Handed over into the hands of sinful men.

"The Mystery of the Betrayer."

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Every time I receive Holy Communion in the hand, or I'm called upon to repose the Blessed Sacrament after adoration, I think of this prophecy of Jesus, "The Son of man will be handed over into the hands of sinful men."  I shudder when I recall being allowed to bring Holy Communion to my mother during her last few months on earth.  The pastor of a local church permitted me to take a consecrated host each day after Communion, placing it in a pix which fit into my watch pocket.  The Blessed Sacrament was with me sometimes all day long, until I had the chance to visit my mother in the hospice after work.  That happened in 1982. 
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The following is taken from the Pope's new book: 
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'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'
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John notes how Jesus goes on to quote Scripture, saying "'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'"
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"This is Jesus' classic way of speaking," the Pontiff reflected. "He alludes to his destiny using words from Scripture, thereby locating it directly within God's logic, within the logic of salvation history. [...]

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"Jesus must experience the incomprehension and the infidelity even of those within his innermost circle of friends and, in this way, 'fulfill the Scripture.' He is revealed as the true subject of the Psalms, the 'David' from whom they come and through whom they acquire meaning."
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"Jesus took upon himself the betrayal of all ages, the pain caused by betrayal in every era, and he endured the anguish of history to the bitter end."
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Benedict XVI observed how the evangelist gives a "new depth to the psalm verse."

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"[I]nstead of the expression given in the Greek Bible for 'eating,' he chooses the verb trogein, the word used by Jesus in the great 'bread of life' discourse for 'eating' his flesh and blood, that is, receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist," the Holy Father explained. "So the psalm verse casts a prophetic shadow over the Church of the evangelist's own day, in which the Eucharist was celebrated, and indeed over the Church of all times: Judas' betrayal was not the last breach of fidelity that Jesus would suffer. [...]
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"The breach of friendship extends into the sacramental community of the Church, where people continue to take 'his bread' and to betray him."
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Citing Blaise Pascal, the Pope added that "Jesus' agony, his struggle against death, continues until the end of the world. [...] We could also put it the other way around: at this hour, Jesus took upon himself the betrayal of all ages, the pain caused by betrayal in every era, and he endured the anguish of history to the bitter end." - Pope's New Book, Zenit
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Icon:  Extreme Humility