HOLY WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY HOLY WEEK 2020

Holy Week is moving on, it seems at quite a pace, and I wonder how Jesus felt as the days passed.

In the last week of his life Jesus had to face terrible suffering, but perhaps the hardest experience was to be betrayed by his friends.

It is often those who are closest to us who have the greatest capacity to hurt us.

Judas is remembered for his great betrayal, but others betrayed Jesus too.

And sometimes as we look on we catch a wee glimpse of ourselves.

On Wednesday of Holy Week, we recognize our own fears and our own capacity to hurt others.

“Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper,

When a woman came to him with a bottle of fragrant oil which was very costly;

As he sat at table, she began to pour it over his head.

One of the disciples objected.....................

Later, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.

When they heard what he had come for, they were greatly pleased.

It is so hard to understand why Judas betrayed Jesus, what were his motives?

Was it money..........the thirty pieces of silver?

Was it power...........wanting to be on the winning side and not be caught with the losers?

Or did Judas feel that he could force Jesus’ hand, and begin the rebellion?

In the end motives don’t really matter, the betrayal takes place.

Of, course Judas is not the only one who betrays Jesus. All the disciples let him down, filled with fear they run away, and Peter denies even knowing him.

It is fear that is behind most of their betrayal on that fateful evening

.

Fear can bring out the worst in us.

It can undermine our confidence, our best selves, and leave us in ways we deeply regret.

And so, halfway through this week, we have an opportunity to reflect on times we have hurt others and to ask forgiveness, but also to think of times when we have been hurt and to offer forgiveness.

If we feel it’s too hard, then we just look to the Lord..........who models forgiveness for us and to us.

A prayer,

Lord Jesus, you know our deepest fears and hurts,

Our darkest secrets, our least attractive traits.

Yet, you choose to trust us and love us.

You choose to see the best we can be.

Help us to face our hurts and fears and trust you with them.

Help us and others to inhabit the best of ourselves, and to live up to your confidence in us.

And, when we do fail, when we do betray ourselves and others,

Forgive us and help us start again.

Amen.

Walk on in humble faith.