Tuesday in Holy Week 2021

John 13:21-33, 36-38

 

There is a profound tension and distinct contrasts around the table in the Upper Room as we slowly read this intense text. Can you picture the scene? Imagine, the Beloved Disciple, reclining around the table next to Jesus and Peter. Jesus confides in them, amid the intimacy of being with them over a meal, that one of them is going to betray him. Peter, unable to resist the obvious question, asked, “Who is it?” 

 

Jesus immediately and directly answers him with eucharistic symbolism that reflects not only a life-giving intimacy about the mystery of God’s self-giving love, but also the heart-wrenching mystery of its coexistence amid evil.

 

Jesus takes bread, dips it in a bowl and gives it to his betrayer. I don’t know what was in the bowl, but could it have been wine? Did Jesus dip the bread in wine and give it to Judas? Whether it is wine or not, still, the sacramental nature of the moment is clear and it points to Jesus literally handing his body (and blood as representative of life) over to the evil tendencies of humanity.

 

In a few verses we have not only the intimacy of the meal and friendship, but the explicit intimacy of reclining with a beloved disciple in stark contrast with the betrayal of that same love.

 

The power of evil caused a man to betray a friend. 

 

The power of evil causes humanity to betray friendship with Christ, the very source of love. And here John’s symbolism of light and darkness, intimacy and loneliness provides a powerful image on the impact of this betrayal where he writes, “And it was night.” We have just gone from the intimacy of friendship with the light of the world over a meal, to walking in the darkness all alone.

 

We have witnessed the shift from power of intimacy to the estranged loneliness of abandon. The embrace of light versus the abandon of darkness.

 

The Beloved Disciple remains in the intimacy of friendship with Jesus, whereas Judas leaves to walk alone in the darkness.

 

When you are next around the Eucharistic Altar of Christ, in remembrance of the Upper Room and its intimacy, will you re-commit to remaining in the light of Christ’s intimacy? We know all too well the loneliness of walking alone in the darkness. Stay with Jesus. Rest, recline in his intimacy as a beloved disciple.