Among the great sorrows in life is the experience of betrayal. Once trust has been pledged and commitments made to hold hope for the future, friends plot to betray, denounce, or take vengeance. This is evident from the prophet Jeremiah to the time of Jesus when the Son of God stands before an angry mob ready to stone him to death.

You may find this sadness in your own heart knowing many now suffer from unjust oppression and displacement. They are at our borders.

Jesus faces a death squad armed with stones. He stands before the crowd like he will stand on trial before Pilate. Where are the disciples? As at his trial, the accusation is blasphemy. Jesus appeals to the good works he has done from the Father.

Here, we witness the humility of God, expressed in the indwelling presence of God’s embrace of humanity in the Son as a new Adam. This intimacy of divine life in Christ is not just a concept but a transformative work of the Spirit. It is a beacon of hope, soon to be manifested in the fullness of the approaching betrayal, death, and resurrection.

In his retreat notes, Peter Julian Eymard observed how the Eucharist perpetuates every aspect of the Lord’s passion, the desertions of Gethsemane, the betrayal of his friends, the scourging and mockery, the fury of the crowd calling for crucifixion, is made present on the altar and should not be lost in our memorial.

Let us Pray:

Hear O Lord, the voice of the poor and oppressed in our midst. Open our hearts to share their sorrow and offer them a place of refuge. Grant that we, as your faithful servants, may work diligently in building the Kingdom of God. This is not just a prayer, but a call to action. Amen.