You Are Still Beloved

The Rev. Brad Sullivan
April 1, 2021
Maundy Thursday, B
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

You Are Still Beloved

Most of us have absolutely no idea what we would do in a crisis situation.  If our lives were suddenly in eminent danger, how would we respond?  We may know what we would plan to do, just as Peter and the disciples had all planned to stay by Jesus’ side even if it meant their death.  Like Peter and the other disciples, however, our plans may not match up with reality, simply because in that life or death, high stress situation, our thinking brains tend to shut down and Lizard Brain takes over.  Any plans we made go out the window, and whatever wiring we’ve got down there tells our bodies, “Nice idea, Sparky, but here’s what you’re going to do now.”  That’s what happened with Peter, when he truly planned to die with Jesus if need be, but the fight or flight part of his brain, over which he had virtually no control, wasn’t gonna have it.  

Jesus knew this instinctual nature within his disciples was going to take over.  He knew them better than they knew themselves.  So, perhaps in Jesus’ prediction of their denial and abandonment of him, he wasn’t trying to frighten, shame, or even warn them.  Perhaps instead, Jesus was letting his disciples know ahead of time that he knew them, he knew their failures and their faults, and he sill loved them and was with them to the end.  

Perhaps Jesus was telling them of their actions ahead of time so that afterwards, as they felt guilty and apologized, Jesus could remind them, “I already knew. You were afraid and you did the best your minds would allow you to do.  I knew.  I understood.  I understand, and you are still beloved.  So peace be upon you and let your failure go.”  Peace be upon you, and let your failures go.  God already knows.  God already knew, and you are still beloved.

Broken and beaten, God has joined with the Judas dwelling in us all

The Rev. Brad Sullivan
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
April 4, 2021

Palm Sunday, B

The Fourth Chapter:  The Plot Against Jesus

Matthew - The plot against Jesus

Broken and beaten, God has joined with the Judas dwelling in us all

A man brought a gun into a store in Colorado and killed 10 people.  A police officer crushed a man’s neck with his knee, slowly killing him over nine minutes.  Judas betrayed his friend and Rabbi to be arrested and killed.

When we hear of such atrocities, we often say, “Who in their right mind would do such a thing?”  Well, no one.  No one in their right mind would commit such atrocities.  Fear, anger, hurt, mental illness, stress to the point of fracture are all at play in the minds of those who kill and betray.  

We like to think that given the same circumstances, we wouldn’t commit such atrocities.  Maybe not, but that may only be because of the wiring and chemical makeup in our brains…things over which we have no control.  

All are betrayers.  All are innocent.  

All perpetrate violence.  All are victims.  

Telling the story of Judas’ betrayal as simplistically as Judas (the bad guy) betrayed Jesus (the good guy) is not what Jesus taught.  “Neither do I condemn you,” is what Jesus taught.  Come, sit and eat with me, you who have been broken and beaten by others, is how Jesus lived.  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” is what Jesus prayed on the cross.  Rather than hate, Jesus saw people as broken and beaten.

Broken and beaten, Judas betrayed his friend.  Broken and beaten, a gunman and police officer killed the people they killed.  All are broken and beaten by all the hurt in their lives.  Broken and beaten by the harmful lessons they learned.  Broken and beaten by the wiring within their minds.  Broken and beaten even by traumatic versions of Christianity in which most people are damned and only a select few are saved.  

Broken and beaten, Judas dwells within us all.  That’s why God took those acts of betrayal and murder unto Godself.  The fear, anger, hurt, mental illness, stress to the point of fracture.  God joined with the worst of us so that even as the Judas kiss comes from our lips, we are understood, loved, and have an advocate saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”