Lent - Day 43 (20/4/2011)

"Let Us Examine Ourselves before the Lord"

Matthew 26:14-25

The story of Judas is so well known that we would describe someone who has betrayed us, who has stabbed us in the back, as "Judas". But in this telling of Jesus' prediction of Judas' betrayal, we are at His table, reclining with Jesus and eating with Him the Passover, just before Jesus instituted the Holy Communion. At this meeting point of a Feast that commemorates how death passed over Israel, protected by the blood from a slain lamb, and a new Feast that commemorates how God forgives us our sin because of the blood of Jesus, we have the disciples asking, "Surely not I, Lord" at Jesus' assertion that one of them will betray Him. Each one at the table had to examine himself before the Lord.

Prayer
Surely it is I, Lord, who has betrayed You again and again.
Help me to see and to know the weaknesses in me that make me betray You again and again.
Heal me, Lord, and help me resolve to stand by You at all times.

From Contemplation to Action
On this day, the day before Maundy Thursday where we will celebrate the Holy Communion, let us take time to examine ourselves before our Lord - How have we failed Him? How have we betrayed His love?
How have we sinned? But we do so not as Judas who ultimately took his won life. We do so in anticipation of the Holy Communion, knowing that the blood of our Lord cleanses and frees us from all sin.

We do so in gratitude. Let us confess our sins before the Lord as we prepare for Maundy Thursday.