The Communion of Saints

How quick we are
to think ourselves like Peter,
ready to raise a sword
and lop off an ear
in order to defend our Lord;
or to cherish the idea
of ourselves like John,
reclining in favor
against that divine bosom;
or any one of the others
who ever followed
and found favor in His eyes.

We would never think
ourselves like Judas—
the betrayer,
the conniver,
the snake,
the fool who sold
the Son of God
for thirty pieces of silver.

No, no, we are nothing like him,
not one of us.
We would never betray our Lord
in order to get ahead
or make that extra dollar.
We would never fail Him
in the service of our vanity
or sell him for a flash of pride.
Poor, cunning, evil Judas.
Poor, poor villain worse than us all.

And yet, even he was at the table
to share in the cup
and partake of the bread
and to hear Jesus say,
“This is my body, broken for you.”