The Role to Play

We all have a role to play, a purpose in life.

14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,[a] went to the chief priests 15 [b]and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, 16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,[c] the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 [d]He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” 19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”[e] 22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 [f]The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” 25 [g]Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

Every story has a villain, a hero, a climax, a turning point, a beginning, an end, a twist, etc. In our present reality, we do not want to be the 'Judas Iscariot' of the group. As I read the gospel reading, I cannot help but wonder if Judas' role is really the villain through and through. After all even Jesus said, "... but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Is Judas meant to be doomed even before his birth, then? It is true that Jesus is Love and He is an overflowing river of mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Surely, there is room for forgiveness for Judas. However, because of despair, lacking in trust and faith, and guilt, Judas opted to kill himself rather than face Jesus. Perhaps Judas was afraid that he will not be forgiven. But then again, isn't it true that Jesus never condemns, never judges, always forgives, heals and gives many chances? If there is an alternative ending for Judas, I would like that he did not kill himself. I would have wanted that he asked for forgiveness, mercy and compassion, and that Jesus gave it to Him. His story will definitely be very remarkable, if it is the case. A perfect story for those who are wondering if there is forgiveness for those who sincerely ask for one despite one's sinfulness. The choice is ours if we want to take the road to destruction or the road to redemption. Jesus does not condemn. Despite knowing the plan of Judas, never did Jesus say in the group that the former is plotting evil against Him. This is a proof that Jesus continues to knock in all our hearts, and will never condemn. What will our choice be?

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God's Precious Gift

Love one another.

21 When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. 23 One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,[a] was reclining at Jesus’ side. 24 So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. 25 He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel[b] after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and [took it and] handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. 27 After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 [Now] none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. 29 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. 30 So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.31 [c]When he had left, Jesus said,[d] “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 [If God is glorified in him,] God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. 33 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. 34 I give you a new commandment:[e] love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”36 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.” 37 Peter said to him, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 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.”-John13:21-38

Always the will of God is stronger than human reason. If I were at the Last Supper, and it seems to me that Jesus is implying that Judas will betray Him, I would have said, "Judas, what are you planning to do?! Are you going to betray the Master?!" I think it is a normal reaction. But strangely, no one realized what's going on. Perhaps Judas is not 100% confident of what he's about to do. But God's will will happen. It may be illogical or even foolish or contrary to our will, but God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. His will is stronger than anything. As what St. Paul said, "The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. But, Jesus' death is not a loss or failure, rather, it is God's biggest triumph ever. With Jesus' death, comes Resurrection and salvation. Jesus is sharing His life's victory to us despite our sins and shortcomings. Once, there is no hope for us. But after Jesus, the promise of eternal life and happiness with Him in Paradise is once more given to humankind.

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Love and Charity

Love is never costly.

1 [a]Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. 3 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus[b] and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, 5 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages[c] and given to the poor?” 6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.[d] 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”9 [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, 11 because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.-John12:1-11

Here, Mary showed the highest form of love - anointing the feet of Jesus and drying them with her hair. This humble act can truly touch any person. However, if Jesus and so many others are moved with this gesture, there is one who thought that such an act is a waste. Yes, we all have that tendency as well. I remember the "Ghost" movie. In the middle of the story, Oda came in possession of $4 million through the guidance of Sam, the ghost. Of course, she was very happy and planned the many things she would do with the money. However, since the money belonged to Sam, he told her to give it all to the nuns on the street. Perhaps Oda felt that giving $4 million to charity is a waste because she herself is in need of money too.

Love can be painful. Charity can be painful. Giving can be impractical. The little that we give is but nothing compared to the love, sacrifice and pain Jesus endured to save us all. Jesus is inviting us to love God and our neighbor more and more.

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The Passion

Jesus suffered and died to save us all.

... 6 Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. 7 A man called Barabbas[v] was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. 8 The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. 9 Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what [do you want] me to do with [the man you call] the king of the Jews?” 13 [w]They shouted again, “Crucify him.” 14 Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.” 15 [x]So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.16 [y]The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. 17 They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. 18 They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.22 They brought him to the place of Golgotha (which is translated Place of the Skull). 23 They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 [aa]Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning[ab] when they crucified him. 26 [ac]The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. [28 ][ad] 29 [ae]Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself by coming down from the cross.” 31 Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. 33 At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”[af] which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 [ag]Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” 36 One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” 37 Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 [ah]The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 [ai]When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”...-Mark14:1-15:47

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Jesus is inviting us to accompany Him in His last days in Jerusalem by meditating on His way to Calvary, death and Resurrection. We have our own share of sufferings. We have our own Calvary too. Jesus shares His victory to us all that we too may triumph with life's struggles.

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Gathers us All

Jesus gathers us all to Him.

45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come[a] and take away both our land and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year,[b] said to them, “You know nothing, 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.[c] 53 So from that day on they planned to kill him.54 So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim,[d] and there he remained with his disciples.55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify[e] themselves. 56 They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?” 57 For the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should inform them, so that they might arrest him.-John11:45-57

As I reflected, I believe that 'salvation' [indirectly mentioned] here and 'to gather into one the dispersed children of God' are accomplished by Jesus's death despite the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The salvation ["... so that the whole nation may not perish"] came in a different form - eternal life with God in Paradise. We may die here on earth, but our spirit will continue to live in God's dwelling place because Jesus' death opened the gates of Paradise for mankind once more. In fact, Jesus is the first of mankind to enter Heaven when He brought with Him our humanity when He resurrected and ascended to where He came from. Jesus still gathers us through the Catholic Church. All Roman Catholic Churches and chapels around the world speak, move and act as one. Same liturgy, same practice, same tradition, same sacrament, etc. I have nothing against the other Christian religions, in fact, I respect them too. However, because each of these Christian churches can interpret the Scriptures on their own, many men and women found churches of their own according to their interpretation and preference. But the question is, is human wisdom and judgment correct all the time?

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Fullness of Life

Believe the works of Jesus.

31 The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 [a]Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated[b] and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 41 Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign,[c] but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.-John10:31-42

As I shared in my previous reflection, the people cannot easily accept Jesus because they are not open to Him and their hearts are hardened all along. Today, Jesus is encouraging these people to believe His works. If Jesus' words are difficult to accept, at least believe in His works.

Truly it is difficult to accept some people easily especially if they do not conform to our expectations and standards. Sometimes, both good words and works are dumped simply because it came from an unlikely person. Or, are dumped and trashed simply because it is not in accordance to what we really want all along. Good Reasoning slowly fades as people prefer Practical Reasoning that easily bends according a person's preference. "Why suffer if you can have an easier way out," some people say. Jesus is inviting us to listen to His truth. The truth and the fullness of life can only be found in Him and through Him.

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Jesus is knocking in our hearts

Jesus is I AM.

51 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52 [So] the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham,[a] who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it[b] and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”[c] 58 [d]Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.-John8:51-59

As I read the gospel reading and as I put myself in the shoes of the people during Jesus' time, in some way I understand how they feel. Jesus speaks the truth of His identity, but it is difficult to understand. It is difficult to understand because the people cannot accept it. The people cannot accept it because their hearts are closed all along. Today, the Church continues to battle the close and hardened hearts of some people. Many people today like to accomplish things instantly. Instant coffee, instant laundry, instant cooking, instant money, etc. When things go wrong, these people want to end it instantly as well. Few seem to care to the marriage vows of "... for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and health, till death do us part." Now, if it's worse, poverty or sickness, a husband or wife can walk away from their marriage by justifying themselves that they are not happy anymore, so why stick in an unhappy union? Jesus continues to knock in our hearts. Jesus continues to put His faith in us that we will open our heart, mind and soul to Him. Instant doesn't mean the right answer to all our troubles. Listening to Jesus and letting Him guide us will make life happier and better.

Image courtesy: St. Tekla