DAY 20 - HOLY TUESDAY

Pray with the Mass Readings from Holy Tuesday Mass

Tuesday of Holy Week

Lectionary: 258

Reading 1

IS 49:1-6

Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 71

R. I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O LORD; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Gospel

Jn 13:21-33,36-38

Reclining at table with his disciples, 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 Judas 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 Judas 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 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.”

Holy Tuesday - Jesus' enemies conspire to kill him

So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” ... So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death.

- John 11:47-50

Following Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Sunday and his cleansing of the temple on Monday, why are the Jewish leaders so adamant that he must be killed? John's Gospel tells us that they feared "the Romans will come and destroy..." Why would do they think that Jesus is going to cause punishment from Rome? It is because they themselves are plotting to overthrow Rome and Jesus, by declaring himself King and with a huge following, is ruining their plans. Immediately after his entry into Jerusalem he goes to the temple and accuses this leadership of turning the temple into a "den of thieves". Theives is one translation. Revolutionaries is more likely an accurate one (Look at those that die at Jesus' side. They most likely aren't theives. You don't get crucified for stealing. Its only reserved for Rome's worst offenders - rebels. They're most likely killed next to Jesus for being apart of this coup. Notice even Jesus' crime is "King of the Jews".) To the Romans, there is only King - Caesar. Any rival must be killed. To the Jews, who are awaiting the return of the Son of David to overthrow Rome, Jesus' message of loving your enemies & a Kingdom of the Meek and Forgiving is most unwelcome. He must be killed. He will ruin it for them all. From the very beginning of the week, they begin to look for a way to execute him. They will find their opportunity when Jesus' own Apostle Judas comes to them.