Daily Readings - Tue Mar 27 2018

First Reading - Isaiah 49.1-6

¹Pay attention, you islands, and listen closely, you far away peoples. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the womb of my mother, he has been mindful of my name²And he has appointed my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand, he has protected me. And he has appointed me as an elect arrow. In his quiver, he has hidden me³And he has said to me: "You are my servant, Israel. For in you, I will glory.⁴And I said: "I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with my God.⁵And now, says the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his servant, so that I may bring back Jacob to him, for Israel will not be gathered together, but I have been glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength⁶and so he has said: "It is a small thing that you should be my servant so as to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and so as to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have offered you as a light for the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation, even to the furthest regions of the earth.

Gospel - John 13.21-33, 36-38

John

Chapter 13

²¹When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit. And he bore witness by saying: "Amen, amen, I say to you, that one among you shall betray me.²²Therefore, the disciples looked around at one another, uncertain about whom he spoke²³And leaning against the bosom of Jesus was one of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved²⁴Therefore, Simon Peter motioned to this one and said to him, "Who is it that he is speaking about?²⁵And so, leaning against the chest of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is it?²⁶Jesus responded, "It is he to whom I shall extend the dipped bread." And when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon²⁷And after the morsel, Satan entered into him. And Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly.²⁸Now none of those sitting at table knew why he had said this to him²⁹For some were thinking that, because Judas held the purse, that Jesus had told him, "Buy those things which are needed by us for the feast day," or that he might give something to the needy³⁰Therefore, having accepted the morsel, he went out immediately. And it was night³¹Then, when he had gone out, Jesus said: "Now the Son of man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him³²If God has been glorified in him, then God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him without delay³³Little sons, for a brief while, I am with you. You shall seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go,’ so also I say to you now³⁶Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus responded: "Where I am going, you are not able to follow me now. But you shall follow afterward.³⁷Peter said to him: "Why am I unable to follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!³⁸Jesus answered him: "You will lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the rooster will not crow, until you deny me three times.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of service, betrayal, and trust in God’s plan. The first reading from Isaiah presents the figure of the suffering servant, who, despite feeling that his efforts are in vain, is reminded by God that his mission extends far beyond Israel to the Gentiles. This servant’s journey is marked by trust in God’s providence, even when the results of his labor are not immediately apparent. In the Gospel, we find Jesus at the Last Supper, predicting his betrayal by Judas and Peter’s denial. These moments of sorrow and failure are set against the backdrop of Jesus’ unwavering commitment to his mission, even as he faces the darkness of rejection and abandonment. The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on the challenges inherent in serving God’s will. Isaiah’s servant and Jesus both experience moments of doubt and discouragement, yet they remain steadfast in their trust in God. For the servant, this trust leads to the realization that his mission is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations. For Jesus, it leads to the ultimate act of self-giving love, even in the face of betrayal. These stories remind us that our own journeys of faith are not immune to setbacks, but it is precisely in these moments that we are called to deepen our trust in God’s plan. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are invited to reflect on how we respond to failure and discouragement. Like the servant in Isaiah, we may feel that our efforts are in vain, but God assures us that our work has meaning beyond what we can see. Like Peter, we may falter in our resolve, but Jesus calls us to follow him even in our weakness. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not measured by our successes but by our willingness to trust in God’s providence, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. Let us, therefore, embrace the challenges of our own mission, knowing that God’s glory is revealed not in our achievements but in our fidelity to his will.