[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   +

[0411G] Gospel for Holy Tuesday

John 12:20-36

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.

I love this Gospel appointed for Holy Tuesday.  We find certain Greeks who come to a couple of the disciples with the request.  They wish to see Jesus.  John does not tell us if in fact they ever get to see Jesus.

This is an important reading for us as we who are the Church are called to show Jesus both to those who seek him out and those who have no interest in seeing the Christ.  And how do we show Jesus to the world?  Jesus gives us the answer.  We lift high the cross as the sign of life in the midst of death, as Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole in the midst of those who were in need of healing.  The world is in need of healing.  Some know this; others are blind to it.  Jesus was lifted high upon the cross to give the healing that is needed.  The Church lifts high the cross that the world might continue to gaze upon him who is the Lord of Life and life as he lives.

The Rev’d Father Timothy Alleman, Rector

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

[0410G] Gospel for Holy Monday

John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

This is the appointed Gospel for Holy Monday.  There is a lot that one could focus on in this reading.  Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus.  Jesus speaks of this act as a preparation of his body for burial.  It is a beautiful moment in which Mary shows her devotion to her Lord.

Judas is offended by this act.  He attempts to portray his anger as righteous judgment on behalf of the poor.  Note that the Evangelist shows clearly that Judas has no interest in the poor.  Judas is a thief who takes what belongs to all the disciples and uses it for himself.

Jesus gives us a message about the poor that we would do well to hear.  He tells us that we will always have the poor in our midst.  This should not give us explicit permission to simply abandon the poor in the knowledge that poverty will never be wiped out.  It is still important to speak up and to act on behalf of the poor and the voiceless, even if by doing so we only lift up one out of that state of suffering.

In the context of Holy Week, we do well to remember Judas’ offense.  It will be from this moment that he becomes the betrayer whom we will find later in the Gospel and in this holiest of weeks.  We should be mindful of this not only as it is a portion of the Gospel, but also in order that we might always seek to avoid being offended by the words and presence of Christ our Lord and God.

The Rev’d Father Timothy Alleman, Rector

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

[0412L] Lesson for Holy Wednesday

Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?

This Old Testament lesson appointed for Holy Wednesday picks up the theme of the previous day’s appointed reading from the previous chapter of Isaiah.  In this reading we hear the prophet acknowledging that God has given him the tongue of a teacher who shares a message not in his own name but rather in the name of God, as if spoken directly by God.  In the Gospel, especially in the Passion of Christ, we find Jesus embracing this prophesy.  With the prophet and the Christ held before us, this lesson calls us to embrace this truth for ourselves.  God has given us a tongue to proclaim the Gospel, to make Christ known to all people, that the whole world might hear the Word of God and live.  None can silence us!  Christ is our strength.  Therefore we can speak boldly, both in season and out of season, to those who long to hear as well as among those who believe that we are madmen rambling mere foolishness.

The Rev’d Father Timothy Alleman, Rector

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