Words for Worship

Ministry Today

 

 

Mark 14.1-11

 

We have many names for the betrayer. From the last world war alone we have a few. Vikund Quisling, the Norwegian Nazi is the most obvious. But what about that other name often equated with treachery – Marshal Petain? Now the first world war porved him to be a successful and respected general – the hero of Verdun they called him. And so when he cut a what appeared to be a favourable deal with Hitler after France was defeated just over 20 years later, he was at first hailed by his fellow countrymen as a national saviour once more. Of course, as it turned out, Vichy France was to prove anything else than a salvation and the old man was lucky not to be hung along with his other collaborators. Betrayal then comes in many forms, with many motivations and with many outcomes.

 

And so to that traitorous character on the edge of Christ’s pain for our study for this week of lent. Who else but Judas Iscariot? What indeed was his game?

 

Well, in a famous painting by Giotto of the arrest of Jesus, Jesus and the 11 disciples are depicted with halos whilst Judas without a halo and donning a yellow coat. Classically then he is the betrayer, the coward, the ungodly, the one who lets the side down. Yet still he fascinates us. Why?

Well, let’s ask him ourselves. Let’s imagine a seat there in front of us. He sits a rather forlorn character not sure of his once certain ground. The lights come on and we ask him to explain himself. This is what he might say:

I made the wrong choice. Ok, ok, I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted to capitalise on his popular support and project his power. I misunderstood. I thought that if I pushed him, he would take over the country, get the Romans out and rule as no king had ruled before.

 

It seemed so logical at the time. He would surely not choose being killed over being the boss. The cash – well I could give that to the poor once we won. Come on - everyone knew the situation – All I did was give it a little push – I never meant to push the house over.

 

And now -  it all looks so different
 

Is there ever forgiveness, even me..?

Silence

 

Here then may be the reason for our fascination with Judas Iscariot. Because Judas might not have been a traitor through pure evil, avarice  or an overriding self-interest. Instead possibly he did it through the messiness of the human mind. The Petain syndrome if you like. And in our recognising that – we think to ourselves given the wrong circumstances might have done something similar. And so we find ourselves with Judas on the edge of Jesus' pain in a way that is too hard to bear.

Yet on that edge with Judas we also have a lot to learn. Because it is only there do we some plain unvarnished facts. Not least the true meaning of the old adage the way to perdition is paved with good intentions. For often that phrase is used to mean worthy words without actions. But it could also be acting from muddled, ill-considered and poorly informed motives. It could mean trying to pushing our own agenda even if well meant rather than God’s. It could mean acting out of well meant personal ambition rather than those that are Christ reflecting. Simply it can mean being seen as worldly  good instead of godly foolish.

 

Something of that comes across in our lesson for this morning. For, our well  intentioned, rational even ambitious side has huge sympathy with the selling of the ointment for the poor option. Yet that doesn’t have much extravagant love for the person immediately before us. Instead, if we act like the extravagant woman, we give into the Spirit’s impulse and so we do the inspired thing, the beautiful thing and the loving thing;  the thing that stands outside the human messiness of motive and objectives. The thing that is noble because it ennobles both the giver and the receiver. The thing that indeed saves since it is a mark of our own salvation.

In Shakespeare’s Henry the eighth – the bard writes:

 

Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition

By that sin fell the angels; how can men then,

The image of the Maker, hope to win by it?

 

Love thyself last!

 

And so as we contemplate the edges of Christ’s pain this lent, let us be aware of one of its component marked ambition. For as we individually approach Easter and our nation a General election – let us be struggle with human aspiration. Since too often it is our dreams that have potential to inspire or to mislead; it is our desires that tempt to do the beautiful or the bestial and it is our aims that call us to the heroic and to the treacherous. Then let us look around for who or what or where offers the Judas Kiss.  

 

 

Let us pray

 

Calm us, Loving God
When we feel let down, betrayed
Unclench the moment and let us breathe deeply of your spirit
Soften us into understanding of your ways
Deepen us into understanding and forgiveness
Fill us with hope for a future with you
That is you.

 

Amen

 

Offering

 

HYMN………….

 

 

 

Judas & Ambition