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Gospel Reading for April 16, 2025 – Matthew 26: 14-25
VERY CHEAP PRICE
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, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 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.”‘The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 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.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
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Thirty pieces of silver . . .
There are biblical scholars who suggest that a single piece of silver would be roughly the equivalent of the daily wage of a working man or about US$120 in our times. If their estimate is correct, 30 working days would be the value of Jesus’ life or roughly US$3,600.00/ PhP205,000.00. They valued the life of the Son of God at a VERY CHEAP PRICE because they had misplaced values. They prioritized worldly or temporal concerns over spiritual or eternal truths. Their priorities were in the wrong order, often giving more importance to material possessions and external validation instead of values that have deeper meaning and purpose.
No matter how cheap people may think of us, we have to remember that in the heavenly realm, what is of utmost importance is a life that is lived according to the giver of Life, because it is sure to go back to him.
Lord Jesus, teach us to put our priorities in the right order by following your precepts!
