Tag: north

Let’s start with the literal. Tomorrow is Easter, the day Christians mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yesterday was Good Friday, the day He was crucified. The preceding Thursday called the Holy Thursday, was the day of the Passover which all Jews were obliged to celebrate. Jesus celebrated it with His disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem—I have been there before and wondered how that small place was able to accommodate a banquet table with at least 12 disciples. But that’s a story for another time. This was where He symbolically offered His body and blood for the salvation of mankind with that famous declaration of: ‘This is my body…’ which has since formed the kernel of: ‘The Holy Communion’ in all Christian churches irrespective of denomination. This was also where a bosom friend, a confidant, a companion, a disciple, one who dipped his bread in the same soup bowl, finally showed his hands. That Holy Thursday was anything but holy. It was a day of serial betrayal. Judas, first betrayed his friend and master with a kiss. Peter, the man around whom Christianity was later built, then betrayed Him with denial, once, twice, three times. The other disciples, including the two who wanted to be with Jesus permanently in His Kingdom, betrayed by running away. The silent supporters of Jesus within the Sanhedrin, betrayed with acquiescence or silence. The crowd which just a few days earlier, had shouted, ‘Hosanna to the King’ now shouted ‘Crucify Him’ almost with the same passion. Some of them might have been people who witnessed the miracles of Jesus. Or might even have been beneficiaries. Yet, they betrayed Him when they turned their backs. Pilate, who had the authority to set Him free betrayed Jesus by handing Him over to his accusers. It was the season Jesus was stripped naked physically and spiritually. It was the season of betrayal.