For a more enriching experience,
go down on your knees to pray or take it one step further
and prostrate yourself (lay face down) on the floor while praying.
Father, today's reading serves as a strong reminder of how easily and quickly it is to fall away from You. As corrupt as Judas was, it is easy to assume that he would consciously and deliberately choose the dark path. That was to be expected. Peter on the other hand was well aware of who Jesus was and had strong faith and loyalty. Still, in a moment of weakness and impulse, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus at all. Even so, at the moment of Peter's denial, he knew what he had done and suffered greatly. Peter wore his heart on his sleeve and often reacted impulsively without thinking, like when he cut off the centurion's ear. Jesus reminded him at that time that one who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.
This reading has really made me sit and ponder just how easy it is to stray off my Spiritual Progression Path ™ . If it can happen to Peter, it can happen to anyone, including me. I can expect someone like Judas to stray, but Peter? Betrayal is a strange thing. It had to occur in order for the fulfillment of Jesus' mission to take place. I wonder if there could ever be any success over evil forces without the actions of betrayal present. And if that is so, I do not want to be the betrayer on either side and I sure do not want to be 'the Judas'. It's strange how human beings are so tempted even to tell a secret. A tiny little secret manages to slip out of the mouth and shows up as, "Don't tell anyone I told you but . . . " That tiny secret is an act of betrayal. This just goes to show at the tiniest level we humans are tempted by the negative force to betray one another. Every day and all the time we are tempted. And if we are tempted to betray one another, even at the tiniest level, then surely the major goal of the negative force is to ultimately betray You.
Thank You for this wonderful awareness of just how important it is to have Jesus firmly planted in my brain and in front of me at all times. Right smack dab in the middle of my path is where I need to place Him. I now realize that just Loving You makes me a target. Thank You!
Through Jesus Christ's Most Precious Blood, Most Sacred Name and Most Holy Face, I thank You for this awareness. Amen~
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
John 13:21-33, 36-38
21 When Jesus had thus spoken, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke.
23 One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus;
24 so Simon Peter beckoned to Him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom He speaks."
25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it." So when He had dipped the morsel, He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor.
30 So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in Him God is glorified;
32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him at once.
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come."
36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow afterward."
37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You."
38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied Me three times."
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ
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