First Reading

Reading from the book of Isaiah

Isaiah 49:1-6

Listen to me, islands;
distant peoples, pay attention to me.
The Lord called me from my mother’s womb;
when I was still in my mother’s womb,
he pronounced my name.

He made my mouth a sharp sword,
hid me in the shadow of his hand,
made me a sharpened arrow,
kept me in his quiver and said to me:
«You are my servant, Israel;
in you I will manifest my glory.»
Then I thought: «In vain I have wearied myself,
uselessly I have spent my strength;
in reality my cause was in the hands of the Lord,
my reward was with my God.»

Now the Lord speaks,
he who formed me from my mother’s womb
to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel around him
–so much did the Lord honor me
and my God was my strength–.
Now, therefore, says the Lord:
«It is too little for you to be my servant
only to restore the tribes of Jacob
and gather the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
so that my salvation may reach
to the ends of the earth.»

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint John

John 13:21-33, 36-38

At that time, when Jesus was at table with his disciples, he was deeply troubled and testified, «I tell you solemnly, one of you will betray me.» The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to whom he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. Simon Peter nodded to him to ask, «Who is it of whom he speaks?» So he leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, «Lord, 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.

Jesus said to him, «What you are going to do, do quickly.» But none of the diners knew why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, «Buy what we need for the feast,» or to give something to the poor. Judas took the morsel and left at once. It was night.

When Judas had left, Jesus said, «Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.

My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ » Simon Peter said to him, «Lord, where are you going?» Jesus answered, «Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; you will follow later.» Peter said to him, «Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.» Jesus answered, «Will you lay down your life for me? I tell you solemnly, the cock will not crow before you have denied me three times.»