Day Seven

Meditation

Generally, when we think about betrayal, we associate it with Judas Iscariot. Jesus himself referred to Judas as a betrayer. “Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand,” he told his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26-46). Then Judas betrayed our Lord with a kiss, handing him over to the chief priests for execution. No one can be certain whether or not Judas knew Jesus would be crucified once he’d betrayed him, but he must have been aware that the Pharisees wanted to kill him. It’s even possible that he fully expected Jesus would save himself from cruel fate because he was the Messiah, and then was horrified when Jesus meekly accepted condemnation and death. Either way, he was playing a dangerous game with Jesus’s life. When he found out about Jesus’ sentence, his remorse was so extreme that he committed suicide. Betrayal can twist and turn, becoming a knot that entangles in unforeseen ways.

Words of Pope Francis

Think carefully about this: God comes to live with man, he chooses the earth as his dwelling in order to stay… Where man passes his days in joy or in sorrow. Therefore the earth is above all not a “valley of tears” but a place where God himself has pitched his tent. It is the place of meeting for God with man, of solidarity of God with men.

Prayer to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots,

I placed this knot of betrayal into your hands, knowing that you have the ability to unwind the snarls and untie it. Help me to trust you completely, even though I’m finding it difficult to trust others. Remind me of the betrayal your son endured so that he will be my example of suffering in humility.

I also place into your hands all those who have betrayed me. Take them into your hands, into your heart, and help them to understand the difficulty they’ve caused and the damage that has resulted. Please help them to have a change of heart and mind open to the truth.

Mother, please touch my heart and begin the healing process right now. Ease the pain, and calm my mind and heart from the bitterness and sorrow that I bear. Help me not to hate and resent, but rather to forgive and let go. Amen.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for peace in our hearts, homes, and the world and for the intentions of the Holy Father.

Resolution

Make a concrete resolution to take one step toward peace in your heart today.