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The Day Before the Night
April 16, 2025
Isaiah 50:4-9a | Hebrews 12:1-3 | John 13:21-32 | Psalm 70
On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was living in Florida. Amanda, my oldest, was four years old and attended preschool four mornings a week. Gillian was in that sweet age between infant and toddler. The oppressive humidity of the summer had broken, and the mornings were comfortable and clear. I had dropped Amanda off at preschool, loaded Gillian in the stroller, and headed out for a walk along the paths in our community. I remember that morning so clearly; how care-free and blissful I was; so grateful for the chance to be outdoors on such a glorious day. I wonder how many of us have vivid memories of the start of what became a world-shaking day. Although it might seem strange to bring up the events on 9-11 in a Holy Week blog, these are the thoughts that have come to my mind as I think about Holy Wednesday.
Tradition and the Gospels help us to piece together the activities of Jesus and the disciples during the days between the Triumphal Entry and Easter Sunday. After Sunday’s joyful arrival in Jerusalem, Monday and Tuesday proved to be trying days for Jesus; teaching and confronting opposition in Jerusalem during the days and retiring to Bethany each night. The events of Holy Wednesday are somewhat less clear; some scholars believe that this is the day that Judas agreed to betray Jesus, and it may also be the day that Mary anointed Jesus with expensive perfume. Whatever the case, I wonder if the disciples felt like it was pretty much a normal day in the life of Jesus’ closest followers? Were they focused on the upcoming Passover Feast, the joy of fellowship, and the buzz of activity around Jerusalem? Jesus had been talking about his time drawing near; had they failed to grasp the sense of urgency?
If the disciples were blissfully unaware of what the next day would bring, there were two people in that inner circle who were very aware of the gravity of what the next days could bring. One was Jesus. The other was Judas. The Betrayed, and the Betrayer.
Today’s Gospel reading takes us to Thursday evening’s dinner table.
“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.
Two people in the inner circle knew what was about to happen. Jesus, knowing what Judas had planned, hadn’t railed against him, treated him differently, or rallied the other disciples against him. There was no whispering, no finger pointing. They had no idea who at the table had conspired against Jesus.
“One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 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 into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one at the table 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. “
I can’t help but notice how quietly and gently Jesus reveals Judas as his betrayer. Judas leaves to “do quickly” what he is going to do; and yet somehow, no one at the table knows why Judas has left the table.
And just like that, their world is about to change. Jesus offers Judas a bread dipped in wine. Satan enters Judas. And it is night.
Those of us old enough to remember the aftermath of 9-11 remember the uncertainty, the anger, the fear that followed. We had a sense of shame that our defenses were unable to protect us. We felt vulnerable. We mourned our losses, and much of the world mourned with us. That’s how human history works. In our lives there will days that feel like our world has entered into inescapable defeat and darkness. Some, like 9-11 are felt in the greater community. Some, like a broken relationship or betrayal by a loved one, are felt more intimately. Those days, and the ones that follow, are apt to be filled with shame, doubt, anger, and fear.
Unfortunately, this is part of the human experience in a broken world. Thankfully we are not alone. We have friends and community walking this journey alongside us; tenderly and sometimes less tenderly, we urge each other to persevere through the challenges. When it seems that all around us are heavily burdened, we have the stories of our forefathers and the heroes of our faith to encourage us. The words of the prophets and apostles remind us of the endurance of God and God’s people. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Who are the witnesses in your cloud? Take a moment and reflect on them, giving thanks for the special way each witness has influenced your own witness.
And of course we have Jesus, our Savior, the perfecter of our faith, “who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.” On the other side of the cross and its shame we are promised joy. Are sin, hostility, weariness, fear or shame impacting your ability to follow Jesus to the cross? This might be an uncomfortable question, but I encourage you to ask God to be your source of comfort as you work through your discomfort.
Especially on the days when it feels like night will never end, let this be our prayer.
“Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
Deb Dioguardi
