Friday, June 26, 2015

Betrayal


 

 ‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.’
 He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?’ They said, ‘No, not a thing.’ He said to them, ‘But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, “And he was counted among the lawless”; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.’ They said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ He replied, ‘It is enough.’ Luke 22:31-38


Betrayal

 A sickly sweet smell permeates
jealousy, revenge wrapped together
a dear one becomes the betrayer
the closest one becomes the denier.

Fear swirls and tangles us up
fists grab for the sharpest swords
stinging words are flung in fury
and the world becomes a furnace.

O human how quickly we betray
how cheaply we sell out others
how easily we are seduced
quickly abandoning our garden.

O Creator of all how often we fall
and and quickly you forgive us
dusting us off, lifting us up
and how quickly we still turn on others.

O Divine light who offered your life
innocent blood sacrifice and pain
for our foolish greedy hearts
for our need for glory and glamor.

O sweet baby child of Mary
let us not go again to that garden
to the place of earthly delights
the place of earthly betrayal.

May we instead fly to your arms
not bathing in shallow pools
but clinging to our forgiveness
so that we can set others free.

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