The need for perseverance of faith

Today is called Spy Wednesday (by some) to describe that today is when Judas agrees to betray Jesus for the price of 30 pieces of silver.  He then becomes like a spy finding a time to turn Jesus over.  Just like yesterday, the Gospel today accounts the Last Supper, but the focus today is the conversation between Jesus and Judas.  Jesus warns that he will be betrayed and right before Judas leaves to betray him, he says, “Surely it is not I, Lord.”  Very shortly after that, he falls into the temptation of the devil and betrays Jesus.

I feel like today we must learn perseverance in our faith.  Jesus is teaching difficult things, especially this week.  We have been blessed to be here after the fact.  We have an understanding about how he has lived the truth, and can see how his prophecies about his death came about.  But, if you put yourself in the place of the people at that time…I think it would be hard to live in his teachings.  You have a person who you are very attracted to and want to follow…but he teaches so many difficult things and demands that you change your view of how the Old Testament prophets spoke of him. 

There are many times even in today’s culture in which we must persevere in our faith.  We are tested in our commitment to things like: At what point does a person exist (fighting against abortion activists) and what is the definition and dignity of marriage.  People are saying that the world is different and we have to give up teachings of God because that is what the culture demands.  As we continue in our modern culture, there are many people who are turning from the teachings of God because they seem too difficult to understand in our world.

That is when we must live in our perseverance.  Jesus knows that Judas will betray him…yet he continues to show the people the truth and he challenges his disciples to be strong and stick to him. 

Today, we also must challenge ourselves to reflect on times that we have fallen in our faith and betrayed Jesus.  We need to find ways to continue to be strong amidst the tides of culture and boldly proclaim the life, death and resurrection of Christ.