Humble Friday

Phew.  Yesterday's  blog retreat was about what we would do for Jesus yesterday.
Well,  sometimes life is amusing.   I would have to answer that question, "What did I do for Jesus yesterday?  Nothing,  I was cranky".      Cranky.  Do you ever have days when the paperwork just mounts up and then your boss comes in and says "why aren't you finished your paperwork yet?"  Cranky.    Or when one is taking an online course with an online chat and declares that between certain hours,  you will be unavailable... and yet everyone and his dog seems to come in and ask questions?  Cranky.

So what does a person do when they are cranky?   The best thing is to send short prayers to God filled with "give me hope"   and "keep my temper at bay" (as getting angry never solves anything)  and "all things are in Your hands God ... but hurry with Your peace!"  and   then take a couple of drinks of cleansing water.    Cranky frequently means one needs a short time away.... step out into outside for a breath of fresh air and a short time of meditation and prayers.    Cranky can be overcome but it takes work to become at peace and living in grace and love.   I wonder if Judas lived life as a cranky guy?

Friday Retreat.....

Prayer:  Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  You are our life and our love.  Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  You are our Messiah and we give You thanks!  Amen.

Read St. Matthew 26: 14 – 16

Judas agrees to hand Jesus over to the Chief Priests.  Down through history,  Christian Scholars have asked the question of  “did Judas know what he was doing”?   Why would Judas betray Jesus?   and  Did Judas hand Jesus over just for the money?

In fact,  Judas did not hand Jesus over for the money.  Thirty pieces of silver is what was paid for  a slave (Exodus 21: 32)  or what the prophet Zechariah received for wages (Zechariah 11: 12 – 13).   So Judas did not hand Jesus over for the millions of dollars.

Some Scholars state that Judas was seeking a Messiah who would bring down the current political scene and return Israel to a Jewish state.  The Scholars continue on to suggest that Judas discovered Jesus was not a political Messiah and was not going to bring about havoc onto the Romans.

So what does Judas handing Jesus over to the Chief Priests become?   Very simply,  Jesus the Messiah was not the Messiah that Judas was looking for.  Judas was disappointed.   Judas was impatient with all the time he had spent with Jesus hoping Jesus would be a political Messiah.

Judas missed the whole point of Messiah,  resurrection, and eternal life.  Judas was living in the “here and now” and missed the whole point of living a life in God’s presence.

Yikes.

Yet,  at some point Judas must think, ‘What have I done?’ as he throws the 30 pieces of silver back into the Temple.

Judas did not understand the love and grace that Jesus was preaching.  How sad!  Yet are we any better?  Do we sit each Sunday in our Church pew and listen to the reading of Scripture and the Sermon and then do nothing?    Something to think about!

Prayer:  Help us O Lord to take Your words out into our lives.  May we  remember that You are our love and our grace.  Amen.

Many blessings!