Day 9: With Jesus at His Betrayal
Take a moment to quiet yourself: close your eyes and take some deep breaths.
Pray this prayer or something similar in your own words: Jesus, help me draw close to you by seeing my suffering in yours and your suffering in mine.
Today's three passages describe Jesus' betrayal by Judas. As you read them the first time, place yourself in each scene. In the first, what do you see and hear as Judas bargains with the chief priests? In the second, where are Jesus and Judas positioned as Jesus predicts the betrayal, and what do you sense in the air? In the third, what do you see, hear, and feel as Judas leads the armed crowd to Jesus in the garden?
As you read the passages a second time, spend a few moments with Jesus' responses to Judas, at dinner in the Upper Room and in the garden. What do you sense in his tone, expression, and posture toward Judas?
Stay for a moment or two with Jesus in this moment of betrayal, drawing on your own challenges to better understand what he may have been experiencing.
As you end your time of prayer, talk with the Lord about what this meditation has brought up for you.
Reflection Questions
Personal reflection:
What would it have been like for Jesus to experience these interactions with Judas, one of the Twelve, a friend who greeted him with a kiss? What emotions might describe his suffering?
Community discussion:
Have others failed you, let you down, or even betrayed you? What is it like to know that Jesus suffered relationally in these ways?