Betrayal

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed ... (1 Corinthians 11:23)

Luke 22 gives a detailed account:
They prepared the Passover.  When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
 
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.  For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.  The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”  They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this  (Luke 22:13b-23).

The man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”  (Luke 22:47-48).


Betrayal by kiss, the sign of friendship in their culture.  How many times have I betrayed Christ??  Too many, I am sure.


I am so grateful that those betrayals are, and will continue to be, under the blood of Christ.


In our tradition, we celebrate communion every week, as a reminder of Christ's gift to us.  It truly never grows old.