And It Was Night

Wednesday is sometimes called "Spy Wednesday" - the day tradition remembers Judas finalizing his arrangement with the authorities. In John's Gospel, the moment is devastating. Jesus hands Judas the morsel of bread - an intimate gesture of affection - and Judas gets up and walks out. John writes: "And it was night."

Three words. But they carry the weight of the whole story. The darkness isn't just outside. It is at the table. It is in someone Jesus loved.

Yet even here, in the shadow of betrayal, Jesus speaks of glory. He refuses to be swallowed by the darkness. Wherever you find yourself today - in difficulty, in disappointment, perhaps in the company of people who have let you down - you are not alone in the night. He has been there too.

Prayer: God of all things, even the darkest Wednesday of our lives is not beyond your reach. Remind us that your light shines in the darkness - and the darkness has not overcome it. Amen.