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“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed
at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is
not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into
the dish with me is the one who will betray me.” Matthew
26:21–23
The Last Supper was both a glorious moment of grace and a painful
moment of betrayal. During that meal, Jesus instituted the
Eucharist, the gift of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity that
perpetuates His saving sacrifice until the end of time. It was also
at that holy meal that one of Jesus’ closest companions lied to His
face and resolved to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.
According to the Torah, if an ox killed a slave, the owner was
required to pay the slave’s master thirty pieces of silver. The
holy irony is that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave,
even though Jesus came to set all people free from the slavery of
sin.
When Jesus informs the Twelve that one of them would betray Him, He
does so without anger or self-pity. His words reflect holy sorrow,
accompanied by resignation, clarity, and gentleness. This sorrow is
not merely sadness over His impending suffering but a loving sorrow
for the lost soul of His betrayer. Deeply distressed, the disciples
respond one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”
The Greek word Kyrios, used here for “Lord,” denotes authority,
mastery, and divine lordship. It appears frequently in the New
Testament, primarily in reference to Jesus. In the Greek Old
Testament (the Septuagint), Kyrios replaces YHWH, the sacred and
unspoken name of God, about 7,000 times. By addressing Jesus as
Kyrios, the eleven recognize Him not only as their teacher but as
the Messiah and Son of God. This title expresses a relationship of
trust and reverence, acknowledging Jesus’ divine authority.
When Judas speaks, he replaces Kyrios with Rabbí—“Surely it is not
I, Rabbi?”—a transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic term meaning
“teacher.” While respectful, this address falls short of
acknowledging Jesus as Kyrios, focusing on Him as a human teacher
rather than as Lord, Messiah, and God. This distinction is subtle
but significant, inviting us to reflect on how we approach Jesus
during the Holy Mass, since this conversation took place at the
Last Supper—the first Mass. Do we approach Him with the heart of
Judas, recognizing Him only in an earthly sense, or with the faith
of the other disciples, seeing Him as Lord?
Judas did not hate Jesus. Unlike the Pharisees who sought His
death, Judas regretted his betrayal, tried to return the thirty
pieces of silver, and tragically “went off and hanged himself”
(Matthew 27:3–5). His greatest failure was that he could not look
beyond Jesus’ humanity to perceive His divinity. His eyes were
fixed on himself—particularly his greed and selfish desires. In a
similar way, when we approach the Eucharist without faith,
surrender, and adoration, we risk falling into Judas’ error:
focusing more on ourselves than on Christ.
At Mass, we say, “Lord, have mercy,” not “Rabbi, have mercy.” This
prayer must come from the depths of our hearts, recognizing our
need for mercy with God as its source. When we kneel at the
consecration, our hearts should cry out, “My Lord and my God!” Yet,
how often are we distracted, thinking about our plans after Mass?
When we neglect to approach Jesus in faith and reverence, we miss
the opportunity to encounter Him as He truly is—our Lord and our
God.
Reflect today on how you participate in the Holy Mass. See yourself
at the Last Supper, uniting that moment with every Mass you attend.
Pray that you may receive Jesus with love, devotion, and reverence,
looking beyond the appearance of bread and wine to encounter your
Lord.
My Lord and my God, I believe in You, I adore You, I hope in
Your mercy, and I love You with all my heart. Please fill me with a
deep faith in Your presence, especially every time I attend Mass.
May I recognize my need for You and surrender completely to Your
mercy and love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Bernard van Orley, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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