Our Gospel takes us today us to a pivotal moment, an inexorable point events are locked in, and destinies become fixed:
14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, "Is it I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said so." Mat 16:13-25 (ESV)
From the moment of the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve and the works of the flesh supplanted the fruits of the Spirit, treachery became an indelible stain on humanity. Treachery, in its most basic, is defined as a violation of allegiance, or of faith and confidence by Webster. It is carried out in shadows. It occurs through the furtive actions of cowards unable to face the recipients of their actions. In Dante's Inferno, the deepest depths of Hell were reserved for history's worst traitors. But at this moment, this man remembered in infamy is seated at the same table with the Christ of God.
A deep scene is unfolding as Saint John, the beloved disciple of God, hears his Master uncover the conspiracy. Eleven of the Apostles are instantly thrown into a tangle of anxiety while the twelfth was now doubtlessly experiencing a surge of fear and adrenaline as his plan is unmasked and exposed to all. Even the youngest of the band was now enmeshed in self-examination. Jesus would momentarily answer all of their questions.
The sop, a hard piece of unleavened bread softened by wine perhaps, was handed to the man from Kerioth. In the unseen realm of this moment, the sop hit Judas' hand with all of the force of a firing pin striking a primer cap. The Holy Spirit which had once rested upon this man was gone, and Lucifer himself entered him. At once, any fellowship he may have enjoyed with The Christ was irrevocably severed. He was now compelled by the command of God to depart and set his plan into motion.
A deep scene is unfolding as Saint John, the beloved disciple of God, hears his Master uncover the conspiracy. Eleven of the Apostles are instantly thrown into a tangle of anxiety while the twelfth was now doubtlessly experiencing a surge of fear and adrenaline as his plan is unmasked and exposed to all. Even the youngest of the band was now enmeshed in self-examination. Jesus would momentarily answer all of their questions.
The sop, a hard piece of unleavened bread softened by wine perhaps, was handed to the man from Kerioth. In the unseen realm of this moment, the sop hit Judas' hand with all of the force of a firing pin striking a primer cap. The Holy Spirit which had once rested upon this man was gone, and Lucifer himself entered him. At once, any fellowship he may have enjoyed with The Christ was irrevocably severed. He was now compelled by the command of God to depart and set his plan into motion.
Many have offered up theories as to why. Judas did as he did. For now, I won't offer my opinions on that here. Still it is important to remember that there would be two betrayals over the next several hours. Each would have completely different outcomes.
Lent, and Holy Week both compel us to look deep into the mirror. It demands that we too ask, "Is it me Lord?"
Lent, and Holy Week both compel us to look deep into the mirror. It demands that we too ask, "Is it me Lord?"
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