The temptation and capitulation to sin has now led Judas to a moment of action. As he betrays Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we recall how all sin leads us ultimately away from God and one another.
When David’s son, Absalom, leads a rebellion against the king, David flees for his life and reveals his humility in the face of betrayal within his own family.
In the darkness of night Judas departs from the Last Supper to betray Jesus while Peter boasts that he will die for the Lord. This is the hour that the light of Christ will shine, inspiring us to look into our hearts and repent of our sins before the one who gives his life for our salvation.
We see the spiritual battle within Judas as he prepares to betray the Lord, yet we recall that there is a fight for good and evil within our own hearts as well. May we acknowledge this struggle and steadfastly turn to Christ – our friend and ally – to win the war.
The Passover meal is prepared, the disciples are gathered around Jesus, and with sorrow the Lord announces that a betrayer is in their midst. The point? There is no spin or sugar coating salvation history as we embark on the Sacred Triduum. For in the midst of human darkness and sin, the Son of God will shine the light of grace upon our world.
We discover in the Gospel of John of the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. This is a dark hour in the history of our salvation, and it underscores the consequences of our actions and our reliance on God’s infinite grace.
In the heart of the Last Supper we see two clear examples of human weakness. Both Judas and Peter will betray Jesus, and their examples offer us two different responses to sin. Which option will we choose?
The Lord – who knows that the agony of the Cross is coming – tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. As we now prepare to embark into the Sacred Triduum of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection, may we acknowledge our sins and receive the mercy of the Lord.
The situation is intense at the Last Supper as Judas prepares to betray Jesus, and Peter’s boast is met with the foreshadowing that he will deny Christ three times. As we prepare for the Sacred Triduum we pause to reflect on the moments when we have betrayed or denied the Lord, asking God for mercy when we have sinned.
“What will you give me?” is the question asked by Judas, and in our moments of temptation and sin it could easily be our own. And yet what we discover in these next few days of the Sacred Triduum is that Christ will answer the question with the blood of his Cross. Judas took silver and it ended in death; Jesus died on the Cross and it ended in eternal life. May we draw near to the Lord – especially in our times of need – to accept his sacrifice and receive his grace.