Wednesday of the Holy Week – 8th April 2020 – Matthew 26, 14-25
Faithfulness VS faithlessness
In the narration of Jesus’ last supper, He shares his precious meal with his closest followers in the shadow of the cross. At this table, He grants the gift of his life to them. But at this table of belonging and wholeness, betrayal and death also hangs around. Jesus openly reveals to them that He will be betrayed by one of his own disciples. The Gospel writers struggle to understand why and how Judas did such a thing. Moreover, why would Jesus even welcome Judas into the company of disciples in the first place? In fact, all the Gospel writers always place him last on the list of the twelve affixing with the title ‘betrayer’. Matthew and Mark reveal his identity as Jesus’ betrayer in the very first reference of his name. Luke specifies that Judas’s betrayal has a Satanic source (Lk 22,3) and John points out him as a devil in 6,70 and a thief in 12,6. Yet it is surprising to see that Judas is not excused from the table even as his condemnation rings over the meal. He shares in the bread and wine that represent Jesus’ body and blood, the life that would deliver the whole humanity from sin and death. It is the power of unconditional love that enabled Jesus not only to have a table fellowship with his own betrayer, but also to bear the consequence of fulfilling his Father’s mission. In the wake of this supper, Jesus’ faithfulness even unto death stands in striking contrast with the faithlessness of Judas certainly but also all the disciples whom Jesus handpicked to walk with him.
