John 19:16-17 - Betray
Stop.
Take a few slow, deep breaths. Center your mind on the word betray. Let yourself reflect on what it means for your life this week.
Listen.
Then [Pilate] handed [Jesus] over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. – John 19:16-17
Reflect.
Tomorrow, we celebrate Palm Sunday. Many of us remember Palm Sunday as the day we yell hosanna, wave palm branches, and sing songs of joy and praise. However, many churches and traditions also recognize this day as Passion Sunday. The word “passion” is from a Latin root meaning to endure or suffer; it’s the same one that gives us the word patience. And so, Passion Sunday encompasses the story of Palm Sunday and carries through to Good Friday. It is the whole passion story – the entire narrative of Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and death – during this one day of worship. In that act, we feel the full weight of the crowd’s shift from joyful “hosanna!” to bitter “crucify him!”.
The entire story of Jesus’ last days feel even more painful when you hear them in this way. You see Jesus’ followers and the crowds surrounding him go from faithfulness and hope to anger and despair. The weight of betrayal by nearly all those around Jesus seems almost impossible to bear. And as the crowds completely change their shouts, we come to realize we would have found ourselves among their numbers.
That is to say: we may praise Jesus, but in the same breath, we are just as likely to betray him.
Lutheran theology makes space for this with the concept of being simultaneously sinner and saint. On the one hand, we are saints redeemed by God, perfectly able and willing to praise our Savior. But on the other hand, we are sinners constantly denying our God in our words and actions through what we have done and left undone. It is true every day of our lives and brought directly to our attention in the story of Christ’s passion.
May the reminder of our ongoing betrayal of our God keep us humble, especially as we approach Holy Week. But may the reminder of Christ’s willingness to die for us anyway keep us centered in God’s holy, unending love for each of us.
Pray.
Jesus, I am sorry for the many ways I let you down. In so many ways I think, act, and speak as if I have no idea who you are and what you’ve done for me. Turn my heart to you and send me your grace. Amen.
Carry On.
You’ve put the words glory and praise in front of you this week. What does it feel like to put the word betrayal in front of you? How can you reflect on your week through the light of betrayal? How might it prepare you for Holy Week?