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Gospel Reading for March 31, 2026 – John 13: 21-33, 36-38
DEEPLY WOUNDED
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.”
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How could Jesus not be deeply troubled, knowing what was about to happen to Him? What could be more painful than being betrayed by a disciple who had walked closely with him—sold for thirty pieces of silver? Or being left alone in his agony in the garden, when those he asked to keep watch and pray instead fell asleep? What could be more heartbreaking than seeing nearly all his disciples—except John—flee in fear, leaving him to suffer almost entirely alone on the cross? Even Peter, to whom he entrusted the foundation of his Church, would deny Him three times. And the very people he had served, healed, and loved would cry out for his crucifixion.
If we place ourselves in Jesus’ position, we begin to see that he was not only deeply troubled—He was DEEPLY WOUNDED. There is a profound pain in facing suffering and death in near solitude, abandoned by those closest to you.
And yet, how often are we like the crowd that shouted, “Crucify Him!”? Each time we turn a blind eye to victims of war and violence, each time we tolerate or excuse the abuse of the innocent—especially children, each time others suffer because of our corruption or indifference—we echo that same cry.
Lord, grant us the grace to remain faithful and loyal to you until the end of our lives on earth!
