The revelation of the passion of Christ

ON Holy Tuesday, Jesus started to reveal the mystery of his saving passion. The gospel reading from the book of St. John narrates how Jesus told Peter and the other disciples: “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, Simon Peter, was reclining at His side, asked: “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” He dipped the morsel and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. Jesus then said to Him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” None of those reclining at the 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.” “Give something to the poor.” Judas left at once, it was night. When he had left, Jesus said to the disciples who were left in the room, “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 one. I will be with you only a little while longer. You will 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 I not 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.”

This shows how deep the love of the Lord is, despite the act of betraying him by those whom he loved the most, He shows how infinite is his love and mercy. As we go along our Lenten pilgrimage, let us follow the perfect example of Jesus.