Almost done! Forty days fasting and prayers, a mountain feared by many at the beginning of this year’s Lent, many are almost at its peak, not without its sweat, waist pains, and panting. To those who climbed it most sincerely, the evidence won’t be lacking, and the rejuvenation would happen on Easter Sunday.
Today is Holy Thurday, a day many things happened. A day Jesus had his last supper with his Apostles, washed their feet, institutionalized the Eucharist and of course the vocation of priesthood.
It was also a day he was deep in agony never before, with a drooping spirit, if not for God’ grace the purpose of his coming would have been cut short because of anxiety, trepidation and the uncertainties of what the journey to the calvary would be, even though he knew he was to suffer but the uncertainties actually lied on the degree and the imagination of how painful and devasting it would be.
Just imagine the agony. His sweat turning into blood, and the plea to Peter, James, and John to watch with him at least for one hour.
He needed a company, he felt lonely and the comfort of warmth around he so much desired , but was denied, rather they all went into slumber.
Just imagine, the betrayal, the dragging, the inquisition, the beating, flogging, falling and raising and the pains of the nails on his palms and feet not to talk about the excrutiating pains of the crown and the piercing of his sides. Most gruesome! One can say it again.
All these are very important scenes, without them the cavalry journey of Christ wouldn’t be complete. In all of them we see either vaguely or crystal our human attitudinal reflections. However, I am, out of personal choice, interested in the role and personality of Judas the Accountant General of “Jesus Ministrial Enterprise”
In his recruitment of staff Jesus prayed and sought for the direction of his father. All that were recruited, their past, present and future lifestyle, inclination, disposition etc may have been censored and decoded by Christ himelf.
He knew them beyond the physical to the spiritual, where everything that reflects in the physical was incubated.
He knew all the Apostles, what each was capable of doing, and in that strength, he assigned duties and responsibilities to them. The disposition of Peter earned him the leadership position, same was applicable to other Apostles including Judas who got the prestigious, sensitive and lucrative position as the Accountant General. He was the custodian of the purse, disbursing and at the same time helping himself from it.
It would only take a man with such a mind and inclination to be induced by money to do what Judas did. John won’t have done it, Peter, James, Andrew, Thomas etc won’t too even if they were in charge of the purse. So since it was prophesied that he would be betrayed, getting someone with love of money made it easier.
Would Judas have betrayed Jesus even if he wasn’t the Accountant General? Yes he would, the hood does not make the monk and Rose flower would have smelt same even with other name.
His heart and personality were what Jesus looked at and strategically placed him where such vulnerability could easily be harnessed by the Jews. The question is, do we have sincere, godly and honest accountants? Accountants who is strict with their faith principles of godliness and honesty? An Accountant who would stick to their due and deserved pay without through creative accounting corner some money for personal use? Accountant who wouldn’t betray their faith and belief system to enrich inappropriately their pockets from the till?
It takes an Accountant with the mind of Christ not to steal from the money under their custody when those around, whose instruction and command they take, enrich themselves from the treasury.
 It is a whole lot of temptation to be an honest and dilligent accountant in an enviroment where bags of silver coins are waiting for keep on ones desk just for one to distort figures.
Today IÂ remember all Accountants and keepers of public funds, may God preserve you all from the temptation of the Jewish 30 pieces of silver. May you never sell your salvation for a paltry 30 pieces of Jewish silver. May your hands not be soiled by betraying the one who trusted you the most. May you not, out of greed and insatiability, eat the fowl that lays the Golden eggs, a penny-wise, pound-foolish endeavor. Let satisfaction and contentment be your value, living within your means, not overreaching yourself, and bolting the stable like Judas when the horse was already gone and crying over spilled milk.
One can say without equivocation that the entire scene between Jesus, Judas, and the Jews all triple Js represents the challenges we all pass through in Nigeria. Jesus representing the golden resources, Judas the fraudulent, gullible and greedy Masses and the Jews the desparate politicians seeking for control of the resources through the betraying masses.
For us to get rid of this betrayal tendency, our Judas in all shades should be caged and tamed. Look inward and see the Judas aspect of your life and tame it lest it becomes your achilles heel like it was in the case of Judas.
Happy Holy Thursday!!
Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
