Daily Reflection Wednesday of Holy Week

Throughout Jesus’ life we witness his interacting with a variety of people: the woman at the well, the blind man, Zaccheus, Martha, the bent over woman—quite a motely group. In particular, Jesus spends time and engages in conversation with his own close followers—his disciples. How often we witness his conversation and actions: eating the wheat pods on the Sabbath, stilling the storm while in the boat. Jesus kindles relationships with all kinds of people, especially his disciples….So, what happened to Judas and his relationship with Jesus? Why did Judas turn on his mentor, his friend?



    These mindful meanderings have led me to ponder my own relationship with Jesus and people close to me. Perhaps, my thoughts are universal. Why do we love other people? Do we love others because we want them to love us? Why do we love God?



    Jesus took on our human nature and so understands us. When Peter denies Jesus three time, Peter responds to grace and repents. Undoubtedly, we can spend hours surmising what transpires in Judas’ heart that he does not give Jesus an apology. After all, Jesus does not exclude Judas from their final dinner together. What a tremendous act of love for Jesus to include Judas by sharing his last meal! We can impute motives on Judas, but we will never know accurately what was his motive to betray such a good friend.



    In our first reading today, Isaiah’s message confirms God’s unmitigated love for us. Nothing will rob us of this unconditional love. All God asks is our affirmative response. These days of Holy Week give us an opportunity to re-evaluate our response to God and to each other in friendship. Are we loyal to Jesus in living the works of mercy, the beatitudes, and the Our Father in our daily living with family, friends, co-workers, people of different cultures, religions, sexual orientations? Our nation is in a political and economic turmoil. Can we lay before God our own worries, as well as hopes? And do we plead for guidance as Jesus has prayed?



   Isaiah counsels us, “The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary, a word that will rouse them.” Pope Francis has declared this a year of Hope, and hope is a virtue we received in Baptism. If Judas had realized that Jesus is hope personified, perhaps he would have backed out of his plan to betray. Let us spend time this week assessing our own response to the gift of hope. What can we do to contribute positively to empower each other for the good of our world?



To have hope is to be a courier of God

And courier of men and women of good will,

Tearing down walls, destroying borders,

Building bridges.

 

                 --Prayer Without Borders (Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo)