Loyalty and Spy Wednesday

Unofficially, the Wednesday before Holy Thursday is referred to as "Spy Wednesday" since it it the day on which Judas made arrangements to betray Jesus. With the sexual abuse scandal hovering as a perpetual dark cloud over the priesthood, we might find some perspective in realizing that among the Twelve chosen by Jesus himself, one did dishonor to his calling, was disloyal. No excuses, but the point is that among us humans, within ourselves, there is that weakness, that tendency toward evil, which could cause us in some way to betray Jesus or be disloyal to him. Not all scandalous behavior is sexual, for there is much damage we can do with out tongues, or as bad, by omission, our hesitancy, our laziness, or our lack of willingness to take a stand for what is right and good, for the Truth. In their fear as Jesus was captured, the Eleven fled, Peter denied Jesus three times, and only one, the youngest, John, stood by the cross. Where was their loyalty? Where is ours? When strengthened by Jesus and the Holy Spirit, loyalty returned to the Eleven to the point of martyrdom for all, save John. Through all of this, Jesus remained loyal to those whom he had chosen, and still does today. As a friend said to me this morning, "All I ask is loyalty." To paraphrase the Book of Deuteronomy: " I set before you betrayal or loyalty. Choose loyalty!"