Betrayal

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’ Matthew 26:17-25

As an Indigenous woman and a student of history, I can tell many stories of betrayal from the very beginning of this nation's founding. We humans have all been betrayed at one time or another and may have even betrayed someone. Judas thought he was doing the right thing at the time, although we cannot fathom his reasons. Maybe he was broke, and in serious debt. We don't know his reasons and never can truly know his pain and suffering. It is not good to think, "well, it turned out for the best!" 

We are invited today to ask Judas' question, "surely not I, Rabbi?" Invited to examine the many ways we betray the mission and love of God through our own selfish acts.

Gracious Creator, you invite us to a banquet

a table groaning with good food and blessings

and we are rarely grateful and often complain.

We betray your call to love all our neighbors

we betray your love by calling others enemies

and we forget you as we imprison refugees.

Make us anew so we can be forgiving and kind

never betraying your call to justice and love

so the world might see your living presence here. Amen.