I personally love the first paragraph of the first reading! I pray it resonates with you too. For when we put His word first in our waking hour, our ears are opened to hear His sweet gentle voice. And should or rather when, He sends the wearied our way; we know how to pray for and comfort them.
Next in following paragraphs that follow, all the way to the Gospel; anyone who has ever taken up any form of leadership will know. That betrayal will come in one way or another. Our job is simple, we only need to be faithful to our Lord’s word and will for us. He will vindicate us as necessary. We only need to be patient. Let us strive to remain faithful to Him and to one another.
Resist to the point of shedding blood all sin, temptation, even taking justice into our own hands. Partaking in any `thirty silver pieces` sale through gossip, bad mouthing our betrayers all for the sake of self vindication.
Lord Bless all that I say and do. Amen
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First reading
Isaiah 50:4-9
Who thinks he has a case against me? Let him approach me
The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear.
For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.
The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed.
My vindicator is here at hand. Does anyone start proceedings against me? Then let us go to court together. Who thinks he has a case against me? Let him approach me.
The Lord is coming to my help,
who will dare to condemn me?
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Gospel
Matthew 26:14-25
‘The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will’
One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ ‘Go to so-and-so in the city’ he replied ‘and say to him, “The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples.”’ The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.
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