Greetings
Prayer Warriors,
Then one of
the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
“What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him
thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to
hand him over. Matthew 26:14-16
Who
is not horrified by the reading of this gospel? Do you find yourself saying, “I
would never do that!”? Perhaps some self-reflection is in order. How often have you “sold Jesus” for a passing
momentary delight? Even more so a wretched one?
How often is your goal to acquire goods and comfort versus comforting
Jesus and giving goods to the poor? How often after a pious moment do you slowly
slide into gossip, retail therapy, or a growing accumulation of “toys”? Are you kissing Jesus in a veil of piety while
holding tight to your bad habits?
Selling
out happens insidiously with seemingly insignificant consents; giving in to small
pleasures, succumbing to slightly inappropriate words and behaviors, and increasing
vanities. Gratitude to the Giver diminishes. Grace ebbs, and our souls become blind. Inadvertently,
we shackle Jesus with our sin.
However,
hope remains, and unlike Judas, we know to believe in the mercy of God.
Lord, as we walk through
the desert of Lent, restore our vision with the light of your grace, that we
may see the current state of our soul. Help us not to hunger for possessions, but to
hunger to fully possess you. May we lose our appetite for earthly delights and instead
seek pleasure in delighting you. Hear our
prayers for family, and have mercy on us, especially if we have contributed to
their "selling out". Save us, Savior!
God, who is
rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead
in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been
saved). Ephesians 2:4-5
Peace,
Joy, and Love,
Janet
Seek His unfathomable mercy! Pass it on!
