Our first reading for yesterday, Monday of Holy Week was concerning the first oracle of the Servant of the Lord. The prophet Isaiah told us that the one who would open the eyes of the blind, bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness – would be the servant whom [God] upholds, his chosen one with whom he is pleased, upon whom he put his Spirit. Today, Isaiah tells us more about this Servant of the Lord with the second oracle: he would make his servant a two-edged sword, and a light to the nations: that his salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. These oracles, of course, are prophecies concerning Jesus!
The two-edged sword meant both an external and an internal sword: the Light of his Word would bring hatred, opposition and persecution. In a few days we recall how this prophecy is fulfilled in the death of Jesus, the Suffering Servant of the Lord! His words and action of accepting death would pierce the heart interiorly, striking people in their consciences (not only those there, but all people); and it would bring the sword on many who followed after him and spoke as he spoke! But Jesus warned his disciples about this: don't think that you will be treated any better than I. And they all, except for one, were so willing to follow Jesus all the way to martyrdom.
The one who did not – was Judas! We read in the gospel passage today how Judas – in the cover of darkness – allowed Satan to enter his heart – and started the proceedings that would end with the death of the Lord of Life, the Lord of Light! Judas never was one who much liked living in the light – his deeds were crooked and his conscience was dulled: how else could he have betrayed the very Truth itself.
The interesting thing to note is that Jesus never stopped loving Judas – even though he knew what he was going to do; he never stopped being willing to go through with it all so that even Judas might be forgiven if he asked for it; he was hoping and praying that Judas would be a witness to his resurrection. But that was not to be the case, because Judas was so very self-absorbed with Judas, and his conscience was so very twisted and distorted, and his grasp of the truth was so distant that he could not even believe that God himself could forgive him. Poor Judas!
Peter, on the other hand, in one night denied that he even knew Jesus three times – but when he realized what he had done, he repented and wept bitterly – and forgiveness would be his very soon – because he knew that Jesus was the Way and the Truth and the Life: there was nowhere else to go; he knew that Jesus' death for the forgiveness of sins was for him!
May we today believe that Jesus death on the Cross is for our sins too! And may we always be ready and willing to repent, confess and rejoice in the life of healing that comes especially from the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance. You can always ask any priest any time you see him to celebrate that amazing sacrament with you: it is a direct application of these Three Holiest Days of the Year that we are about to enter!
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter!
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