Wednesday in Holy Week

On this Wednesday in Holy Week, the Gospel reading for the Eucharist is taken from John where we read:

 

At supper with his friends, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples-- the one whom Jesus loved-- was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

 

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.” (Jn. 13:21-32).

 

Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him.  We all know about Judas, but were there others?  All of the disciples were nowhere to be found by Jesus’ side. The only one at the foot of the cross was John, Mary, Jesus’ mother, and some of the other women. 

 

How many times have you and I betrayed Jesus?  How many times have we denied even knowing him, just like Peter, when someone may have ridiculed Christ or a belief in God? My guess is that each and every one of us has betrayed Jesus.

 

Let us pray: Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Holy Week Schedule:

 

         Tonight at 6 PM, The Rule of Life, at Trinity, the Rev. Bob Flick.

 

         Maundy Thursday, 6 PM, foot washing, Eucharist, stripping of the altar.

 

         Good Friday, 12 noon, Good Friday Service.

 

Michael Harvey

A Galveston Island Episcopal Event

All are invited

Tuesday, April 28th

7:00 PM

at St. Augustine of Hippo

(1410 41st Street)

 

Michael Harvey will be joining us on the Island all the way from Great Britain. He is the founder of Back to Church Sunday, a day we have dubbed in the Diocese of Texas as Invitation Sunday. Michael has spoken across 17 countries and 5 continents about the power of invitation and ministry to visitors and newcomers. He has written the book, Unlocking the Growth which addresses the power of invitation and the potential for the church. He has recently been inducted into the College of Evangelists and become a Visiting Fellow of St. John’s College of Durham University. His humorous and engaging presentation style challenges the individual to simply invite others to church. He presented and was enthusiastically received at past Warden and Vestry Conferences, other churches and last year’s clergy conference. He is back by the invitation of Bishop Doyle and we are thrilled to have him with us for this Galveston Island Episcopal Event. You are invited. Invite others to come to this great event!

 

Bigmista & Friends BBQ on Saturday, 2 May.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Susan, Liz, Angela, those in the Middle East.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550