“Is it me?”
What if he had picked, oh let’s say Matthew, the tax collector, how would he betray his Teacher and Lord? First of all, he probably would have asked for more money than thirty pieces of silver from the Pharisees, and because tax collectors were hated in
Or, what about Dr. Luke. He was the only Gentile in the group, so maybe he would find justification for planning the assassination of a
It couldn’t have been Peter, because Peter had walked on the water with his Master. He had just recently been forgiven for denying Christ three times, so that must be enough, one would think. He had said so many wrong things in the past that he couldn’t have said one more wrong thing. But then again, I am sure there would be enough room for a fourth denial to take place.
But
It could have been any of the twelve because each disciple had wondered out loud, “Is it me?” Each of the eleven surely breathed a huge sigh of relief when
But why did it have to be
Any accountant or financial manager understands the important responsibility they have to their clients. They could quickly lose the trust of their clients if they were to do something irresponsible with their client’s money. But this doesn’t seem to be a problem for the disciples. Though his name is mentioned in prior passages when the subject of money has come up, and though it seemed to be common knowledge that
It couldn’t be me anyway
It has now been over 2,000 years since that first communion. It may not have been this long since you took communion, but it could be two thousand days (5.5 years), 2000 weeks (almost 40 years), or any other length of time you choose. But, then again, it surely couldn’t be you anyway.
After all, you have been a devoted disciple of Christ for decades. You have attended church regularly since you were young, you have helped to “raise children up in the way that they should go” (Proverbs 22:6), and you have followed the guidance of St. Francis of
Are you willing to be picked?
Though we may feel it is highly unlikely that the Lord will pick us to do something against our character or against the assumptions of others, many of us conclude that there are certain things we will most definitely not do. Betraying our Lord is certainly one of those. But what if Christ picks you to do something different from what you and others expect of yourself?
We may take pride in saying that we would offer everything we have to the Lord with no exceptions. We may boast, at least in our hearts, that we do not hold onto anything as our own, but rather hold everything in an open hand, allowing God reign in everything, especially our personal possessions. We know the story of Abraham, and may even be willing to do what he did, (sacrifice his only son) so that he would be blessed by God.
But He may do just that. He may take away the things you are holding in your open hand or ask you to do something you may have vowed never to do. If you say you want the Lord to have control in everything, doesn’t this mean he will have control of the most important things as well as the least? Keeping your hands open is the most relaxing way to live.
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."