Hiding in Plain Sight

John 13: 21–32

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. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered him, and Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

It does not matter when this passage is publicly recited or privately read as it consistently provides a lasting and lingering depiction of a striking encounter between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus is preparing himself and the disciples for the days ahead that will ultimately take him to the cross. They have gathered for the Passover supper, but on this night the text emphasizes that Jesus is troubled in spirit. On this solemn night, Jesus is sharing not only challenging truths, but also comforting fellowship, and a spiritually symbolic meal with his disciples. He did all this knowing that there was one in the room, sitting at his table, who had been working behind the scenes not to support Jesus’ ministry but conspiring with others to end it.

The followers of Jesus were continuously growing throughout the region. John’s Gospel reveals that the son of Simon Iscariot, Judas, had his heart, mind, and spirit focused on the plans and plot to stop this Jesus movement once and for all. Judas was consumed by the offer and his desire to possess 30 pieces of silver. Judas had been consumed by the political, economic, and self-centered, and self-focused forces operating around him and within his life. He was in the room but only Jesus could see what was lying beneath the present moment.

As we move toward the cross, we must face the reality of our journey through the days of Lent and ask ourselves, “What is taking place beneath the surface of our lives? Are we allowing ourselves to be consumed by the political, economic, self-centered, and self-focused forces operating around us and within our lives?” The question filled the room that evening and is before us today as one of his disciples decided to go another way. Saint Augustine is quoted as saying “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” Judas was hiding in plain sight. We must be careful that we are not doing the same.

prayer

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I can’t do this alone.

In me there’s darkness,
But with you there’s light;
I’m lonely, but you don’t leave me;

I’m feeble in heart, but with you there’s help;
I’m restless, but with you there’s peace.
In me there’s bitterness, but with you there’s patience;
I don’t understand your ways,
But you know the way for me.

O Heavenly Father,
I praise and thank you
For rest in the night;
I praise and thank you for this new day;
I praise and thank you for all your goodness
and faithfulness throughout my life.

You have granted me many blessings;
Now let me also accept what’s hard from your hand.
You will lay on me no more than I can bear.
You make all things work together for good for your children.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.

You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me when all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It’s your will that I should know you and turn to you.
Lord, I hear your call and follow;
Help me.

O Holy Spirit,
Give me faith that will protect me
from despair, from passions, and from vice;
Give me such love for God and men
as will blot out all hatred and bitterness;
Give me the hope that will deliver me
from fear and faint-heartedness.
Amen.

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Prayers from Prison”