It is a lovely Maundy Thursday. This is the date of the Last Supper in the Western World. ‘Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.’ Matthew 26: 20 – 23. KJV

Indeed…we need the hope that Easter brings. The great movie, Oh Brother Whereout Thou, had a haunting song…I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrows.’ At times life can feel that way for each of us. A Pandemic that just will not quit…and terrible war in Ukraine…and the economic stresses of inflation. All of these maladies are on top of the normal valleys of life.

Jesus took Judas everywhere with him and treated him no differently than the other eleven disciples. He treated him with love… Christ did not require the modern, ‘John Wayne Gospel,’ he lived it by exhibiting outstanding strength of character and living the message that he preached. Christians believe that Jesus was born of Mary and that he was both God and man. How many of our modern-day political/Christian members of the amalgamation of their hybrid religion…treat their enemies with such Christian Charity? When Jesus woke up each morning…there was Judas smiling at him and telling him how great he was. When Christ was hungry…there was Judas who brought him food. When the disciples enjoyed a moment of mirth and laughter…there was Judas laughing heartily. When Jesus was cold…there was Judas covering The Son Of Man…with a blanket. Then Judas told Jesus’ captors that the person that he kissed on the cheek…’Hold him fast…’

We Christians want our recognition that we are the faithful and the followers of Christ. We wonder if others have observed our piety and our dedication and our love for our fellow man? We proclaim that if we had been in the crowd that shouted to Crucify Christ…we would have stood up…alone and said…No…