Tuesday of Holy Week
John 13:21-33, 36-38
“What you are going to do, do quickly.”
When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit. And he bore witness by saying: “Amen, amen, I say to you, that one among you shall betray me.”
Therefore, the disciples looked around at one another, uncertain about whom he spoke. And leaning against the bosom of Jesus was one of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved. Therefore, Simon Peter motioned to this one and said to him, “Who is it that he is speaking about?” And so, leaning against the chest of Jesus, he said to him, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus responded, “It is he to whom I shall extend the dipped bread.”
And when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.
And after the morsel, Satan entered into him. And Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those sitting at table knew why he had said this to him. For some were thinking that, because Judas held the purse, that Jesus had told him, “Buy those things which are needed by us for the feast day,” or that he might give something to the needy.
Therefore, having accepted the morsel, he went out immediately. And it was night. Then, 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, then God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him without delay.
Little children, for a brief while, I am with you. You shall seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go,’ so also I say to you now.
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus responded: “Where I am going, you are not able to follow me now. But you shall follow afterward.” Peter said to him: “Why am I unable to follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!”
Jesus answered him: “You will lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the rooster will not crow, until you deny me three times.”
What do the Fathers say?
St John CHRYSOSTOM. He said, little children; for He did not mean to speak to them, as He had to the Jews. Ye cannot follow Me now, He says, in order to rouse the love of His disciples. For the departure of loved friends kindles all our affection, and especially if they are going to a place where we cannot follow them. He purposely too speaks of His death, as a kind of translation, a happy removal to a place, where mortal bodies do not enter.
ORIGEN. Little children, He says; for their souls were yet in infancy. But these little children, after His death, were made brethren; as before they were little children, they were servants.
ORIGEN. But may there not be a deeper meaning in the words, yet a little while.
After a little while He was not with them. Not because He was not with them according to the flesh, in that He was taken from them, was brought before Pilate, was crucified, descended into hell: but because they all forsook Him, fulfilling His prophecy:
All of you shall be offended because of Me this night.
He was not with them, because He only dwells with those who are worthy of Him. But though they thus wandered from Jesus for a little while, it was only for a little while; they soon sought Him again.
Peter wept bitterly after his denial of Jesus, and by his tears sought Him: and therefore it follows, You shall seek Me, and as I said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot follow Me now.
To seek Jesus, is to seek the Word, wisdom, righteousness, truth, all which is Christ.
To His disciples therefore who wish to follow Him, not in a bodily sense, but in the way He ordains, (Whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple) Our Lord says Where I am going you cannot follow Me now.
For although they wished to follow the Word, and to confess Him, they were not yet strong enough to do so; The Spirit was not yet given to them, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
St AUGUSTINE. Or He means that they were not yet fit to follow Him to death for righteousness’ sake. For how could they, when they were not ripe for martyrdom? Or how could they follow our Lord to immortality, they who were to die, and not to rise again until the end of the world? Or how could they follow Him to the bosom of the Father, when none could partake of that felicity, but they whose love was perfected?
When He told the Jews this, He did not add now. But the disciples, though they could not follow Him then, would be able to do so afterwards.