Betrayal
Theology in the Trenches By Kathleen Kjolhaug Betrayal is on my mind as of late, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because by the time you read this, we will be in the midst of the Lenten season of the Liturgical year. The Liturgical seasons are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Triduum, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time once again. Personally, as far as I can tell, there’s nothing about the church year that’s ordinary. It all adds up to a whole pile of extraordinary when you think about the ongoing mystery of Christ’s life and His teachings. These seasons offer continuous growth through reflections on the Gospel narrative. Always new and always living is His Word and thus, never ordinary.
Back to the topic at hand. This Lenten season finds us with not only Christ crucified in the mix but also the one who betrayed Him. Judas Iscariot was the betrayer as he gave our precious Lord over to those who were on the hunt for a mere thirty pieces of silver.
In dismay we wonder how he could have done such a thing for just a few coins. Yet, if we stop and think about it, most of us have no doubt betrayed for a whole lot less than that. As sin is never singular and the effects of it are much more far reaching than we will ever know, betrayal costs. It cost Christ His life. When we betray, it costs others to no longer trust us. And worse, it no longer allows us to look in the mirror and trust ourselves. In other words, we are no longer trustworthy in matters which had been entrusted to us. I was going to use a few illustrations to make my case in point, but have a feeling that filling in the blanks won’t be too difficult for any of us. Unfortunately, our minds automatically gravitate towards those who have trespassed against us rather than those times when we have been the ones to trespass against others—in other words—betrayal.
On it goes this cycle of sin and thus, the Liturgical year rolls around for a reason. His mercies are new every morning and great is Thy faithfulness. Have you ever looked back on your prayer journals or notesto- self written while in prayer? I have. Interesting they are to read because so many things are not new every morning— yet His faithfulness is. Seems like the struggles to all of mankind’s issues are not easily overcome this side of the veil.
“Deep calls to deep” written about in Psalm 42:7 finds the psalmist feeling as though he is being swept away by the trials and tribulations of life. Yet, we find Jesus calming those storms and when He does, we are not swept out to sea— we are swept into the arms of Christ Jesus, our hope. We can rest assured that when placing our trust in ourselves or anyone but Jesus Christ—it will be a betrayal of sorts, and we will fall short. When we fall short and confess that we do, He is faithful and just to forgive it all.
When the One who was betrayed, forgives each betrayal, His mercies are truly new every morning because great is His faithfulness. Amen.
