April 16, 2025 Wednesday of Holy Week
Daily Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25
The first reading of today portrays the suffering servant who remains steadfast in the face of persecution, trusting in God’s help. The Gospel invites us to reflect on the themes of betrayal, loyalty, and self-examination.
We are called to be attentive to God’s words and wisdom through Scripture and prayer. True discipleship involves both listening and obeying. This passage also clearly demonstrates that suffering for righteousness sake is part of the Christian journey. Despite opposition, humiliation, insults, and physical abuse, we are to stand firm in faith, knowing that God is our defender. Ultimately, our call is to respond with patience and forgiveness, believing that God’s justice will prevail.
Judas, one of the chosen disciples of Jesus, makes a deliberate choice to betray his master for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. It is a painful truth that betrayal often comes from those closest to us. Do we also fix a price for Jesus to be sold? This calls for self-examination and for us to ask Jesus, “Lord, is it I?” Using a cold and formal title, Judas asks Jesus, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” It is time to check how we relate to Jesus. Does our outward religiosity take precedence over honesty, leading us to deny, deceive, or betray Christ? While it is easy to condemn Judas, this act calls us to examine the ways we might betray our values with selfish motives.
Call to Action for Catholic Living:
- Judas had every opportunity to repent but stiffened his heart. What will your stance be?
- Before going to bed, spend at least 5 minutes reviewing the day in the presence of God.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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