[0412G] Gospel for Holy Wednesday

John 13:21-32

At supper with his friends, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples-- the one whom Jesus loved-- was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival"; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once."

This Gospel appointed for Holy Wednesday is almost comical.  Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him.  They are greatly upset at this news and wish to know who would do such a thing as this.  Jesus gives in to their request and identifies it as the one to whom he would give the piece of bread in his hand.  He gave it to Judas, and the disciples somehow miss the fact that he had just identified Judas as his betrayer.  Even when Jesus sends Judas out to do what he must do, they still don’t understand.  In the absence of Judas, they wonder no longer at the words of Jesus about betrayal but why Judas, their brother, has so quickly and seemingly inexplicably, has left their presence.  But we might just be too harsh on the disciples by picking on their lack of understanding.  Would we have understood any better if we had been there in this moment?  I want to say yes.  And yet I doubt it greatly.

The Rev’d Father Timothy Alleman, Rector

+   The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross  +  Wilkes-Barre   +