Mark 14:43-46
Immediately, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of
the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them
a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away
under guard.’ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and
kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him.
Reflection:
There's something about the space between the lips of Judas
and Jesus. A depiction of pause,
hesitancy. It's a masterful move by
Giotto, famous for being the forerunner in Italian Renaissance painting and
primary player in the shift from iconic Byzantine-style art to the life-like
work of the Renaissance. For Judas to
cross this threshold of space ignites his sin, the act of betrayal, the moment
Jesus' murder is released into play. It
is the choice which indicates to Jesus' enemies, here he is, he's the one.
This space... this pause... this hesitancy... makes me think
of my own moments before I make a move I know will betray Jesus. An act I know will turn against my God and
grieve the one who I, like Judas, have been faithfully following all this
time. And there is Jesus, staring me in
the face with those penetrating eyes. My
beacon of truth, of life, of loving and just choices. And there I am, staring back and still
choosing to cross that threshold, to initiate that kiss--that act of sin,
whatever it may be--against my best interests and better judgment.
Let us remember this image in the midst of our choices. Those times we come face to face with the
threshold of sin, the moment before we demand unrealistic expectations of our
loved one, or fail to act with compassion toward our neighbor in need, or
withhold love or grace from ourselves, or ____, you name it! Let us take pause. Let us remember who we are facing, Jesus. Let us remember his eyes, those eyes which
look deep into our soul and see and know
we are better than our sin. Those eyes
which see our best self and yearn for it, rather than sin, to shine forth. Those eyes which look on us with pure love,
compassion and grace and invite us to continually turn from ways of sin to the
life-giving ways of him.
Prayer:
God of mercy, we thank you.
We thank you that you see us and you know us. You know our deliberate and passive
sins. You know our tendencies to act in
ways which cause pain and harm to others and ourselves, even when we know
better. You also continue to extend
grace to us, giving us chances to change our ways the next time we face
sin. Thank you for your faithfulness and
provision to continue to lead us from choices which breed death back to choices
which bring life. Help us remember to
take pause at the threshold of our choices toward sin and instead choose your
ways of love, compassion, and grace.
Amen.
Written by Katie Archibald-Woodward
Kiss
of Judas
(1304–06), fresco by Giotto, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy
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