Service and Betrayal

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary during Holy Week return today to themes of Palm Sunday. The third poem of the Suffering Servant from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah tells of one prepared to be a spoksperson for God. In this role he is given ability by God to hear instruction and to attend to the downtrodden and weary. He will be rejected and abused by those who are threatened by his life style. He is confident that the strength given him by God will sustain him until his deriders wear out like a garment. The psalmist praises the steadfast support of God to support the needy against those who insult and attempt to conquer them. Jesus is betrayed in the account today from the Gospel of Matthew. Friar Jude Winkler discusses the "thirty pieces of silver" which is cited as the money paid to Judas by the chief priests for his act of betrayal. When the friends of Jesus gather for the celebration of the Passover meal, Judas is indentified as the "one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed". The recognition of the work of God in the life style of those with whom we may not agree is particularily difficult perhaps when the person is considered 'one of us". It certainly cuts deep to be betrayed by friends and we need to be aware of the extremely difficult decision to betray a friend. We like to see ourselves as Jesus in these accounts from Scripture. We are challenged to recall our experiences as Judas and to find the love to be present with and forgiving of the betrayer.