Second Sunset: The Betrayal

We can only feel, in our most intimate relationships, the hurt produced by treason or betrayal deeply in all moral, psychological and emotional senses. When our so generously given trust and affection are betrayed, it produces within us bitter dismay. It is even more. It is desolation, dryness in the soul especially when the betrayal comes from someone most dear, loved and intimate to one’s heart. It is consternation as if my body has been mutilated. It is the tearing apart of my very self. The professed love makes us all always so one that when dishonored, our capacity for trusting becomes limited forever after. The betrayer goes always with something from me and I can’t stand it without feeling certain insecurity. Desolation, bitterness, consternation, insecurity bring me, betrayed, to vulnerability and to the threshold of hatred.  This sunset is subsequent of the temptation. This one brings us closer to darkness. It brings both the betrayer as s/he falls into temptation and the betrayed has s/he suffers the darkness of the consequence of the action of whom I called my friend.

Where shall we go? We say with St Peter: only to you o Lord who has words of eternal life. And we pray with Jesus: Even my trusted friend, who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me.

“But you, LORD, take note of me to raise me up that I may repay them.” ... In my integrity may you support me and let me stand in your presence forever. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from all eternity and forever (Ps 41). Yes! We are able to do it, to seek the Lord and find consolation in Him, because he was betrayed. But, to whom did Jesus have recourse? To the Father? For sure. However, we can notice that certain veiling of his powerful action is taking place even to the point of feeling troubled: Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (Jn 13:21). So human my Jesus that he does not let his divinity interfere here to fulfill his mission! Jesus, before the imminence of ranging violence against him, begins to feel the light’s fading which brings him closer to the night, to the darkness of the yet unexplored death.

And what about Judas? As we all know, Judas had the privilege to be part of the twelve, which is to say, to be part of those closer to Jesus. He had the privilege of sharing the intimacy of Jesus’ love. When Jesus chose Judas as his apostle, he made Judas his. Judas made part of all for virtue of being part of the small community of the apostles. Judas was the beloved friend – in whom all – had confidence and familiarity. Nothing seems to indicate that anyone could ever betray the Master and hence all. However, it is possible. They all hear it from the Lord himself; there is one among them who will betray their Lord. “Master, who is it?” (Jn 13:25) asked John confused as he listened to the beats of Jesus’ troubled heart.  Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it” (Jn 13:27), and Jesus gave it to Judas. Even the trusted friend, with whom he shares his bread, will forget Him (cf. Ps 41). The darkness is hastening closer since when Judas took the morsel left at once. And it was night. (Jn 13:30). Judas belongs now to the kingdom of darkness.

Before, on that same evening, Jesus had told them: “The light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light” (Jn 12: 35-36). It is convenient to walk in the light, which is to say, to decide to abandon sin so that the Truth transforms our lives. We can’t ever lose the sense of sin because it will bring us to total darkness. The greatest injustice we can ever do is to doubt the mercy of God.

Jesus left with his disciples to his habitual place of prayer and retreat. But Judas also knew it; of course, he may had used to pray there as well. There, Judas presents himself with soldiers (cf. Jn 18: 1-3). Wicked Judas – no longer covered in sheep’s clothing but flushed out into the open as a ravenous wolf – embarked upon de violence of crime though the appearances of peace, offering as the sign of his treason a kiss more deadly than any weapon. That ranging crowd which had converged to apprehend the Lord with a cohort of armed soldiers, blinded by their own shadows, could not discern the true light amid torches and lanterns.

Even worst, betrayer, what you wished to destroy for all, you alone did not possess. The death of Christ frees us but accuses you Judas. Still, so great is the goodness of our Redeemer that even you can receive pardon – if, by confessing Christ to be the Son of God, you put aside this murderous ill will. It was not in vain that the Lord prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  This healing would not have passed you by, Judas, if you had fled to that penitence which would recall you to Christ – and no to that which would urge you on the noose. But, you persisted in the wickedness of your disloyalty.  (Leo the Great, Sermon 53)

My dear friends and followers, we do not want a sunset that brings us to an eternal night. God forbid that! We have left a day less in our pilgrim way and have to descend to the darkness of Judas’ betrayal. But that it does not happen to us sinners as it happened to Judas. Let’s seek always the mercy of God, and then repented and forgiven, we may rise always joyfully to a new day of dazzling everlasting light.