Gospel Reading of the Day
From the holy Gospel according to
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| JUDAS ACCEPTING 30 PIECES OF SILVER. Image from sabbathsermons.com |
One of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, [14-15]
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And while they were eating, [Jesus] said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." [21]
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Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so." [25]
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
Personal Reflection on the Reading
Sharing for the Day
"You have said so." Judas already made a mistake by selling the Lord for a slave's price and yet he still had the courage to ask like the others if it was him who will betray the Lord. Of course, he must have thought that if he doesn't ask the Lord, the others might think that he is guilty when in fact he was.
When we are bothered by our conscience because we have done or are planning to do something that is inconsistent with our faith, hope and charity, or perhaps, attempting to omit or have already omitted doing something good, do we not try reasoning out?
Many times in our lives we still try to look or feel innocent even if we are guilty of something. We try to drown the voice of God within us which tells us that we ought to do good, and avoid evil. Many times we try to look and feel innocent by charging ourselves but with the real intention of diverting attention away from us!
We try to reason out with ourselves even if no one is charging us of wrongdoing. It is because God has given us our conscience to be a guide in life. But we can only be guided by our conscience if we educate and form it in accordance with the truth and with the ultimate end of man, God's goodness.
If you already fail to hear that voice within you even when you actually know that you have done evil or avoided doing good, then you have successfully shut your conscience down. And you'd never know that you're in such a terrible condition already!
Application of the Message
[1] Prayer
Pray that you may have a clear conscience to guide you properly in life.
[2] Abstinence
Abstain from something that leads you to shut down your conscience.
[3] Almsgiving
What can you share today so that you may inspire someone to educate and form his or her conscience?
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