Newton Basumatari csc –
Readings: Is 49: 1-6; Jn 13: 21-33, 36-38
During this Holy week, we are invited to reflect on God’s love which is manifested in the person of Christ. Jesus reminds us of God’s love through his passion, death, and resurrection and by meditating on this event we are called to reproduce Christ in our day to day to life. In the first reading, we hear about the call of Isaiah to proclaim God’s love to the people and to foretell that his love would be manifested in his Son. He would bring salvation to all mankind and would become the light for the world.
The Gospel presents to us two important characters in the persons of Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot. Both had encountered Christ and had witnessed him in his public ministry. Both betrayed Jesus, whereas Peter felt sorry and repented, Judas felt guilty and was ashamed to return to God. Whereas Peter experience God’s love and mercy and became an ardent bearer of the good news, Judas fell short of the love and mercy of God.
Very often we too betrayed and denied Jesus by our sin and sinful tendencies. Like Peter, we need to return to the Lord in order to experience his love and mercy. During this holy week let us return to God and reflect on his merciful love and kindness.