{"id":20734,"date":"2023-04-06T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotionthursday-6-april-2023"},"modified":"2023-04-06T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T05:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-thursday-6-april-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-thursday-6-april-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion\u00a0Thursday 6 April 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

St Matthew 26: 17 – 75<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, \u201cWhere do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?\u201d He replied, \u201cGo into the city to a certain man and tell him, \u2018The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.\u2019\u201d  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.  When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.  And while they were eating, he said, \u201cTruly I tell you, one of you will betray me.\u201d They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, \u201cSurely you don\u2019t mean me, Lord?\u201d Jesus replied, \u201cThe one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.  The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.\u201d Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, \u201cSurely you don\u2019t mean me, Rabbi?\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cYou have said so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, \u201cTake and eat; this is my body.\u201d Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, \u201cDrink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father\u2019s kingdom.\u201d When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Jesus told them, \u201cThis very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter replied, \u201cEven if all fall away on account of you, I never will.\u201d \u201cTruly I tell you,\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cthis very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.\u201d But Peter declared, \u201cEven if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.\u201d And all the other disciples said the same. Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, \u201cSit here while I go over there and pray.\u201d  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, \u201cMy soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.\u201d Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, \u201cMy Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.\u201d Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. \u201cCouldn\u2019t you men keep watch with me for one hour?\u201d he asked Peter.  \u201cWatch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.\u201d He went away a second time and prayed, \u201cMy Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.\u201d When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, \u201cAre you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.  Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!\u201d While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: \u201cThe one I kiss is the man; arrest him.\u201d  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, \u201cGreetings, Rabbi!\u201d and kissed him. Jesus replied, \u201cDo what you came for, friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus\u2019 companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. \u201cPut your sword back in its place,\u201d Jesus said to him, \u201cfor all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?\u201d<\/span>
In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, \u201cAm I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.\u201d Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.  But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.  Finally two came forward  and declared, \u201cThis fellow said, \u2018I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.\u2019\u201d Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, \u201cAre you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?\u201d  But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, \u201cI charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have said so,\u201d Jesus replied. \u201cBut I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.\u201d  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, \u201cHe has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.  What do you think?\u201d \u201cHe is worthy of death,\u201d they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him  and said, \u201cProphesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?\u201d Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. \u201cYou also were with Jesus of Galilee,\u201d she said. But he denied it before them all. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, \u201cThis fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.\u201d He denied it again, with an oath: \u201cI don\u2019t know the man!\u201d After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, \u201cSurely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.\u201d Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, \u201cI don\u2019t know the man!\u201d Immediately a rooster crowed.  Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: \u201cBefore the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.\u201d And he went outside and wept bitterly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We kiss only those we love.  A sign of intimacy, friendship, trust, love, and, sometimes, desire.  To be betrayed by a kiss is the ultimate act of treachery undermining the kiss\u2019s meaning.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Many of us know what it is to be betrayed by a kiss.  Relationships can end unexpectedly, hurtfully, and angrily.  We may find, as the late Diana Princess of Wales famously did,  that the relationship was rather more crowded than we had realised. We may find that kisses were given without meaning, real love, or commitment.  There again, we may be the one who betrayed a lover.  We may have kissed treacherously, desiring more than was legitimate,  taking what we ought not to have taken.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Today we reflect on betrayal and kissing;  the intimacy of treachery and the bonds of love nurtured in Eucharist.  Jesus, knowing that Judas would betray him, that Peter would deny him, and that the disciples would desert him, still shared in the intimacy of the Eucharist with them.  He offered not just the simple things of bread and wine but his own self as food, sustenance, symbol, sign and sacrament.  Broken bread and broken relationships find a place at the Lord\u2019s table.  Wine, like love, is poured out and offered as a way to wholeness.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Judas betrayed Jesus he was still named as \u201cfriend\u201d.  Even in the moment of betrayal there was forgiveness on offer.  Too late did Judas come to repent of what he\u2019d done and, in the horror and guilt of the moment, he despaired believing that his kiss betrayed him forever.  If only he\u2019d dared hope; if only he\u2019d remembered Jesus\u2019 teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n

In our loving and believing, our kissing and worshipping, and in our sharing and arguing we can choose either to betray or to commit.  When we\u2019ve made the wrong choice we can, like Judas, despair or, like Peter, turn back to Christ.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lord, <\/span>
let my kisses be loving,<\/span>
my loving be loyal,<\/span>
and my loyalty be holy.<\/span>
Amen.<\/span> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St Matthew 26: 17 – 75  On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, \u201cWhere do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?\u201d He replied, \u201cGo into the city to a certain man and tell him, \u2018The Teacher says: My appointed … <\/p>\n

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