Today's Gospel 5 April 2020 with comment

GOSPEL
The passion of the Lord.
+ Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 26,14-27,66
At that time, one of the Twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said: "How much do you want to give me so that I will deliver it to you?" And they stared at him thirty silver coins. From that moment he was looking for the right opportunity to deliver it. On the first day of Unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you so that you can eat Easter?" And he answered: «Go to the city to a man and say to him:“ The Master says: My time is near; I will make Easter from you with my disciples "». The disciples did as Jesus had ordered them, and they prepared Easter. When evening came, she sat down to table with the Twelve. As they ate, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." And they, deeply saddened, each began to ask him: "Is it I, Lord?". And he answered, "He who put his hand on the plate with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of man goes away, as it is written about him; but woe to that man from whom the Son of man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born! ' Judas the traitor said: «Rabbi, is it me?». He replied, "You said it." Now, while they were eating, Jesus took the bread, recited the blessing, broke it and, while giving it to the disciples, said: "Take, eat: this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying: «Drink all of them, because this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you that from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until the day I drink it new with you, in the kingdom of my Father ». After singing the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them: «This night I will cause scandal for all of you. It is written in fact: I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am risen, I will go before you to Galilee. » Peter said to him, "If everyone is scandalized about you, I will never be scandalized." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, tonight, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter replied, "Even if I die with you, I won't deny you." The same was said by all the disciples. Then Jesus went with them to a farm called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go there to pray." And, taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, he began to feel sadness and anguish. And he said to them, "My soul is sad to the death; stay here and watch with me ». He went a little further, fell to the ground and prayed, saying: «My Father, if possible, pass this cup away from me! But not as I want, but as you want! ». Then he came to the disciples and found them asleep. And he said to Peter, "So you have not been able to watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray, so as not to enter into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak ». He went away a second time and prayed saying: "My Father, if this cup cannot pass away without me drinking it, let your will be done." Then he came and found them asleep again, because their eyes had become heavy. He left them, walked away again and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words. Then he approached the disciples and said to them, "Sleep well and rest! Behold, the hour is near and the Son of man is delivered into the hand of sinners. Get up, let's go! Behold, he who betrays me is near. " While he was still speaking, here comes Judas, one of the Twelve, and with him a large crowd with swords and sticks, sent by the chief priests and the elders of the people. The traitor had given them a sign, saying: "What I'm going to kiss is him; seize Him. " Immediately he approached Jesus and said, "Hello, Rabbi!" And kissed him. And Jesus said to him, "Friend, that is why you are here!" Then they came forward, put their hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus took up the sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. Or do you believe that I cannot pray to my Father, who would immediately put more than twelve legions of angels at my disposal? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled, according to which this must happen? ». In that same moment Jesus said to the crowd: «As if I were a thief you came to take me with swords and sticks. Every day I sat in the temple teaching, and you didn't arrest me. But all this happened because the scriptures of the prophets were fulfilled. " Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who arrested Jesus led him to the high priest Caiaphas, where the scribes and elders had gathered. In the meantime, Peter had followed him from afar to the high priest's palace; he went in and sat among the servants, to see how it would end. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for a false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death; but they did not find it, although many false witnesses had appeared. Finally two came forward, who said: "He said:" I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days "". The high priest stood up and said to him, "Don't you answer anything? What do they testify against you? » But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, "I beg you, for the living God, to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." «You have said it - Jesus answered him -; indeed I say to you: from now on you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven ». Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: "He has cursed! What need do we still have of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy; what do you think? » And they said, "He is guilty of death!" Then they spat in his face and beat him; others slapped him, saying: "Do the prophet for us, Christ!" Who is it that struck you? » Meanwhile Pietro was sitting outside in the courtyard. A young servant approached him and said: "You too were with Jesus, the Galileo!". But he denied before everyone saying: "I don't understand what you say." As she went out towards the atrium, another servant saw him and said to those present: «This man was with Jesus, the Nazarene». But he again denied, swearing: "I don't know that man!" After a while, those present approached and said to Peter: "It is true, you too are one of them: in fact your accent betrays you!". Then he began to swear and swear, "I don't know that man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said: "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to make him die. Then they put him in chains, led him away and handed him over to Governor Pilate. Then Judas - the one who betrayed him -, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, taken by remorse, brought back the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, saying: «I have sinned, because I have betrayed innocent blood». But they said, "What do we care? Think about it!". He then, throwing the silver coins into the temple, went away and went to hang himself. The chief priests, having collected the coins, said: "It is not lawful to put them in the treasure, because they are the price of blood." Taking advice, they bought with them the "Potter's Field" for the burial of foreigners. Therefore that field was called "Blood Field" to this day. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: And they took thirty silver coins, the price of the one who was valued by the sons of Israel at that price, and gave it for the potter's field, as he had ordered me the Sir. Meanwhile, Jesus appeared before the governor, and the governor asked him saying: "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied: "You say it." And while the chief priests and the elders accused him, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many testimonies they bring against you?" But not a word was answered, so much so that the governor was very surprised. At each party, the governor used to release a prisoner of their choice for the crowd. At that time they had a famous prisoner, named Barabbas. Therefore, to the people who had gathered, Pilate said: "Who do you want me to set free for you: Barabbas or Jesus, called Christ?". He knew very well that they had given it to him out of envy. While he was sitting in court, his wife sent him to say, "Don't have to deal with that righteous one, because today, in a dream, I was very upset because of him." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to make Jesus die. Then the governor asked them, "Of these two, who do you want me to set free for you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate asked them: "But then, what will I do with Jesus, called Christ?". Everyone replied: "Be crucified!" And he said, "What harm has he done?" Then they shouted louder: "Be crucified!" Pilate, seeing that he obtained nothing, indeed that the turmoil increased, took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying: «I am not responsible for this blood. Think about it! ». And all the people answered, "His blood falls on us and our children." Then he released Barabbas for them and, after having scourged Jesus, handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor led Jesus to the Praetorium and gathered all the troops around him. They stripped him, made him put on a scarlet cloak, braided a crown of thorns, placed it on his head and put a cane in his right hand. Then, kneeling before him, they mocked him: «Hail, king of the Jews!». Spitting on him, they took the barrel from him and beat him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of his cloak and put his clothes back on him, then led him away to crucify him. On their way out, they met a man from Cyrene, called Simon, and forced him to carry his cross. When they arrived at the place called Golgotha, which means "Place of the skull", they gave him wine to drink mixed with gall. He tasted it, but did not want to drink it. After crucifying him, they divided his clothes, casting them by lot. Then, seated, they kept watch over him. Above his head they placed the written reason for his sentence: "This is Jesus, the king of the Jews." Two thieves were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. Those who passed by insulted him, shaking their heads and saying: "You, who destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!". So also the chief priests, with the scribes and the elders, mocking him said: «He has saved others and he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel; now come down from the cross and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; free him now, if he loves him. In fact he said: "I am the Son of God"! ». Even the thieves crucified with him insulted him in the same way. At noon it got dark all over the earth, until three in the afternoon. At about three o'clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice: «Eli, Eli, lemà sabactàni?», Which means: «My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?». Hearing this, some of those present said: "He calls Elijah." And immediately one of them ran to get a sponge, soaked it with vinegar, fixed it on a cane and gave him a drink. The others said, "Leave! Let's see if Elijah comes to save him! ». But Jesus again cried out and emitted the spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, the earth trembled, the rocks broke, the tombs opened and many bodies of saints, who had died, rose again. Leaving the tombs, after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion, and those who were watching over Jesus with him, at the sight of the earthquake and what was happening, were filled with great fear and said: "He really was the Son of God!" There were also many women there, who watched from afar; they had followed Jesus from Galilee to serve him. Among these were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When evening came, a rich man from Arimatea called Joseph arrived; he too had become a disciple of Jesus. The latter came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate then ordered that it be handed over to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean sheet and placed it in his new sepulcher, which had been dug out of the rock; then rolled a large stone at the entrance of the tomb, he went away. There, seated in front of the tomb, were Mary of Magdala and the other Mary. The following day, the day after the Parasceve, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered near Pilate, saying: "Lord, we remembered that the imposter, while he was alive, said:" After three days I will rise again. " He therefore orders that the tomb be kept under guard until the third day, so that his disciples do not arrive, steal it and then say to the people: "He rose from the dead". So this latter imposture would be worse than the first! " Pilate said to them, "You have the guards: go and ensure surveillance as you see fit."
Word of the Lord.

HOMILY
It is at the same time the hour of light and the hour of darkness. The hour of light, since the sacrament of Body and Blood was instituted, and it was said: "I am the bread of life ... All that the Father gives me will come to me: he who comes to me I will not reject ... And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I do not lose anything of what he gave me, but raise him on the last day ". Just as death came from man, so did the resurrection come from man, the world was saved through him. This is the light of the Supper. On the contrary, darkness comes from Judah. Nobody has penetrated his secret. A neighborhood merchant was seen in him who had a small shop, and who could not bear the weight of his vocation. He would embody the drama of human littleness. Or, again, that of a cold and shrewd player with great political ambitions. Lanza del Vasto made him the demonic and dehumanized embodiment of evil. However, none of these figures coincide with that of the Judas of the Gospel. He was a good man, like many others. He was named after the others. He didn't understand what was being done to him, but the others understood it? He was announced by the prophets, and what was to happen happened. Judas was to come, why else how would the scriptures be accomplished? But did his mother breastfeed him to say about him: "It would have been better for that man if he had never been born!"? Peter denied three times, and Judah threw his silver coins, screaming his remorse for betraying a Righteous man. Why did despair prevail over repentance? Judah betrayed, while Peter who denied Christ became the supporting stone of the Church. All that remained for Judas was the rope to hang himself. Why didn't anyone care about Judah's repentance? Jesus called him "friend". Is it really legitimate to think that it was a sad brushstroke of style, so that on the light background, black appeared even more black, and the most repulsive betrayal? On the other hand, if this hypothesis touches on sacrilege, what does it mean then to have called it "friend"? The bitterness of a betrayed person? Yet if Judah was to be there for the scriptures to be fulfilled, what fault did a man condemned for being the son of perdition commit? We will never clarify the mystery of Judah, nor that of remorse that alone cannot change anything. Judas Iscariot will no longer be anyone's "accomplice".