Daily Catholic Lectio
Wed, 16 April ‘25
Wednesday of the Holy Week
Isaiah 50:4-9. Matthew 26:14-25
“Surely Not I, Rabbi?”
Silence, Betrayal, and the Unshakeable Trust of the Servant
1. “I gave my back… I did not hide my face” – The Servant’s Surrender (Isaiah 50:4–9a)
The Suffering Servant is obedient and courageous. He listens each morning and does not resist suffering. His strength lies not in escaping trials, but in trusting the One who vindicates him: “The Lord God helps me.”
Do I surrender my struggles to God, trusting that He will defend and uphold me?
2. “Zeal for your house consumes me” – The Prayer of the Persecuted (Psalm 69)
This psalm expresses the anguish of one who suffers unjustly for God’s sake. It prefigures Christ, who bore insults, rejection, and betrayal. Yet even in pain, the psalmist clings to hope: “In your great mercy, answer me, O God.”
When misunderstood or rejected, do I turn to God in trust—or do I retaliate or withdraw?
3. “One of you will betray me” – The Darkness of the Heart (Matthew 26:14–25)
At the Last Supper, Jesus reveals, “One of you will betray me.” One by one, the disciples ask with sorrow, “Surely not I, Lord?”—an expression of humility and relationship. But when it is Judas’ turn, he asks, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He does not say “Lord,” but “Teacher.”
This subtle shift reveals a deeper truth: while others still saw Jesus as Lord, Judas had already distanced his heart. His betrayal began not with silver, but with a shift in relationship.
Is Jesus truly the Lord of my life—or only a teacher among others? Have I allowed any distance to grow between His heart and mine?
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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