Total release, Day Two

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. Mark 14:10-11

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. John 13:2-4

So perhaps I am the only person who occasionally follows a trail of dark thoughts about people, listing their wrongdoings, mostly toward me, me, me, and preparing a case against them in which I win and they lose, big time. At the very least they have a see-the-light-moment, perhaps because of something clever I say, repent, confess the (many) errors of their ways, and life is happy.

Satan is the accuser.  These are his thoughts.  

I suppose Judas felt entirely justified by thoughts. And subsequent actions based on his thinking. Here the supposed Rabbi mercifully welcomes a sobbing one-of-those-sorts-of-women who is extravagantly, foolishly, selfishly wasteful and out of control.  Nay, He joyfully welcomes her distasteful attentions.  Who is this guy?  Certainly not The Promised One.  He is an embarrassment.  

Jesus is never an accuser.  Never.  He did not come to condemn the world but to save it.  

And I can fuss and storm about writers of Letters to the Editor, or Facebook posts, or drivers who are total texting dopes, or the ex-Tucson mayoral hopeful who plans free shotguns for everyone who lives in high crime areas.  Or maybe even one or two or three of the people who live in the very same house as me.  

But these are not His thoughts.  Really, they are flat out from Satan, and I must be clear-minded and alert. My enemy, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Let it not be me.  

May I echo the words of Jesus: Get away from me, Satan! You are an offense to me, because you are not thinking God's thoughts but human thoughts!

Because love is patient and kind.  Love hardly even notices when others do it wrong. Love does not insist on its own way.  Love is not irritable or rude. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Jesus watched Judas, his beloved friend from three years, push away from the table and head out the door.  In response, He stripped off His robes, wrapped a towel around His waist, and knelt down.  

And by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

LORD, may I be renewed in the spirit of my mind, to put on the new self, created after the likeness of Jesus in true righteousness and holiness.

I don’t want to be a Judas.  No, no, no.