Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me

26 MARCH (Jn 13,21-33.36-38)

The way of living the betrayal attests and reveals the degree of sanctity of a person. Saul, king of Israel, feels betrayed by the priest Ahimelech and orders a massacre of priests. He has eighty-five of them be killed, including Ahimelech. It is an out of proportion and useless revenge, the result of a persistent envy that took the sleep of the king of Israel away. Saul is with no holiness. His hatred, his cruelty, his ferocity and his wickedness attest to it.

So he said to them: “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make each of you an officer over a thousand or a hundred men, that you have all conspired against me and no one tells me that my son has made an agreement with the son of Jesse? None of you shows sympathy for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant to be an enemy against me, as is the case today.” Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with the officers of Saul, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, in Nob. He consulted the Lord for him and gave him supplies, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine as well.” At this the king sent a summons to Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and to all his family who were priests in Nob; and they all came to the king. Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!” He replied, “Yes, my lord.” Saul asked him, “Why did you conspire against me with the son of Jesse by giving him food and a sword and by consulting God for him, that he might rebel against me and become my enemy, as is the case today?” Ahimelech answered the king: “And who among all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your own house? Is this the first time I have consulted God for him? No indeed! Let not the king accuse his servant or anyone in my family of such a thing. Your servant knows nothing at all, great or small, about the whole matter.” But the king said, “You shall die, Ahimelech, with all your family.” The king then commanded his henchmen standing by: “Make the rounds and kill the priests of the Lord, for they assisted David. They knew he was a fugitive and yet failed to inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to lift a hand to strike the priests of the Lord. The king therefore commanded Doeg, “You make the rounds and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went from one to the next and killed the priests himself, slaying on that day eighty-five who wore the linen ephod. Saul also put the priestly city of Nob to the sword, including men and women, children and infants, and oxen, asses and sheep. One son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.” (Cf. 1Sam 22,1-23).

On the contrary, Jesus Christ attests and reveals an infinite holiness. He is free even before the betrayal of Judas. Judah is not threatened, not accused, nor is his name revealed. Jesus says that there is a traitor, but he does not say the name. He invite Judas to do quickly what he intended to do. No one understands, no one knows. The wisdom, knowledge, freedom of Jesus prevents any disputes that may arise among his own. He knows how to operate the greater peace in their hearts. The behaviour of Jesus makes you think and meditate. He knows how to take care of even the smallest details in this divine science which is charity.

When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and (took it and) handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (Now) none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. (If God is glorified in him,) God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you. Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered (him), “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints help us to grow in holiness.