Persecutors

Today’s Gospel Text:  And coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?" 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Matt 13:54-58

Reflection: If you thought that it is only through harming people or doing evil to others that we could be persecuted, rejected or beaten then you are wrong.

Who can describe the evil of envy, jealousy, lustfulness and ambitiousness and what it can do?

Are these sinful passions not Satan’s greatest weapon, by using simple men and women as his instrument, to destroy the work of God?

The mere good deeds and actions by the followers of Christ could bring about envy and jealousy just as the mere expression of talents and gifts could do in a secular world.

What is it that leads people to such dimensions of sinful acts of envy, jealousy and then to be instruments of persecution; seeking to destroy the work of God in their midst?

Deep within the human heart is also a desire at work; to achieve, based on over ambition, sinful passions, lusts and greed.

St. Paul referring to such greed also asserts that it amounts to idolatry or the service of idols (Col. 3:5)

In other words, you need not be a pagan to be an idol worshiper. 

Thus God has very little place in the lives of these individuals; likewise truth gives places to immorality and self centered thinking.

So too the other, as a human being and as creation of God, has no place in the mind set of the person.

Those who practice such things have their own logic on social justice and right: No wonder Jesus said of their sense of justice;

“Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.”  John 16:2

Unless one truly and completely surrenders to God through our Savior Jesus Christ and takes the help of the graces he offers one can never be free:    

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. “ John 8:36

Prayer:  Lord, speak to my heart and convict me of my dishonesty and sinfulness, so that I may constantly repent and turn to you and be saved.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Betrayal

Today’s Gospel Text:  Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover.  20 When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21 and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. 24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." Matt 26:14-25

Reflection: What is the difference between these two actions: trading in slaves and what Judas did to Jesus?

A slave is one whose right is forcibly taken away by another and hence is sold in order that he may become the property of the one who has legally owned them. They can do with them what they want. 

The scripture gives us enough evidence of Judases greed, which primarily may not have been a greed for power or domination but rather a greed for wealth, which led him to trade with his very own Lord and master, whose humble ways are within the powers of men to manipulate in this life.   

Could it be that he opted to be in charge of the money box and the financial management of the little institution on account of his greedy habit of pilfering? 

But he did achieve, in his greed, to sell-off as a slave one of the most innocent and yet the most unassuming powerful man in the history of mankind:

"What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" (vs. 15)

What right did he have to deliver him to him? Was he the owner of Jesus or was he his father or was it the other way around?

Where do human's get such strength to trade with their God; the Lord and master of the universe? 

How greed, ambition,  craving for power and the things of the world; whether it be worldly glory, honor or positions, leads one to such depraved mindset wherein which they begin to assert their rights over the other. Worse is when they do it with even God. 

Some do it under the acceptable democratic institutions and some even by using their power and positions in the church:

Was Judas not holding similar position of power and authority in the church? How then did he become an instrument of Satan?

Did he not eat of the same table, what some may obstinately claim as to be the meal of unity, and yet betray, thus separating himself from the unity of the body of Christ?

He had the best teacher in Christ, whom he followed and yet followed himself more than Jesus.

A thing to ponder upon, this holy week, as we labor in the vineyard of Christ.

Prayer:  Lord God, as I reflect on the betrayal of Judas, I dread to think of the frail human possibilities laboring without your great mercy and help.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us