest and supernatural good.