Word to the Wise
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - Holy Week - Wed
[Isa 50:4-9a and Matt 26:14-25]"Surely it is not I, Lord?" [Matthew]
The gospel scripture today moves away from the Gospel According to John to focus on the account, in the Gospel According to Matthew, of the Last Supper and the moment in which Jesus announces that one of the Twelve would betray him. That moment is captured in Leonardo DaVinci's fresco, The Last Supper, (painted on the wall of a Dominican dining room in Milan) which is so familiar to all of us. The image has become rather domesticated and benign, but the concerned looks on the faces of the disciples are clear. After Jesus makes the announcement, each of them asks, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" until it is Judas' turn and he says, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Notice the difference in the titles! But it is not just Judas who will stand convicted. Peter, despite his protestations of fidelity, will also "betray" Jesus to save his own skin.
It might be a challenging exercise to find a copy of DaVinci's painting and ponder our own fidelity! It will not be just "one of you" [Judas] who will betray Jesus. It will be all of us. The disciples with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane ran away when Jesus was arrested, with Peter still hanging on to his "sword." It will be Peter denying he even knew Jesus!! Tomorrow, Holy Thursday, we will gather to commemorate the first celebration of the Eucharist, but if we are honest, the commemoration should include Jesus' challenge to our fidelity. Surely it is all of us who are challenged. AMEN