Holy Wednesday, a day of betrayal

HOLY Wednesday recalls the story of Judas betraying Jesus Christ. For many Filipinos, Holy Wednesday is often a quieter day compared to the other days of the Holy Week. For some, this is the time they will head back to their provinces to observe the remaining days of the Holy Week and begin traditional practices such as Visita Iglesia (visiting many churches) or Pabasa, a continuous chanting of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. In the bible, as Jesus sat at the supper table with his disciples, Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus, anointed His head and feet with a costly oil. The disciples were indignant, asking why the oil was not instead sold so that the money could be given to the poor. But Judas Iscariot went to the Sanhedrin and offered to deliver Jesus to them in exchange for money. From this moment on, Judas waited for an opportunity to betray Jesus. The story of Judas' betrayal serves as a moral reminder about the consequences of greed, disloyalty, and the importance of integrity. Msgr. Rolando Dela Cruz, rector of the Manila Cathedral, shared in his homily on Tuesday that, like many of us, Jesus too was betrayed by a friend. "Despite the betrayal, Jesus said there is something positive coming out of it saying the Son of God will be glorified." Dela Cruz asked people to ponder if something similar happened to them, could they see the goodness in such situations. "For one to say that, they must have a very deep faith in the Lord; to say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Because Jesus was able to see the positivity of the betrayal because He had a deep faith in God," he said. "When something tragic happens to us, let us not ask why me? but ask the Lord what His message is," he said.