Lord, is it me?
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After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.
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The disciples were confused by Jesus' prediction.
One of you will betray me.
They looked at each other, trying to figure it out.
Is it him?
Could it be her?
Oh, what about THAT guy?
Definitely something wrong with HER.
I know how they felt that night.
I feel it every time I have to go to the store now.
I wear my gloves and keep my distance, but I know SOMEBODY out there has it.
IT!
That woman just sniffled.
That guy just coughed!
Those people over there look like they don't feel good.
Definitely something wrong with them.
When you look at the world with suspicion, everyone is guilty.
Everyone is probably infected.
THOSE people over there are going to make us all sick.
As that last supper with Jesus went on to its terrible climax, the disciples began to doubt themselves.
It's a fact:
When you can't trust anyone, you can't even trust yourself.
Before long, they all began to ask:
Could it be me?
I know how that feels too.
I sneeze and I wonder, could I be sick?
Could I have -=IT=-?
Could it be me?
In times like these it's hard to even trust yourself.
Here's the thing: when it came to betrayal, Judas wasn't the only one.
In Jesus' hour of need, they all turned tail and ran.
And you know what Jesus did with them?
He loved them.
He defeated death for them.
He forgave them--every last one of them.
When they could not trust each other...
When they could not even trust themselves...
Jesus showed that they could always trust him.
That handful of misfits soon turned the world upside down...
Not because they learned to trust themselves...
But because they learned to trust Jesus.
In this dark hour...
Trust Jesus.
That's really all you need.
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O Lord, giver of life, lover of sinners,
your beautiful world seems so dangerous today.
We face an enemy we cannot see.
We get so much confusing advice.
We do not know who to trust.
Grant us grace to trust in you.
In wellness, in sickness, in prosperity, or in pandemic,
We trust you, our Lord and our God.
Amen.