Reflection for Wednesday of Holy Week in Covid-19 Land, 2020

The Reading

John 13:21-32 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

²¹ After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. ²³ One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; ²⁴ Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. ²⁵ So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”^[a] So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.^{[b] 27} After he received the piece of bread,^[c] Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” ²⁸ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

Reflection

Who was Judas Iscariot?

What did he actually do and what motivated him to do it?

There is a lot of debate about that.

Did Judas betray Jesus, or organise to hand him over?

The Greek word can be and is translated either way.

They kind of sound the same but can have very different meanings.

And why did he do it?

Certainly, John describes Judas as a deeply flawed and sinful person, driven by greed.

It would appear John thinks Judas should never have been a disciple in the first place.

Bad choice Jesus!

Others see Judas as more complex

-         A true disciple who slowly became disenchanted with the whole thing

-         A revolutionary who by betraying Jesus wanted to provoke an armed uprising

-         A disciple who was deeply concerned about where the support for Jesus was going and wanted to prevent an armed uprising like the one that came thirty years later and led to the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, the Jewish homeland.

In all these we see a man who acted with what he thought were the best intentions and was then overwhelmed by guilt and grief.

There is one last interpretation of Judas among some authors and scholars.

It was the interpretation that was portrayed in the Last Temptation of Christ, that came out a very long time ago.

In this movie Judas was the only disciple that both understood what Jesus was talking about, and who loved him enough to go beyond his own fears to hand Jesus over,

-         not betray,

so that all that Jesus had talked about and the divine plan could be fulfilled.

Because only when Jesus is handed over can the power of death and evil in the world be broken,

-         and humanity be reminded of wo we are

-         be freed to live in Divine Love.

It is a really interesting way of understanding Judas.

I wonder how you understand Judas and why he did what he did?

However we understand him,

at the end he was overcome with guilt and remorse,

and could see no way out.

He was not at the cross to hear Jesus say “father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

I believe that despite how we understand Judas, he was forgiven

Because we are all forgiven

As Paul says, as our prayer book repeats

“God’s love is shown to us

While we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us”

Nothing can separate us from that love.

In that love we are forgiven

We do nothing to earn or deserve that love or forgiveness

That is what the Jesus story is about

In part – reminding us that we are loved and forgiven

Invite us to live out of that love

Rather than guilt

We began this week on Monday with the story of Mary.

I suspect that many of us would like to be like Mary.

-         Trusting,

-         loyal,

-         passionate,

-         ready to step outside of social conventions in our desire to serve Jesus.

And at times we are.

But we are also like Judas, however we understand Judas.

Like all the disciples who so often got it wrong

Who at the end fled, denied, hid.

We too are complex.

Sometimes getting it right.

Sometimes with the best of intentions we get it really wrong.

And sometimes we just plan get it wrong.

And like Judas, we are forgiven

Every time and always forgiven

And invited to learn and live into that love and forgiveness

If we were having this reflection as normal in church at our evening reflection, we would be offering a time of sacramental confession.

A time to remember that we are forgiven.

 We can’t do that this year, which is fine.

Instead I invite you at some point this day

to take a piece of bread,

and as you hold it in your hand

to place yourself at that last meal.

As you hold that bread what are the areas of your life you need to know God’s forgiveness

Pray about that

And when you are ready

Symbolically receive the bread from Jesus and eat it

As you eat

Hear the words of absolution

God forgives you

Forgive others

Forgive yourself

Most High and glorious God,

enlighten the darkness of our hearts

and give us a true faith,

a certain hope and a perfect love.

Give us a sense of the divine

and knowledge of yourself

so that we may do everything

in fulfilment of your holy will;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Prayer before the crucifix, Francis of Assisi