Jesus betrayed
esus was betrayed by someone who dipped his hand into the dish with Him, someone who was very intimate. The gospel declares that when Jesus announced that one of those sharing table with him would betray him, everyone present was “greatly distressed.” To be betrayed by someone you trust is very distressing for the one betrayed and for all those associated with him. While it is true that God remains sovereign, it is also true that we as humans have total freedom and thus must accept responsibility for our actions. We are always free to act as we see fit, but we must also realize that our every action has consequences which we must be willing to accept. Some of us may have had our trust betrayed by people close to us. We confided in someone and they used that information against us. This week tells us that such betrayal need not have the last word. God the Father had the last word by raising his Son from the dead. He brought good out of the evil of betrayal and the many other evils that Jesus endured. Divine Providence can also bring good out of the negative things we sometimes have to endure from others. The Passion of Jesus bids us to trust that God can work in life-giving ways even after the darkest experiences. Shalom!