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WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK - Gospel (Matthew 26:14-25) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

  • Writer: NHA CHUA CHA
    NHA CHUA CHA
  • Apr 16
  • 4 min read

“Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” (Mt 26:24)



FIRST READING - 50:4-9a


A reading from the Book of Isaiah




The Lord GOD has given me


a well-trained tongue,


That I might know how to speak to the weary


a word that will rouse them.


Morning after morning


he opens my ear that I may hear;


And I have not rebelled,


have not turned back.


I gave my back to those who beat me,


my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;


My face I did not shield


from buffets and spitting.



The Lord GOD is my help,


therefore I am not disgraced;


I have set my face like flint,


knowing that I shall not be put to shame.


He is near who upholds my right;


if anyone wishes to oppose me,


let us appear together.


Who disputes my right?


Let him confront me.


See, the Lord GOD is my help;


who will prove me wrong?




GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 26:14-25


From the Gospel according to Matthew



One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,


went to the chief priests and said,


"What are you willing to give me


if I hand him over to you?"


They paid him thirty pieces of silver,


and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.



On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,


the disciples approached Jesus and said,


"Where do you want us to prepare


for you to eat the Passover?"


He said,


"Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,


'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near;


in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.""'


The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,


and prepared the Passover.



When it was evening,


he reclined at table with the Twelve.


And while they were eating, he said,


"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."


Deeply distressed at this,


they began to say to him one after another,


"Surely it is not I, Lord?"


He said in reply,


"He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me


is the one who will betray me.


The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,


but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.


It would be better for that man if he had never been born."


Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,


"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"


He answered, "You have said so."

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK - Gospel (Matthew 26:14-25)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE



Dear People of God,


The Word of God in today’s Gospel reveals that when Judas, a close disciple of Jesus, went to the high priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” the high priests decided to give him thirty pieces of silver. Judas sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver. Let us ask: Who is Jesus that He was sold for such a price?

Jesus is the Supreme Being, the King of Kings, and the Savior. He willingly sacrificed Himself and gave His life to redeem humanity from the power of darkness and death.

Yet this trusted disciple betrayed Him and sold His Master to the Jewish authorities for thirty pieces of silver. How heartbreaking this must have been for God because of His immense love for His disciples and all humanity He created!

By the image of Judas selling the Lord, we see that Juda’s love of money and power allowed the darkness of death to invade and cover Judas’s soul and body, blinding his conscience and separating him from his Master.


He could no longer discern where the light of love was or where the path of darkness was. Before Judas' betrayal, Jesus said, “The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

These words serve as a warning to all who carry a guilty conscience like Judas: Be alert and determined to turn away from the love of money, power, status, and honor so that you may not betray and sell out Jesus like Judas. The image of Judas betraying and selling out Jesus in the past continues to repeat itself to some people in today’s world. Because of their desire for worldly benefits, status, power, and honor, many deny the Lord, fail to believe in Him, and do not recognize the eternal God who is present among them.

To such people, God wants to tell them that “It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”


Today’s era is the era of the Holy Spirit at work. After Jesus ascended into heaven, He continued to send the Holy Spirit to be with us—to enlighten, guide, and teach us how to distinguish between living in darkness and light. We walk in the path of light when we follow God, believe in Him, confess His holy name, and live according to His teachings. We walk in the path of darkness when we reject God, deny His truth, and refuse to accept His death and resurrection.


As we prepare to enter the Paschal Triduum, God invites all His children to:


-Take time to be with Him to meditate, reflect, and contemplate the image of Jesus, the King of Love, suffering, being crucified, and dying on the Cross.


-Be humble, sincerely repent, and acknowledge our sins—those very sins that nailed Jesus to the Cross.


Thanks be to God. Amen

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