No one can have two masters…
(c)Mary TV 2017 April 16, 2019Tuesday of Holy Week Dear Family of Mary! The Gospel for today begins with these lines: Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (Jn 13: 21-27) Jesus reveals to His disciples His betrayer. It was hard for them to believe. Somehow, they hadn’t recognized how far Judas had drifted from their fellowship. He was following another God, Mammon. And as Jesus had said in the Sermon on the Mount, you cannot serve God and Mammon. God is One. “No one can serve two masters…” ( Mt 6: 24) I wonder if Our Lady ever tried to help Judas during the days of Jesus’ public ministry. She surely saw the danger he was in. As I read her Message of April 2, 2019, it seemed to me that she could have said these words to him, hoping he would draw closer to Jesus and not leave the fold. Maybe we can read them now and allow her to draw us in to the embrace of her Son, where we will be safe. For Jesus is our God. He is all we need. We never want to betray Him. Not ever. “Dear children, as a mother who knows her children, I know that you are crying out for my Son. I know that you are crying out for truth, for peace, for that which is pure and not deceptive. That is why I, as a mother, through the love of God, am addressing you and calling you that, by prayer and a pure and open heart within yourselves, you may come to know my Son – His love, His merciful heart. “My Son saw beauty in all things. He seeks the good in all souls-even that which is little and hidden-so as to forgive evil. Therefore, my children, apostles of my love, I am calling you to adore Him, to ceaselessly give Him thanks, and to be worthy. Because He has spoken to you divine words, the words of God, the words which are for all and forever. “Therefore, my children, live joy, radiance, unity and mutual love. This is what you need in today’s world. In this way you will be apostles of my love. In this way you will witness my Son in the right way. Thank you” (April 2, 2019) We can imagine Jesus seeing the good in Judas’ soul, even that which is little and hidden. Jesus would work hard to forgive evil, to change to the good even the hardest heart. But in the end, we must choose. May we always listen to Our Lady’s words. She is with us to help us to choose Jesus! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!Cathy Nolan©Mary TV 2019 PS. Please pray for the faithful in France, in the wake of the terrible fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. We ask the Lord to quench the flames and bring a restoration of this beautiful Cathedral, and new life to the Church in France.