It is now the third Sunday of the season of Easter, and by this point in the season, it might be the case that perhaps a little bit of Easter fatigue has begun to set in. Perhaps you’re growing accustomed to saying and singing “Alleluia,” so that using that word doesn’t seem as quite special as it did two weeks ago. Perhaps you’re getting used to seeing the paschal candle lit, so that seeing that little flame on the top today doesn’t strike you the same way it did on Easter Sunday.

How would you have handled it?  How would you have handled publicity for the single greatest event the world has ever known: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?  What if you were the publicity manager and had to plan the appearances of the risen Christ?  Keeping in mind publicity managers always go for maximum exposure and maximum effect, where would you start?

Do you remember how excited you were when you first got your driver’s license?  You couldn’t wait to drive!  You volunteered to run every errand mom or dad had if it meant you got to take the car.  How do you feel about driving now?   We humans eventually grow tired and bored of everything. 

I’m going to read some famous last words, and you can see if you know who spoke them just before death. Here’s the first set: “Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.” Those were reportedly the last words spoken by Caesar Augustus. How about these? “Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow!” Those were the last words spoken by Steve Jobs before his death in 2011. Now see if you know these: “I’m bored with it all.” Those were the last words of Sir Winston Churchill.

Without fail we come around to this point each Lent.  At some point we must deal with Judas in the Passion story of our Savior.  He is viewed as the “villian.”  The antagonist.  The bad guy.  He is both thief and traitor.