The only apostle wide awake on Holy Thursday night, sadly, was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus (Jn 18:3). All the other apostles with Jesus during His agony in the garden were sound asleep and could not keep their eyes open (Lk 22:45). Jesus said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Wake up, and pray that you may not be subjected to the trial" (Lk 22:46). But they were sound asleep, even while the cohort of several hundred soldiers approached the garden unnoticed by all except Jesus. He knew they were coming to arrest Him, but refused to flee from the extreme danger for love of us all. Meanwhile, Judas was wide awake, but in opposition to Jesus, not in service of Him.
How would a journalist record our own activity this Triduum? Are we asleep or unable to keep our eyes open and fixed on Jesus? (cf Heb 3:1) Are we keeping our eyes open, looking for an opportunity to sin or to betray Jesus? Or are we part of the crowd, oblivious to Jesus' sufferings on our behalf?
Though Jesus had three times warned the apostles of His upcoming arrest (Mt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19), they were unprepared when the soldiers appeared in the garden. Those against Jesus were wide awake and on the job. Those for Jesus, by comparison, were asleep or sluggish. No wonder Jesus told parables about His servants needing to always be ready, vigilant and alert! "The moral is: keep your eyes open, for you know not the day or the hour" (Mt 25:13).
| PRAYER: | Lord, help us to be alert and prepared, always ready to open when You knock on the door of our hearts (Mt 25:6; Rv 3:20). |
| PROMISE: | "By His stripes we were healed." –Is 53:5 |
| PRAISE: | (none) |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College