Spy Wednesday 2013

Judas and Peter

Spy Wednesday,

Holy Wednesday,

The Wednesday before the Crucifixion,

The day that Judas Iscariot

Conspires with the High Priest

And receives thirty pieces of silver
For the deed to come.
On the morrow,
With a kiss,

Judas hands Christ over 
To his enemies
In the time that follows

Peter denies Jesus thrice.
After Jesus' death
But before the resurrection,
Judas dies by his own hand. 
Peter sits in the upper room
Devastated that he betrayed his Teacher.
Judas dies unforgiven.
Peter knows forgiveness

From the risen Christ.
What is the difference between the fates

Of these two men?

Judas dies despised by all his breathren.
Peter dies the rock
On which Christ's church is erected.  
 Judas acts to take his life
While Peter waits.
Is that the answer?
When all is clothed in darkness,
Must we wait
 For God
Not act on impulse?

In this Easter season,
Give us the knowledge to know
When not to take action.
Give us the strength to wait for God.

Prayer for Holy Tuesday

Abba, Jesus called you,

Daddy, we would say.

Creator, sustainer of all, 

Where were you that Holy Week

So long ago?

Escorting the Son of Man

As he rode into Jerusalem on the donkey,

Weeping beside the Servant as he struggled toward The Skull,

Kissing death as the Lamb hung on the cross.

Watching as the Word

Was silent in the tomb.

Christ exalted you above himself.

Even as he opened the kingdom's gates

To let all enter. 

In the Lamb's sacrifice earth and heaven met.
The  Bread of Life was broken
Yet warms from within today. 
Only by caring for the least
Can we repay the suffering of The Christ of God,
Who was and is and will be
The great I Am.   

 Amen

 -

Holy Monday

Jesus has entered Jerusalem on Sunday

In triumph and to shouts of Hosanna.

Today he visits the temple.

The holiest place in Jerusalem.

The holiest place in Israel.
There he finds moneychangers.
There he finds dealers of animals and doves.
There Jesus becomes angry.
There with whip of cords in hand
He drives
The moneychangers
And 
The dealers from the temple.
In God's temple
There is no place for commerce.
Commerce must bow to God.

As we seek greater wealth,

Do we put commerce before God?   

Spy Wednesday

Judas and Peter

Spy Wednesday,

Holy Wednesday,

The Wednesday before the Crucifixion.

The day that Judas Iscariot

Went to the High Priests.

For thirty pieces of silver

Judas would hand Christ over to them.

 Remember the time that follows.
Judas betrays Jesus.

Peter denies Jesus thrice.
Judas dies by his own hand.
Peter dies Christ's servant.
What is the difference?
Judas never knew forgiveness.
Peter received God's blessing.
Why? 
Because Judas acted
While Peter waited?
Is that the answer?
When the world around is clothed

In darkness,
Must we wait for divine guidance
And not act on impulse?

In this Easter season,
Give us the strength

To wait for God's whisper.