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Gospel Reading for April 30, 2026 – John 13: 16-20
PRIDE
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
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Jesus is our master; he is the one who sends us. If we fail to recognize him as our master, or if we place ourselves above him, we put ourselves in danger. Likewise, if we do not acknowledge him as the one who sends us, we become vulnerable. These are the openings through which the evil one can enter our lives.
At the root of this is PRIDE. When we refuse to recognize Jesus as our master and sender, we place ourselves above him. As St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, PRIDE is the sin from which others flow, because it elevates the self above God and others.
Perhaps, Judas Iscariot thought that, as the “treasurer” of the group, he had the right to use their money as he wished—even to the point of betraying his master.
To recognize Jesus as our master and the one who sends us is to acknowledge that he is above us. And having the Son of God above us is not a burden but a blessing, for he keeps us safe and leads us in truth.
Jesus, Son of God, you are our master and the one who sends us!
