Spy Wednesday

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Spy Wednesday, a big Holy Week day. The nickname derives from Judas’ perfidious betrayal of his Rabbi, Master and Friend being sealed on this day with 30 pieces of silver covertly changing hands, about a year’s wage for Galilean peasants like Judas. But Judas monetizing his disillusionment of Jesus not acting like the militant Messiah Judas was expecting echoes through western history as the height of human betrayal, not only now but then too. Matthew graphically records Judas’ traumatic realization of what he’s done driving him to throw down the money before hanging himself in a nearby field. Matthew also records Peter’s repeatedly craven, cowardly denial of even knowing Jesus despite several eyewitnesses who hear his clearly northern Galilean accent and see him lop off the Chief Priest’s servant’s ear! For me, today is a day to explore both dimensions of my own wounded humanity, my interior Judas and interior Peter. Both rebelled, both denied, both betrayed, both projected false images upon Jesus, both reacted, but one repented and returned to Jesus and the other, from pride or shame or both, could not. Holy Week strips away everything not searingly honest and authentic about my relationship with God. Peter and Judas wrestle inside my broken soul every day! Please Lord, help me follow Peter back to you and not follow Judas to prideful self destruction. What are you wrestling with today?