THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION.
FIRST READING.
"Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?"—Luke 22:48.
JUST as our Lord had wakened His three apostles for the last time, there came a tread of soldiers, and lanterns gleamed through the olive trees. For Judas Iscariot, the traitor, knew that his Master was apt to go to the olive garden to pray at night, and he was leading them, and he said to them, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast." And he came up first to Jesus, and said, "Hail, master;" and kissed Him. All our Lord said was, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?"
Peter tried to defend Him, and drew a sword and cut off the ear of one of the servants; but our Lord bade him put the sword back into the sheath; and then, in His great love, our blessed Lord touched the ear, and cured it in an instant, and begged that all the disciples might be allowed to go their way. Indeed, they were so much afraid that they all forsook Him and fled away, except John and Peter, who both followed to see what would be done with Him.
The soldiers dragged our blessed Lord to the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, where his enemies tried to make out some charge to bring against Him; but as He was good and holy, and had no sin at all, they could accuse Him of nothing. And when they asked Him questions, He answered them not a word, for He knew that it was only to accuse Him.
While He stood at the upper end of the hall, John, who knew one of the servants, had come in to the lower end, and had brought in Peter with him. The chill of the morning had come on, and the servants lighted a fire on the pavement, where Peter stood and warmed himself. One of the maids there looked at him, and asked if he did not belong to Jesus of Nazareth. Peter was afraid, and said, "I know not what thou sayest."
JUDAS BETRAYS JESUS.—Matt. 26:48-50.