Today’s gospel reading has our Lord sharing a Last Supper with His disciples. Amidst the love and teachings Jesus imparts to them upon this special night, one of the most dramatic and ominous moments is when Jesus says, “Tonight, one of you will betray me.” And then, one by one, each of His followers ask, “Is it I, Lord?” To this, Jesus does not reveal the one who is His betrayer by name, He simply states that it is one of you who “dips his hand in the bowl with me.” This form of eating in common and sharing bowls expresses the “intimacy” between Christ and His betrayer Judas. Thus, a “Judas” has become synonymous with those who betray. And what makes people betray one another? What makes one person stab another person in the back…or in the front, for that matter? Pride.
The origin of all sin stems back to pride and arrogance, for pride begets arrogance; causes it to flare. This arrogance makes one think that they are the only ones right and everyone else is wrong. They are the only smart ones and everyone else is dumb. And in order to accomplish and sell this to themselves, they will resort to the most egregious means: betrayal, with little concern in hurting the ones they love the most or destroying relationships.
We have all been guilty of this sin at times, and perhaps many of you turn on or betray friends on a regular basis. Yet with the Great Fast approaching, let’s put this particular sin of betrayal in negative column and strive to rid this ailment just as we try and give up and change ourselves to be more Christ-like for Christ’s sake.
Fr. John
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου