Day 28 - Saturday, April 4 Unfaithful Disciples DAILY READING - Jn 13:18-30 In yesterday’s reading, we saw Peter resist and then receive the love of Jesus poured out in service. Peter experienced a change of heart that transformed his ignorance into understanding (Sacra Pagina, 380). The reading also told us that Judas had already been prompted by Satan. Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him. Jesus washed Judas’ feet anyway. Judas received the physical foot washing. But, he resisted the spiritual cleansing. The deeper desire of Jesus was ignored. What does this tell us about the level of acceptance we need to enact with Jesus? In what ways have you resisted the spiritual cleansing of Christ? Judas was one of the chosen disciples. Jesus chose fragile and failing humans that embodied the ability to choose faithfulness to Jesus in return (Sacra Pagina, 380). In verse 18, Jesus affirms that He knows those whom He has chosen. He intimately knows the disciples. He knows their strengths. He knows their weaknesses. He knows their loyalty. He knows their unfaithfulness. Jesus knows it all. He chose the disciples, the entire mixed bag of the good and the not so good. What does this say about us as disciples? I think we tend to shy away from following Jesus because we know the ways in which we have been unfaithful to Jesus. Maybe we’ve gone through the physical foot washing, but, we know that we aren’t allowing the deeper spiritual transformation. Maybe we think that we aren’t good enough. At some level, we know we aren’t measuring up. Jesus chose the disciples, not for their perfection, but for their ability to follow. Jesus knows we aren’t perfect and we aren’t going to follow perfectly. None of us measures up to Jesus, yet, all of us are called to follow Jesus. What inhibits your faithfulness in following Jesus? Confession is essential in the Christian life if we desire spiritual transformation. We place before Jesus, as an offering to Jesus, our weaknesses and our failings. Humbly, we seek healing. Jesus heals. In confession, we are admitting that we need a course correction. Naming our need is the first step of turning back into the way of Jesus. What would it have been like if Judas humbled himself, turned away from the temptation of Satan, and returned to the way of Jesus? What do you think stopped Judas from doing that? What are the things that you need to confess to Jesus so that you can turn back into the way of Jesus? Write your confessions here and then spend some time placing them before Jesus as a humble offering. Write your own prayer to God that reflects your confession or pray this one: Oh, Gracious God, I humbly kneel before you and offer you my willful soul that has traveled away from your will. My selfish desires have prevented your light and your leading. Lord, I pray for deep, spiritual renewal that will transform my prideful will. I confess that I have sinned against you and all that you intend. Redirect me and guide me into the direction of your ultimate glory. In all things, I ask for purity of heart, mind, and soul. Jesus, I thank you for cleansing me and I move forward in faith knowing that it is your cleansing that enables me to travel in your ways. It’s in your Holy Name that I pray, Amen.