Holy Tuesday

 

 Judas’ Betrayal Announced; Peter’s Denial Predicted

Today’s gospel passage presents to us two kinds of betrayals: Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial. But what is the difference between the two betrayals? Judas’ betrayal was deliberate, cold and calculated. His is seen as the worst one. It is because when Jesus makes His appeal by showing special affection to him at the Last Supper through a gesture of offering him a morsel of food, very sadly, Judas rejects this act of our Lord’s reaching to him in love and compassion. In the Jewish society, a gesture of offering a morsel of food is an act done by one who considers the other person a genuine and intimate friend.

While Peter, in a moment of weakness, denies Him with an oath and a curse. He never meant to do what he did. Jesus knows both the strength of Peter’s loyalty and the weakness of his resolution. He has a habit of speaking with his heart without thinking through the implications of what he was saying. He acts impulsively out of weakness and cowardice.

All of us have weaknesses. But God loves to use weak people. In fact, we have a bundle of imperfections be it: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. But what is more important is what we do with regards to these. Sad to say, many times we deny our weaknesses, defend them, excuse them, justify them, hide them, resent them and this prevents God from using these weaknesses the way He desires.

God has a different outlook when it comes to our weaknesses. He says: “My ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts,” (Is. 55:9). Through these words, we can say that He often acts in ways that are the exact opposite of what we expect. The Bible gives us so many examples by which God loves to use imperfect, ordinary people to do extraordinary things in spite of their weaknesses and one of them is St. Paul, who use to proclaim his weaknesses and glory in them. He said, “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

We need to admit our weaknesses. Let us own our imperfections, stop pretending that we have it all together and be honest with ourselves. Instead of living in denial or making excuses, let us take the time to identify our personal weaknesses. We might make a list of them.

Do I limit God’s power in my life by trying to hide my weaknesses?

Let us always remember that God works best when we admit our weaknesses and allow Him to use our weaknesses for His glory and honor.