“And on the Night He Was Betrayed”… The Weight of Those Words.
I’ve heard those words my entire life, I heard them every week when I was a child until I was in my twenties, when I stepped away from the Catholic church. I still hear them whenever I crave for and/or when I attend mass these days. I never gave it much thought…but today it’s all I can think about.
These words are a solemn preface to the Last Supper, a moment suspended in both holiness and heartbreak. They are not just a timestamp in the Passion narrative, they are a portal into the deepest paradoxes of love, trust, and sacrifice.
What strikes me most about this phrase is its quiet placement at the threshold of what should have been a sacred gathering… a final meal with trusted friends. Instead, it begins with betrayal. Jesus, fully aware of what was coming, did not flinch or flee. He did not storm out or denounce Judas publicly. He stayed. He served. He broke bread…with Judas
There is something deeply human and painfully divine about choosing to love even as you’re being hurt.
Many of us know betrayal… from friends, family, systems, even from within ourselves. It makes you want to recoil, to shield your heart. But “on the night he was betrayed,” Jesus chose vulnerability. He chose generosity. He gave thanks. It wasn’t an act of denial, but defiance against bitterness. He redefined the moment… not as the night he was victimized, but as the night he offered himself for the world.
That is power. Not a loud performative power…but quiet, enduring power that transforms pain into purpose. Hmmmm.
When betrayal finds its way into our lives…and it will…we are faced with a choice. We may not be called to break literal bread or pour out wine, but we are constantly invited to decide: Will this moment define me, or will I redefine it?
“And on the night he was betrayed” isn’t a phrase frozen in ancient liturgy. It is a rhythm in the heart of anyone who has ever chosen courage over revenge, love over hate, faith over despair.
So the next time you hear those words; “and on the night he was betrayed”, pause. Let them settle in your chest. Consider the love that moves toward pain with open hands. Consider the strength it takes to stay present in the breaking, and the hope that even betrayal can be the backdrop for something sacred.
Maybe the true power of that night wasn’t in what was done to him, but in what he did anyway.
To be totally honest, the month of March was a bit blurry one for me. A lot of good stuff happened but I don’t think I really felt any of those happenings as I would have expected. Moments and events passed but they had no great effect on me. Even my one visit to see my son at school seems like it didn’t happen at all. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s the same way I can’t understand how I had to be told to repair my streak on glorify several times. March was weird.
In spite of the blur, I was able to mark and enjoy a few good moments in the month of March.
I marked my 14th wedding anniversary on the 12th.
I wrote my final examinations and turned in my project as the last requirement for completing my Post Graduate Diploma. I await the results.
I enjoyed the music from the new boy band in gospel music…I plan to write more on this. They are known as ‘Sons of Sunday’.
I dove into the medical drama ‘The Resident’ and I am totally enjoying it. I paused at some point to see the thought provoking Netflix series ‘Adolesence’….hmmmm.
I started a new book, ‘River’s End’ by Nora Roberts.
I cut back on coffee and I’m worried that may be the reason for the mild headaches.
I said goodbye to my car… She’s tired. Now I feel sad I didn’t name her all this time. I didn’t feel for her like I felt for Lilly.
My kiddo finally came home for the holidays and he will be staying till after the Easter celebration.
It’s almost 4 years now since I wrote here on my post about my friend Zoe and the cake she created.
Funny how time has gone by so fast. I read the post again because I have been thinking about her a lot lately and I so I went to find it and read it.
I decided to binge on The Resident, a medical television series. In this drama, the beautiful surgeon Dr. Okafor reminds me of Zoe. Fearless, bold, intelligent, black and beautiful. In so many ways, I see my Zoe in Dr. Okafor. I look at her and all I see is Zoe.
I’ve been enjoying every scene that she pops up on, it makes me feel that even though my friend is thousands of miles away, she’s always in my heart…never far
Zoe and Okafor
Dr. Mina Okafor is played by Shaunette Renée Wilson (American actress)
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
Just the other day, I explained to my husband how I was getting frustrated with my colleague/boss and his negative remarks about anything and everything.
I remember laughing about it some time last year, but when I sat down a few days ago to do the math, I realized I was around him for too many hours and this negativity would somehow affect me. I was already seeing signs. It wasn’t anything to laugh about.
My office is in another town, about an hours drive from where I live. Most of my colleagues live in the same town as me, so a few of us decided to car pool rather than use the public transportation. This has been going on for about a year. I do the driving and Mr. Negative sits on the passenger seat. It was like his riding shot-gun went without saying as he is the oldest by age and highest in rank amongst us at work.
Let’s do the math; 1 hour to work and 1 hour back. That’s 2 hours a day for 5 days in a week. 10 hours of constant negative remarks in a week. That’s 40 hours in a month and guess what…480 hours in a year.
Last Thursday morning, on our way to work, I responded to something in a way that scared me. I felt really negative too, it took me a while to feel a bit better. Somehow, I found myself turning up the music and I tuned my mind out of their discussion in the vehicle and into the music. It kind of worked.
So my strategy is this:
I admit I feel bad/down/negative
I try to find out why I feel that way
I use my calming aids which include movies, books, but most of all Music
I was going to give a response to this prompt when suddenly I decided to view a few responses first.
The third response just stared at me and I stared back in shock. In the post Now You See me written by Marya, almost every word spoke directly to me and seemed similar to what I had been thinking of writing.
What is confidence?
To be confident means to have a strong sense of self-assurance and belief in your abilities, qualities, and decisions. Confidence means trusting yourself, it means knowing your worth, even when things are uncertain or challenging. Confidence doesn’t mean you have all the answers or never feel fear; it means you move forward anyway, grounded in your inner strength.
Confidence shows up in how your speak, the way you carry yourself, take initiative, handle criticism, and respond to setbacks.
Confidence was never something I could brag about. I had the qualities but I didn’t know how to execute them. I’m proud of myself for taking time over the years to learn and grow in confidence.
Confidence is learned.
Having said that, the most confident person I know is of blessed memory, my late uncle’s wife; Mrs. Esta Mbazuan Charles-Ayede.
After reading the story of Scarlett, Jameson and Constance, about their love and time during World War II in ‘The Things We Leave Unfinished’, I was a bit curious about some of the activities and personal stories from World War II. In the book, Scarlett and Constance served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the war.
The very next day, after I finished the book, I stumbled upon a movie trailer about some women in service during World War II and I remembered Amaka had recently recommended it to me. I had initially been hesitant because I was not ready to handle the emotions I usually feel whenever I see Keri Washington. The Olivia and Fitz relationship from scandal (The Fixer) did a real number on me.
It took me about a week, but I decided and then I dove right in.
It was worth every minute
Picture from Pinterest
Keri Washington plays the role of Major Charity Adams, the Commanding Officer to the 6888 Battalion of The Women Army Corps or as they kept referring to themselves; Negro Women Army Corps.
These women successfully sorted and distributed Millions of backlog mail to the soldiers at war and their families at home. Being black and being female made this task a lot more difficult than it already was…but that didn’t stop them.
I can only imagine the relief and joy that was felt by the recipients of those letters and care packages.
The movie is based on true stories. All information on these heroic women is in the link below:
It’s something we keep inwardly, not disclosing to someone else.
Secrets don’t always have to be a bad thing. It could also be a special thing. A memory, something you want for yourself.
I remember a friend once told me how she was upset when her husband refused to reveal some bits of a story and his reason was; “ka Myelenev ma nomso or”.
He felt that he didn’t have to tell her the entire details. The direct translation of his words were “A mans hidden things/private matters”. I believe he wanted to keep some of the details to himself, for whatever reason.
I didn’t blame him. I feel like that sometimes too.
A secret is sometimes a really good thing. What if you plan a surprise for a loved one, wouldn’t you need to keep stuff secret? At least until the main day or event.
In my opinion, expecting to be told everything and holding nothing back seems to be a bit much. We should give people a chance to keep some details to themselves.
Everyone has something that is just for them, something to keep, something to cherish, something to take to their grave.
The kind of ‘where do you see yourself in eighteen months’ kind of plan.
In eighteen months I will be 45
I have a few things lined up, hoping, praying. I’m going for it.
My pastor just turned that age on the 19th of February… 45 years old. And I wonder if he had a plan and if he was able to make it.
I’m hoping he made it, he’s been a good guide for a few years now and I wish him well. It would also do me good to see my mentor live up to their dreams and aspirations…if not for anything else, but for inspiration and guidance for those of us who look up to and learn a thing or two from him.
