Readings for today: Matthew 26:1-5, 14-35, Mark 14:1-2, 10-31, Luke 22:1-38, John 13
Yesterday, I spent several hours embedded with members of the Acholi tribe. They are a tribe in East Africa who has suffered much in their history. They fled violence from Sudan to settle in northern Uganda. All they wanted to do was farm and raise animals. It wasn’t long after they settled in their new territory that another tribe began raiding them consistently,, stealing their livestock, especially their cattle. As the Ottoman Empire began expanding down the East African coast, they captured and enslaved many of the Acholi. You can still visit their slave forts today and hear the stories of how the Acholi were taken to modern day Turkey, Iran, and other parts of Asia. A sobering reminder of the ubiquity of the evils of slavery. Most recently, they were terrorized by a warlord named Joseph Kony. He would kidnap their children. Force them to kill and often eat their parents. The stories are truly horrifying. Listening to the survivors is overwhelming. And yet, somehow, someway, the Acholi remain a people of hope.
I was particularly struck by one man’s story. He talked about the recent reintroduction of those who served under Kony as child soldiers move back into their communities. One can only imagine the level of betrayal the victims must have felt and yet they have found a way not only to forgive but to also welcome the perpetrators of violence and terror back into community. It reminds me so much of Jesus and how He treated Judas. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. Jesus knew Satan had entered Judas. It’s why He says it would have been better for Judas if he had not been born. But Jesus still extended His hand of fellowship to Judas. Jesus still offered Judas a place at the Last Supper. Jesus still served Judas His body and His blood. Jesus still washed Judas’ feet. Jesus loved His betrayer. Jesus loved His enemy. And Jesus calls us to do the same.
It’s hard to fathom loving someone who has betrayed you. Even as I write these words, there are names and faces of people coming to mind that have betrayed me. Personally. Professionally. Their betrayals hurt. They stung. In some cases, they resulted in real-life consequences for me and for my family. And yet, Jesus calls me to forgive. Jesus calls me to love. Jesus calls me to serve. Jesus calls me to reconcile. And the Acholi people are showing me what it looks like in real time. They are showing me the power of the gospel to tear down every dividing wall of hostility. They are showing me the power of forgiveness and reconciliation and how only Jesus gives us the ability to overcome every hurt and every betrayal.
Spend some time in prayer today. Ask the Lord to reveal to you the people in your life who have betrayed you. Make a list of their names. Begin praying for them. Ask God to give you the grace to forgive them. Ask God to give you the courage and strength to reconcile with them if possible.
Readings for tomorrow: John 14-17