lenten blog | April 1, 2026

Holy Wednesday

Throughout the year, the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ reproduces the Daily Lectionary for use by churches.  These are the suggested readings for April 1st:  Psalm 70; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Hebrews 12:1-3; and John 13:21-32.  I would encourage you to read these short selections as part of your Lenten practice.

Today is the colloquial April Fool’s Day.  It’s so familiar it is printed on my calendar along with other more formal April observances such as Passover and Easter.  The origins of April Fool’s Day are uncertain, which seems appropriate for such an observance.  The one that makes the most sense to me is that when France switched officially from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1564, it moved New Year's Day from late March/early April to January 1st.  Those who continued celebrating the new year at its old Spring date were mocked as “April Fools” because they were unwilling to accept change.

Today’s Gospel passage seems strange to me.  A troubled Jesus reveals to His closest followers that one of them will betray Him.  This is disturbing even to Jesus.  These are the people who were close-by throughout Jesus’ three-year ministry.  [John’s three Passovers are the basis for this teaching:  2:13; 6:4; and 12:1.]  They have witnessed all of Jesus’ “signs.”  They have heard His preaching and teaching.  That one among them would betray Him is heart-breaking.

The reaction of the Twelve is bewilderment.  Peter encourages the Beloved Disciple to ask Jesus who the betrayer is, and Jesus gives a direct response:  “‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish,’” and then Jesus gives the bread to Judas.  Jesus has outed the betrayer.  There is no obfuscation.  It is Judas.  Then, just in case this was not clear enough, Jesus lets Judas know that his plans are known:  “‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’”  And Judas retreats immediately into the night, into the darkness.

One would have to assume that by this time the Beloved Disciple has let the others know what Jesus had revealed to him.  So why the confusion?  Why is that “no one knew why [Jesus] said this to [Judas].  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.”  This seems strange to me.

I wonder on this April Fool’s Day if the disciples were blinded to the obvious because they chose not to believe.  Like those 16th century people of France who chose not to change when the world around them did and were named April Fools, are the disciples choosing not to accept the change that will rupture their community?  Is it so unthinkable that it is literally un-thinkable? 

Won’t this continue when the remaining disciples cannot receive Jesus’ revelation that with His betrayal by Judas and the inevitable crucifixion and death that will follow, rather than defeat, Jesus can say, “‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.’”?  Isn’t this a lesson for all believers that Jesus, especially a crucified Jesus, will challenge our expectations, will challenge what we want to believe, and will confront us with an unexpected reality?  Holy Week is a time to face our assumptions and to reexamine in a deeper fashion, every year, what it means for each of us to believe in and be guided by a crucified Saviour.

If you would like to join us for our online Bible study, please send an email to [email protected] for the Zoom logins.
​
If you’d like, here is the link to the Southern New England Conference’s daily reading schedule:  www.sneucc.org/lectionary.