Introduction
Today’s gospel reading is incredibly powerful as we hear again of the dreadful events of the last week of Jesus’ life. We hear again of the joyful enthusiasm of the crowds as they process into Jerusalem claiming Jesus to be their king and then, a few days later, we hear of the crowd calling for Jesus’ death. We hear of how his friends do not understand what is going on and how they betray him, and we hear of his reaction to that betrayal.
Some of the disciples betrayed him by running away. They couldn’t handle the confrontation with the authorities, got scared and ran for it. One of the gospels even says that one of the disciples got caught by the guards who held his robe, but the man pulled it off and ran away naked. Peter betrayed Jesus by getting angry – typically for Peter. Instead of understanding anything that he had learnt through three years of ministry with Jesus, Peter decided to use violence to protect his master. This was a kind of betrayal. And then there was Judas who actively betrayed Jesus with a kiss of greeting.
Reactions to Betrayal
It is easy to get rather self-righteous when we think of the reaction of the disciples. It is easy for us as we know how the story ends and we weren’t there! But I wonder how we would have reacted. Would we have got angry like Peter? Would we have run off like the other disciples? Would our pain and oppression sickness have meant we reacted like Judas? Or would we have behaved like Jesus who kept his cool and seemed to be in control. He heals the high priest’s servants ear, he lectures his disciples and he argues, calmly, with the soldiers. This is a man who has been caught off guard, who has been betrayed by his closest friends and who must be hurt.
Of course we don’t know how Jesus was feeling through this. We don’t know if he was surprised, if he felt pain like a knife wound him; we don’t know if he was hurt by the games that Judas played; if he was disappointed or frustrated by Peter still not getting it; or if he felt angry with the others for running away. We don’t know if the divine side of him meant he was fully aware of all this going to happen, or if the human side of him was reacting like any of us would react internally. All we know is how he chose to act in such circumstances.
I know that when the pressure is on, or when I am betrayed, I am not tempted to react like Jesus. In that situation then I think my temperament would make me react rather more like Peter than like Jesus. I have always felt a kind of affinity with Peter. In the Catholic tradition when one is confirmed one chooses a confirmation name for oneself. This is designed to balance the fact that at baptism our parents chose our names. I chose Peter as my confirmation name. I always warmed to this larger than life character who just rushes off to do things without thinking. He sees Jesus walking on the water and goes to join him, getting rather wet as a result of his excitement overtaking his faith. He argues with Jesus when he is told to fish in a different way and anger always seems to come easily to Peter. But Jesus does great things with and through Peter.
Betrayal – a common experience.
It is difficult, though, to try and guess what we might have done back then as we have not found ourselves in that particular experience. We have all, though, seen betrayal – most of us, I expect, at first hand.
The film “Another Country” was one of the first modern gay films that won widespread critical acclaim. It is based on the life of Guy Burgess - one of the spies who worked at the heart of the British establishment, but who sent all our secrets to the Russians. He betrayed his country which had educated him and allowed him to be right at its centre. However, the film shows that he, himself, felt betrayed because his country could not cope with the love he had for men. Betrayal on one level led to betrayal on another.
In the news this week we have seen the extraordinary spectacle of Commander Brian Paddick of the Metropolitan Police being attacked by the right wing press and suspended from his job. All this has been brought about, in a large measure, because his previous boyfriend of five years, decided to betray Commander Paddick to the newspapers, earning rather more than Judas did. The most intimate parts of their relationship, or at least the perspective of that relationship offered by the lover, have been laid out for the nation to see. So far Commander Paddick seems to be reacting with dignity. The ex-boyfriend, we are told, is reacting because he never wanted the relationship to end – maybe he felt betrayed which led to his betrayal.
I also read in the press this week some comments by Mo Mowlam about Mr Blair. Now these were not flattering comments. It seems that after 7 or so years of a Labour government the ex-ministers are starting to tell the world of their perspective of life at the top. No doubt Mr Blair feels this is a betrayal by one of his closest colleagues who, in turn, feels betrayed by the way she was removed from her job. Betrayal leads to betrayal.
I have experienced betrayal. I have experienced it in personal relationships and in professional ones. I have experienced it in my own family and I am sure, over the years, many of my reactions to things have been cast as betrayal by others. I remember the anger I felt when I felt betrayed by one of our former clergy. This person decided to leave MCC and tried to take the church he was working for with him. This didn’t work but the conflict that ensued ensured that the church closed. It is only now that we can plan to start a new MCC in that city a good five years after the previous one was rather forcibly closed. The minister in question was then prosecuted by his secular employers and found guilty of fraud and theft. He served two years in prison. The sense of betrayal many of his colleagues felt in ministry was great as we felt he had not acted with any propriety and had sought to destroy the good name of our church.
I have felt betrayed when people I have trusted and worked with show that they had ulterior motives for being involved in ministry. I have felt betrayed when I have let people engage in ministry and found that the foundations of my decision were based on lies and that the people concerned were actually dangerous people.
How Do We React – What Choices do we make?
So given that betrayal is a common experience how do we react? And how do our reactions match up to those shown by Jesus?
If we look at this afternoon’s gospel passage we see three different ways of reacting – we could run away, we could get angry or we could stay calm.
Do we call on God for help – as Jesus did, or ask God to damn our enemies as Elizabeth did? Do we express our anger in productive ways, say by punching a pillow, or react with violence like Peter? Do we try to understand where the person who has betrayed us is coming from or do we, like Judas, betray them in turn. Do we actually seek to talk to the person who has hurt us or do we roll up and hold our pain like a blanket.
I get a real insight into Judas through the musical Jesus Christ, Superstar. In this Lloyd Webber posits the view that Judas was annoyed with Jesus. At first Judas felt that Jesus was going to lead a political revolution – we know Judas belonged to the Zealots who wanted to rid Israel of the Romans. He became more and more cross with Jesus – he condemned the woman who anointed Jesus with costly perfume. Maybe he wanted to goad Jesus into a reaction against the Romans and the High Priests – what better way to do it than to organise an arrest. Judas knew what Jesus was capable of; maybe then, at the moment of arrest, Jesus would call on the angels and establish a new Kingdom of Israel. Judas betrayed Jesus because he didn’t understand him, because he felt that his ideals which he projected onto Jesus hadn’t been met.
I think we can all react a bit like Judas at times. We all have choices in how we react to betrayal.
For myself I find I go through a number of reactions. The first is just plain disbelief – I find I deny it! This denial usually gives way to anger and then the anger to some form of depression. Eventually I find that I come to accept the new reality and then I have to make different decisions and choices. Now this is a perfectly natural process. I am not at my best, however, when angry. I manage to pray, but am quite Biblical in my prayers but rather more Old Testament than New.
One of my heroes is Queen Elizabeth I. One of the hallmarks of her reign were the plotters who were always trying to remove her from the throne. The most dangerous plot was led by Sir Anthony Babbington who wanted to put the exiled Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne. Mary was, of course, Catholic and would have restored the Catholic faith to England. The plot fell apart and was discovered. Elizabeth ensured that the main protagonists were brutally punished – this was unusual for her as she was normally quite merciful, even to those who plotted against her. However, she composed a prayer to God which earnestly described, in some detail, what the Almighty should do to her enemies, to those who had betrayed her. Whilst I never quite get that bad, I do have a certain sympathy!
Jesus as our Example
When faced with betrayal Jesus kept his cool and kept his dignity. He prayed, but unlike Elizabeth I he asked God to forgive those who were hurting him. In the midst of the betrayal he was still healing and, later on, forgave those who had betrayed him.
The disciples who ran away were all forgiven, filled with the Holy Spirit and became the key leaders of the Early Church. Peter, who had denied Jesus three times, became the leader of the earliest Church.
Judas’ greatest sin was in despairing. He felt so overcome with guilt, so overcome with a sense of his own failure that he killed himself. I am sure that if he had lived through his guilt and pain, if he had spoken to Jesus he too would have been forgiven.
So what will our response be to the pain of betrayal, to the pain of impaired and broken relationships?
Will we let ourselves become betrayers too, or will we find ways to manage our anger, cope with our pain, live with the depression that comes and find acceptance. In the midst of pain are the most marvellous opportunities to find growth and healing. It is only in holding fast to Jesus and following his example, however, that we are able to react like he did.
It is only in following his example that we will succeed in changing the world and changing ourselves. And in that change are the seeds of resurrection. Amen.
This sermon was first preached in the Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester. Click here for further information.