Matthew’s narrative of the passion of Jesus focuses on betrayal. That is what many, including Judas, did to Jesus;not only the chief priests, elders and the crowds, but even his own disciples. They weren’t the first to do so, nor would they be the last. Adam and Eve were the first to betray God and any time we sin, we do the same. Betrayal results from the desire to put oneself first. A betrayer thinks that he or she knows what is best.
Betrayal describes the motives behind Judas, Peter, Pilate and nearly everyone else in the passion story.
Imagine how Peter felt soon after the Last Supper ended. During that meal, he swore that his faith in Jesus would never be shaken, yet hours later he denied knowing Jesus, not once but three times. A cock crowed then, just as Jesus predicted, prompting Peter to weep bitterly for betraying him.
The cock’s crow was a wake up call for Peter. Following the resurrection, he let nothing stop him from fully living his life as a follower of Christ to the very end when he too was crucified. That couldn’t be said for Judas, who took his life rather than believe that Jesus would forgive him.
The passion story is meant to be our wake up call as well. In the past five weeks of Lent, have we grown any closer in our relationship with Christ? Unlike Judas, have we opened our hearts to the compassion and forgiveness of Jesus? You aren’t alone if you feel that you have fallen short of any goals you may have set for yourself when Lent began. Every gospel makes the point that even the disciples abandoned Jesus in his hour of need. What matters is that they resolved to never again betray him. With the exception of Judas, they went on to fully commit themselves to following Jesus in proclaiming the good news.
Like the crowds that welcomed Jesus waving palms and shouting praises, we gather today to welcome him, but will we be any different from those who scorned Jesus when Good Friday rolls around?
If Jesus could give himself up for us in such an unselfish way, can we give up a few evenings of our time in return? That is such a small price to pay for the opportunity to experience his compassion and forgiveness. This week,which we call Holy Week for good reason, the Church will celebrate the Triduum; our most sacred liturgy which lasts for“Three Days.” On Holy Thursday, we begin with the Mass of the Last Supper. That Mass doesn’t end in the usual way. Instead, we resume the liturgy the next evening on Good Friday with the Lord’s Passion, the only day of the year when the Mass cannot be celebrated. This somber liturgy reminds us of the depth of Jesus’ love for us, giving totally of himself on the cross so that you and I can taste the freedom of new life freed from the vise of sin. We leave in silence to return the next evening at 9 PM to celebrate his resurrection with the Easter Vigil, gathering around a fire that dispels the darkness and chill of the night, remembering that with loveJesus has dispelled the darkness of sin.
This week should be unlike any other week of the year for any one who claims to love Christ. Let us leave our comfort zones to unite ourselves with him and his redemptive work.Let us resolve to make this week holy by fully participating in the entire Triduum liturgy from Holy Thursday through the Easter Vigil, not just attending but also reflecting on the readings beforehand. To avoid betraying Jesus in this holy week, let us also resolve to make this week holy by reaching out to the needy, the lonely, the sick and the afflicted.