O Sacred Head Surrounded

“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” – Matthew 26:21-22

Betray – such a horrible word. It is worse when the act of betrayal is against a friend.  It’s no wonder the disciples were completely surprised and afraid. Jesus reveals this to His followers; His friends, that one of them will turn against Him and hand Him over.  Before this we learned (in Monday’s Gospel reading) that Judas Iscariot would frequently steal from the group’s contributions.  To some extent we can see why it was easier for him to slip into an act of betrayal when he was tempted by money, an area of sin that he would indulge in. We know because most of us have experienced this in some form.

How many times have we sinned, betrayed Jesus, in smaller matters only to find ourselves falling for something graver because this sin had become a vice? Or how many times do we find ourselves betraying Christ’s love more often when we have let many “little” sins pile up? These sins do not have to be. Each and every sin that we commit is a choice of betrayal or love. This is why Christ accepted His cross and died on Calvary…so that we may no longer be a slave to sin and be eternally separated from His love. We must remember the suffering Christ – what He embraced for our sake. We must frequently call to mind the unconditional love that God has for us on the cross. We must recall in our minds exactly what our sins have done to Christ: betrayal, scourges, mockery, crucifixion, and death.

What would happen if we were able to picture His marred face, His bruised and scourged body, or the nails driven into His hands and feet every time we were tempted to sin? If we practiced this, certainly we would loathe to betray such a Love! And if we did, surely the sight of Him making this sacrifice for us would send us running to Him to beg for forgiveness which He offers freely.

Tomorrow we are preparing to enter into the holiest of days for our Church. Let us fix our gaze on what Love is and place ourselves at the foot of the cross so we might rise with Him.

I encourage you to reflect on one of the beautiful Lenten hymns that our Church sings as you remember Christ’s Passion.

-Helen Almeter

O Sacred Head Surrounded

O Sacred Head Surrounded

By Crown of piercing thorn!

O bleeding Head, so wounded,

Reviled and put to scorn!

Death’s pallid hue comes o’er thee,

The glow of life decays,

Yet angel hosts adore thee,

And tremble as they gaze.

I see thy strength and vigor

All fading in the strife,

And death with cruel rigor,

Bereaving thee of life;

O agony and dying!

O love to sinners free!

Jesus, all grace supplying,

O turn thy face on me.

In this, thy bitter passion,

Good Shepherd, think of me

With thy most sweet compassion,

Unworthy though I be:

Beneath they cross abiding

Forever would I rest,

In thy dear love confiding,

And with thy presence blest.