‘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?’ (Matthew 26:24-25).
Two awed apostles, two different endings. Peter boasts he’ll always be there for Jesus, denies him three times, and goes on to do amazing things in Jesus’ name, all the way to his own martyrdom. Judas betrays Christ and kills himself. Peter believed he could be forgiven; Judas didn’t.
Holy Week provides an opportunity to contemplate where our faith life has fallen short. But it’s also important to remember no matter how far from Jesus we might feel, true betrayal comes when we refuse to believe that he is always by our side, ready to help us start again. He longs to have us walk with him.
Lord, help me to be confident of the awesome power of your loving forgiveness.
— Melanie Rigney
Isaiah 50:4-9A
Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34
Matthew 26:14-25
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the COVID-19 outbreak, Catholic Digest is offering daily Gospel reflections from our sister publication, Living With Christ. In Holy Week, we open our hearts and minds to the passion of Christ. Nourish your faith and your family’s with these FREE uplifting resources. You can sign up here.