Heart to Heart: Faith Seasons Podcast

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 3:7b-15 is by Jane Newberry.

Many years ago, Jane married her wonderful high school sweet heart. They were blessed with 3 incredible children and now have 9 equally incredible grand children. She is a retired nurse and now spends her time helping family, friends and others. She’s involved in two parishes and also part of a group called “Discerning Women Deacons.”

from John 3:7b-15
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Read the full scripture: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041823.cfm

I love how John compares the wind to the Holy Spirit. We all see the results of wind and air and oxygen. Trees are moving; children are running. We know that wind and oxygen are there because we need these to live. We also know the Holy Spirit, who really is the oxygen of our spiritual life, is with us as he sends us thoughts and people to help guide us. Sometimes this is in subtle ways in the whispers of our lives. And sometimes this is in louder ways as He repeats events that can shape our lives.

We know the Holy Spirit has a plan for each of us. Maybe he's sending you to help at mass as a server. Yes, women can be servers. Or to become a lector or Eucharistic Minister. I have heard people say they feel unworthy to serve as a Eucharistic Minister or lector, but isn't this how we all feel, unworthy? Don't let this stop you.

Surely the Blessed Mother must have felt unworthy and overwhelmed when the angel appeared to her and asked her to be the mother of the Savior of the World. I have often thought about this. Mary was an unmarried teenager who had never had relations with a man. She could actually have been stoned for being pregnant before she was married. Yet Mary humbly and boldly said, "Yes" to the angel, to God the Father, and to the Holy Spirit.

Wow, what an amazing person she is.

The Holy Spirit uses all of us in some special way. Parents are guiding their children to be good and kind people. Other adults have chosen a single life and are involved in community outreach programs. Children are asked to help others at home, or in their neighborhoods. Young adults are discerning how they can serve others in their careers and community. Maybe the Spirit is calling you to volunteer in a school or take Holy Communion to those who are homebound.

There are so many ways to serve others. Just like the wind, we don't know where these actions will sometimes take us and we don't know how they affect the people whose lives we touch. Being open to where we are being sent can reveal many opportunities as we are doing the work of the Holy Spirit.

One way God has used me is through a program called Healing Touch. I admit I was initially unsure if Healing Touch was really for me and unsure of the benefits for recipients. Early on, I felt very inadequate. Through much prayer and practice, I believe the Holy Spirit has encouraged me to pursue this type of service to others. I feel that I am a small straw that the Holy Spirit is able to work through and I know that healing comes from God.

Read the full reflection: https://youtu.be/fDKJqlzw-3c

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Have you ever held your breath waiting for someone to reply, hoping almost desperately that they will say yes to something that you ask them to do? Well, back in the 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux imagined the Archangel Gabriel waiting desperately for the Blessed Virgin Mary to respond to God's proposal that she become the mother of his child. 

In a homily, Bernard said the following: “You have heard of Virgin that you will conceive and bear a son. The angel awaits an answer. It is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion. The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. Tearful Adam, with his sorrowing family, begs this of you O loving Virgin, in their exile from paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it, all the other holy patriarchs — your ancestors — ask it of you as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole world waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for on your word depends comfort for the wretched, indeed, salvation for all the children of Adam and Eve, the whole of your race. Answer quickly O Virgin. Reply, in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Why do you delay? Why are you afraid? Let humility be bold. Let modesty be confident. This is no time for simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the creator. See, the Desired of all Nations is at your door knocking to enter.”

And then, it is as though Saint Bernard breaths a sigh of relief along with Gabriel as he quotes Mary's response: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.  Be it done to me, according to your word.” With those words, Mary said “Yes” to God and God's plan to save the human race from the sin and death which entered the world because another woman and her husband said “No” to God. Mary's obedient “yes,” overcomes the disobedient “no” of our ancestral parents. 

Let's imagine again that moment of Mary's “yes” to God. At that moment, a new life was conceived in her womb. And little by little, cell by cell, this new life developed into a little baby who would be born in a stable and placed in a manger. 

At World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in the year 2005, in his homily at the closing Mass, Pope Benedict talked about the transformation that occurs when we say “Amen” and receive the body of Christ. He said, “The body and blood of Christ are given to us so that we ourselves will be transformed in our turn. We are to become the body of Christ. His own flesh and blood.” Did you catch that? We are to become Christ's own flesh and blood in the world today. Only that way will sin be overcome. Only in that way, is the knot of death undone. And it's all because of one woman's affirmative response to God's request that came to her through an angel. Thank you, Mother Mary, for saying “yes.” And please help me — help us — to do the same. One day at a time.

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Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 20:19-31 is by Fr. James Martin, SJ. 

Fr. James is a Jesuit priest, writer, and editor-at-large for the Jesuit magazine, America. In 2017 Pope Francis appointed him as a consultant to the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications. A New York Times Best Selling author, he is a sought after public speaker and media commentator on faith, culture, and spirituality. 

From John 20 verses 19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Read the full Gospel: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042422.cfm

In today's beautiful gospel, we read the story of the Apostle known as "Doubting Thomas."

Now, I've always thought that Saint Thomas gets a rather bad rap. After all, he was one of the most faithful of Jesus' disciples. You'll remember that in the story of the raising of Lazarus, in the Gospel of John, some of the disciples were worried about returning to Bethany, Lazarus's home, because it was in Judea where things were dangerous for Jesus. 

Jesus had just been threatened with a stoning, but Thomas was undeterred, and encouraged everyone to go with Jesus. Beyond that, Jesus had chosen Thomas as an Apostle—one of the 12—so must have seen something good in him. 

But because Thomas was not with the other disciples, at one of the original appearances of the Risen Christ, he doubted the resurrection. He says that unless he himself puts his hands in the wounds of Jesus he won't believe. Now, let's step back a bit. The beginning of the Gospel of John tells us that the disciples were locked behind closed doors out of fear. 

But a closer look at the gospel shows us that Mary Magdalene had already had her encounter with the Risen Christ at the tomb on Easter Sunday and had already proclaimed the good news of the Resurrection to the disciples. In other words, they were still cowering behind closed doors after they had heard about the resurrection. So let's remember that everyone was struggling and was a little fearful and a little doubtful after the resurrection; it may simply have been human nature. But let's get back to Thomas.

On the one hand, Thomas should have known that nothing was impossible with God. On the other hand, no one had ever been raised from the dead in that precise way before—even Lazarus—and so Thomas can be forgiven his doubt. 

But like the other disciples, Thomas had seen many miracles including ones where Jesus raised someone from the dead. Lazarus isn't the only one. There is also the son of the Widow of Nain and Jairus's daughter. It's a reminder to all of us that nothing is impossible with God. Even if Thomas and the disciples had a hard time getting that, we know it to be true. So the call of the Christian is not to hide behind closed doors. 

It is to both hope and expect that God will be with us in all things. And that again, nothing is impossible with God. But Jesus knows that the disciples need more than just the report from Mary Magdalene. So as today's Gospel tells us, he appears despite the locked doors and gives them what they need: Peace. 

Now Thomas, as we've said, is not there. And when the Risen Christ appears again, he knows now what Thomas needs and he shows him his wounds. God speaks to us in very personal ways, tailored to our own circumstances. Jesus gave Thomas just what he needed and asked for:  physical proof.

Read the full homily: https://youtu.be/4vwdb0gnLFs

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This Season of Joy reflection on Mark 16:9-15 is by Sr. Francis Maag. 

Sister Francis took her vows with the Congregation of Divine Providence 68 years ago. Over her career she served as principal with seven different schools, in four different states and five different dioceses. She remains an active participant of Divine Mercy parish in Bellevue, KY.

from Mark 16:9-15
When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

To read the full scripture passage, please visit: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042322.cfm

"Go into the whole world, and proclaim the gospel to every creature."
This is the call to everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus. This call to proclaim the gospel is the universal mission of every Christian. It is to proclaim Jesus. It is to share his teachings, and example of living his divine truths about life. 

How can one carry out this mission unless one knows the gospel? How can a person know the gospel if there's no one to teach it? How can one share the truth of Jesus and the gospel if one is not sent? 

To proclaim Jesus one must not just know about Jesus, one must know Jesus—have an experience of Jesus—and become a true believer. A true believer will be motivated to share the good news of the gospel with enthusiasm. All true believers are sent by Jesus himself to share the gospel with every creature.

Excuses abound. I am too young; too old; too uneducated; too busy; too...
It is well to note that Peter and John—Jesus's close Apostles—were considered uneducated by the people of their time. Yet they were recognized as companions of Jesus. They knew Jesus. They had experienced Jesus.

The Jewish leaders had seen the man who was cured by Peter's intercession. Nevertheless, these leaders ordered Peter and John not ever again to speak in the name of Jesus. The apostles retorted: "It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard." 
To enthusiastically proclaim the gospel. One must have a personal experience of Jesus and truly know him and his message. Become a true believer. One cannot pass on to another what one does not have in their own heart and soul. 

When Mary Magdalene excitedly reported that Jesus was risen and alive, the apostles didn't believe her. When the two disciples on the way to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem with joy, to tell the apostles they had seen Jesus, they weren't believed.

Eventually the apostles too experience the Risen Jesus and initiated the church. To proclaim this good news—the news of salvation and restoration of our relationship with God, through Jesus—we need courage and commitment. 

Let us enthusiastically respond to the beautiful and challenging call. Let us, in the words of Saint Paul, "Be ambassadors for Christ. Go into the whole world, and proclaim the gospel to every creature."

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from John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

The Rising Son

So often over the years, I’ve noticed that we put a tremendous effort into our Lenten observance and then when we get to Easter, we lose our spiritual steam, our fervor fades. Oh, for sure there’s the happy exuberance of finally being able to break our Lenten fast. But all too quickly for many of us, it’s back to same old / same old. 

Today’s gospel begins before dawn. Only gradually does the darkness of night give way to the brilliance of that first Easter morning. Only gradually is the truth of what has transpired come to light. 

Mary Magdalene goes to the grave, discovers that the stone has been rolled away, assumes that it’s grave robbers, and hurries to tell Peter and the Beloved Disciple. They run to the tomb and discover for themselves that indeed the tomb is empty. But grave robbers don’t strip a dead body of its clothes and leave them behind folded neatly. They go away believing but not fully comprehending what they have just seen. 

So, I think it is with us. Only gradually is our sadness transformed into joy, our discouragement become anchored in hope, our confusion give way to faith. 

For many years as a young man, I struggled with depression, a kind of low-grade sadness that I simply couldn’t seem to shake. I know I’m not alone in that many Americans have reported similar struggles with anxiety and depression. Through some therapy, regular exercise, poetry, spiritual direction, and lots and lots of prayer, the depression finally lifted for me. But most importantly, this malaise led me to hunger and thirst for a deeper joy and a more lasting peace. In short, I hungered to taste the fruits of the resurrection. 

Who has not longed for something more in life? I believe it’s precisely in sitting in the empty tombs of our own efforts that a deep prayer rises up in our hearts for something more, for something and someone so much larger than ourselves. 

On this Easter Sunday, perhaps you will be blessed with an immediate experience of joy and hope. And if that gift is given, savor it, rejoice in it. But if you find that after the sugar high from the chocolate bunnies and multi-colored jelly beans wears off, that there is still some hint of sadness lingering, do not despair. 

Remember today’s gospel. On Easter Sunday morning, Magdalen is frightened and confused. Peter and John belief but don’t understand. Coming to a deeper faith, a fuller understanding, and a long-lasting joy – THIS is the journey of this Easter season. Indeed, it’s the journey of our lifetime. And it takes time, prayerful patience, and persistent faith. 

Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God. Pope Francis has called us to an evangelization with this joy as our calling card. In these 50 days of Easter, ask for this gift of joy. And know that joy is a choice. Choose a joy that is more than a feeling. Live with a joy that is not here today and gone tomorrow. Pray for a joy that is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in the victory that Christ has won for us on that first Easter morning. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and like all fruits it needs to ripen slowly in God’s time. 

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Today’s story seed is Before the Dawn.

From Psalm 51, verse 12
A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

No one knows, but what if… after Jesus was taken down from the cross and his body laid in the tomb, Mary, Mother of Jesus, sat in the house of a friend. Devastated as she was, people came to express their condolences.

We can imagine the trauma of those people, who believed Jesus would set Israel free. Their whole world was shaken.

Maybe Mary showed concern for those people as best she could, even though under her consoling outer politeness, she was ready to scream, ready to crawl under a rock, ready to give her life so that her son might live.

And the next day was the same. People coming, talking, crying, praying, sitting, eating, leaving. A blur for the Mother of Jesus. When she lay down for sleep, she felt her whole world ending.
Just suppose that she woke up long before the dawn on that second night. One phrase from her son stuck in her mind. She said out loud, “The kingdom of God is at hand.”

As she said this, she remembered the angel Gabriel coming to her. She said once again very quietly, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” Now she saw in her mind’s eye her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. Then she saw herself pregnant and Jesus being born and laying on her chest.

“The kingdom of God is at hand.” She remembered his first step and how Joseph used to toss him in the air and catch him. Mary remembered his first words, his first prayer, and the time he fell out of a tree and nearly broke his neck.

“The kingdom of God is at hand.” Now she remembered the wedding feast at Cana and how Jesus’ disciples drank a bit too much. And she recalled the multitudes eating on the hillside, sharing bread and fish. She had a vivid image of when a blind man regained his sight, and a paralyzed man stood up and walked.

“The kingdom of God is at hand.” And then it came, the image of Jesus on the cross.

In the silence, and pain, that image lingered. But slowly a thought surfaced. The kingdom of God is love. And love cannot be stopped. Perhaps he had to die so that all that would remain would be the love he taught.

She pledged to carry that love always, to continue what he had started. Her eyes wet with tears, she rolled over, felt his calming presence, and fell back to sleep.

We all know what happens when Mary rises the next day, but what we don’t know is what will happen in our lives later today. We could say that it’s a clean slate. We have been emptied out. We have been trying all Lent to clean up our heart, to rip open the callousness that keeps us from being a loving person.

Whatever happens, like Psalm 51 says today, “…a steadfast spirit renew within me.” 

Good things and bad things will happen. Can we hang in there through it all and spread the love that Jesus taught? At this moment, the kingdom of God is at hand. Pause, breathe, and feel that which is coming into your life. Mother Mary and her son are sending you love.

Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed…

How do you stay steadfast in your love?

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Today’s story seed is In the Middle.

From the Gospel of John chapter 19, verse 18
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

The mother looked at her son. A breathing tube was down his throat. The beeps and buzzes of the equipment rang out in the hospital room. Her sobs were muffled by her hands over her mouth as she prayed for him, her beautiful baby boy, laying helpless in this bed, hanging on by a thread of life.

He was one of three people shot that day. They were destined to become a statistic that would never find justice.

She had done everything she could to keep him safe. She made sure he went to school, did his homework, had something to eat at night. But she couldn’t keep him safe. More than one gang wanted him.

“If I don’t join, they are going to come gunning for me,” he said.

“Don’t you do it,” she told him. “You have managed this long. You’re about to finish high school. God’s watching over you.”

“God may be watching over me, but they are after me every day. They told me they ain’t playing no games.”

She had closed her eyes during that conversation. She saw images of the past that couldn’t be repeated. She said, “You’re not ending up like your father and your uncles. You’re not selling drugs. You’re not going to prison. You’re not going to die from bullets.”

“Momma,” he said. “It will be a miracle if I make it to my next birthday.”

“Son, Jesus is in the business of miracles, and I’m praying hard for you.”

That was four days ago. As she thought about this, she burst into tears and her cries filled the hospital hallway. His best friend came into the room. His eyes were bloodshot. He was biting his lip to keep it together for her.

At just that moment, her son opened his eyes. He recognized the two of them together. Glancing from one to another, he seemed to be pleading that they be there for each other, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to stay.

His eyes went blank. His spirit slipped away. He was one of 797 that year in the city of Chicago.

Jesus died for our sins. We are saved. Everything is fine, right?

Clearly everything is not fine. Our world is filled with pain. When we imagine the pain of Mary and the beloved disciple seeing Jesus hanging on the cross about to die, is that any worse than when mothers see their kids shot on our streets?

Let’s not make a list of all the pain in the world, yet let’s acknowledge that Jesus didn’t die alone. He was in the middle.

Does anyone really deserve to be crucified? Were there mothers and fathers who were weeping that their boy was being crucified next to Jesus? How had things gone so wrong?

Jesus tells one of those hanging next to him that they will be together in paradise. He also unites Mary and the beloved disciple. Perhaps he unites all of us.

On this day of sadness, let us remember that it is not only Jesus that has suffered, is suffering, and will suffer.

Jesus is in the middle of it all. His body. His blood.

We are witnesses. We must remember to love others as he has loved us. That includes the 797 who were murdered in Chicago last year. And countless others around the world.

Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed…

What is your heart telling you today?

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From the Gospel of John chapter 13, verses 8 and 9
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”

Grandmother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. While she still had the strength, she gathered her children and grandchildren to her house for dinner. Everyone pitched in to make the meal.

They ate, laughed, cried, cleaned up, and lit the fire in the fireplace. Gramma was in her rocking chair. She had been thinking about this moment. She understood that this might be the last time she was together with her whole family.

When everyone had a seat in the room, with difficulty, she stood up and said, “It’s time for a drink. She took a glass off the tray near her chair and handed it to her son. Then she took another glass off the tray and handed it to one of the grandkids.

When she turned to get yet another glass, all 17 people in the room seemed to have the same thought. Her son spoke up, “Mom, what are you doing? Sit down. We’ll pass out the glasses.”
“No,” she said. “You will stay seated. Be patient.”

Slowly, she hand delivered a glass to each person. When they all had their glass, she picked up a decanter of her plum wine. As she poured the wine into the first glass, she instructed, “Nobody drinks, until everybody drinks.”

One by one, she put a bit of wine in each of the glasses. One time as she moved across the room, she nearly fell. “That’s enough,” said her daughter. “Let us help. Have a seat.”

“I love you,” said her mother, “and I know you mean well. But this is my job, and I want you to always remember this lesson. Sit down, my love.”

When everyone else had their drink in hand, she poured herself a splash of the wine. “Raise your glasses,” she said. “Here’s to bringing love into the world.” With those words, she put the glass to her lips and drank. Everyone else did the same.

After that, seated in her chair, she smiled and said, “What can a dying woman say to her family so that they will always remember? I have found there is nothing more satisfying than serving others and sharing the simple pleasures of life. That’s a taste I want you to savor every day of your life.”

Like Jesus, this grandmother is trying to convey what really matters. Today we celebrate the last supper. It is easy to imagine that Jesus carefully thought about what he wanted to say to his apostles.

It’s pretty clear that service to others is near the top of the list. He washed the feet of those at the table. Most of us embrace that.

What is less clear is that we have to appreciate the gift of those who serve us. Peter seemed to be missing that part of the lesson. He says, “you will never wash my feet.”

We have been taught that it is better to give than receive. Like Peter, we want to be the ones to give. But without receiving there is no giving. It wasn’t long ago that Jesus received his feet being washed with tears and anointed in oil.

We take turns doing both roles. At this moment, Jesus is about to give his life for us. He wants us to remember what’s most important. Go ahead, let your feet be washed, and be sure to accept the cup when it comes to you.

Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed…

What lesson of Jesus will you always remember?

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From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah chapter 50, verse 6
I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The early church is filled with martyrs, people who gave their life to see the faith continue. Today is the feast day of St. Martin I.

When he became Pope in 649 there was a popular belief called Monothelitism that Jesus had a divine will, but not a human will. At the time, much of the church was controlled by the Roman Emperor Constans II.

That Emperor endorsed Monothelitism and forbade this teaching from being changed, and outlawed discussion of it. One of the first things Pope Martin I did in his papacy was to gather a council of more than 100 bishops to refute that teaching and clearly state that Jesus had two wills. He was fully human and fully divine and thus had two wills.

The Pope and his bishops also denounced the ban on discussion about the topic. This infuriated the Emperor. He ordered his soldiers in Rome to arrest the Pope. That was not such an easy task, but after three years of trying, they did apprehend him and put him on an arduous voyage to Constantinople. When he arrived there, the Pope was immediately put into jail.

He was left there for three months in filthy, freezing conditions, and fed disgusting food. He suffered greatly and was not allowed to wash. He was then given a trial in which he was not permitted to offer a defense. The Pope was found guilty of treason. After spending another three months in the squalled conditions of the prison, he was exiled to a remote area and died within two years.

He gave his life trying to spread the truth as he understood it about Jesus. Saint Martin I is considered a martyr. We don’t know this, but perhaps during his humiliations in prison he recited the Isaiah passage that we shared today. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my checks to those who plucked my beard.”

Maybe those words gave him the willpower to not renounce his position and stand firm in his belief about Jesus.

We know that tomorrow will be Holy Thursday. Jesus will finish his day by going to the garden of Gethsemane. There he will pray and ask for the cup of suffering to pass him by if it be God’s will. When we read about the anguish of Jesus on that night, it seems clear that he was trying his best with his human will to follow his divine will.

Perhaps he, too, on that night, recited the words of Isaiah to try to find strength and comfort in the monumental task ahead of him. Maybe it helped him to feel like he wasn’t alone. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my checks to those who plucked my beard.”

Perhaps when they arrested him and had him scourged, as the whip cut into his skin over and over again, he said those words of Isaiah trying to find the willpower to withstand the pain.

How’s your willpower doing? Is there something going on in your life that is hard? Are you suffering along with Jesus and Pope Martin I? Let the words of Isaiah inspire you and give you the willpower to follow God.

“I gave my back to those who beat me, my checks to those who plucked my beard.”

Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed…

When do you feel your willpower is at its strongest?

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Today’s story seed is Betrayal.

From Gospel of John chapter 13, verse 21
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

She didn’t go to college. When she finished high school, she began to work full time at the diner. She was a hard worker and good with people.

She got the nickname, “Smiley.”

One of the regulars took a special interest in her. He began to ask her questions about goals, her hopes, her dreams. She didn’t reveal a whole lot, mostly because she wasn’t sure what she wanted in life. One thing was for sure, though; she appreciated the large tips he left her.

Even though he was about 10 years older than her, one day he said, “Smiley, you work all day at this greasy spoon. Would you let me take you out to a real restaurant?”

She laughed in his face. “An old man like you—taking out a sweet young thing like me—I don’t think that is going to happen.”

“Suit yourself. I just think you deserve to be pampered a bit.” That day he left a $5 tip for a $10 meal.

Over the next month, he asked her to the movies, to a car race, to the ballet, to the comedy club, but it was the picnic to the beach that got her to say “yes.” Even though the ocean was a mere three hours away from their town, she had only been there once.

On her day off, they made the trip. He was a perfect gentleman. He had made sandwiches and brought soft drinks. They sat on a blanket in the sand under a rented umbrella. It was picture perfect.

They started dating regularly and became romantic. Six months later she agreed to marry him.

Three weeks before that wedding, she saw him walking with another girl, someone even younger than her. She followed them. They were holding hands. They paused under a streetlight and began to kiss.

She came out of the shadows quietly. Her voice quivering, she said, “It’s over.”

Later, she said some more choice words. She was left with the feeling that she could never love again.

Gradually, though, she recognized that she was never really comfortable with him. She became grateful for that moment when she found him with another girl. That betrayal became her freedom.

What happened after that? Well, she met a certain plumber who was rather rough around the edges, but it didn’t take long to realize he had a heart of gold.

This is one of those stories that you wouldn’t wish on anybody. Nobody wants to get engaged only to find out that your intended is cheating on you. That’s a heartbreak that will stick with a person for the rest of his or her life.

Betrayal sears a wound deep inside of us.

Jesus experienced it. In today’s gospel he knows it is coming. Soon it will be sealed with a kiss as Judas identifies him to the authorities.

Betrayal is part of the story. Perhaps it is a necessary element, and maybe not just for Jesus’ story, but yours and mine as well.

Can you identify one of these wounds of betrayal deep inside of you? If you can, it may be possible for you to continue with the story. Unite with Jesus. His pain and your pain can be carried together. That’s a relationship you can trust.

Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed…

How have you been betrayed?

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