Mar 14 Fri
What brought Judas from disciple to infamy?
Judas Iscariot went from being a devoted disciple to a notorious figure through his act of betrayal against Jesus. Initially, he played an important role in managing the finances of Jesus' followers.
There was greed and possible political influence. The betrayal culminated in the infamous 'Judas’s kiss', which resulted in Jesus' capture, Judas's repentance, and eventual suicide. His attempt at redemption following the betrayal by returning the thirty pieces of silver highlighted his internal turbulence.
But it was not always like that, and specialists say that no one honest with the Gospel truth can assure that Judas was already a depraved man at the beginning, when Jesus called him to be part of his Apostolic College. The Gospel does not offer any argument to doubt that Judas' faith and affection for Christ were noble and worthy at the beginning.
Thus, there was a time when Judas, as one of the twelve, walked with the Lord, preached the gospel, healed the sick, and cast out demons with them in the name of Christ.
No one turns overnight from a friend into a traitor to Jesus. It is difficult to decipher why Jesus chose him, and his trust in him from the first moment, or the reasons for the beginning and end of the "path of betrayal".
The path of Judas' betrayal began after Jesus' sermon in Capernaum, the day after the multiplication of the loaves and fishes when he reproached him for renouncing to establish his kingdom on earth. He could not hide his disappointment. Like Satan, Judas tempted Jesus by offering him the power and glory of this world.
When Christ's renunciation of the earthly kingdom was confirmed on Palm Sunday, Judas, already under the influence of evil, justified his imminent betrayal. What is reprehensible in betraying a man who puts at risk the present and future of his people? What is reprehensible in demanding a reward for assuming the risk that betrayal entails?
In his last encounter with Judas, Jesus called him ‘friend’. Only God can turn the darkest and saddest darkness into a radiance of hope and joy because of his infinite mercy.
Why do we recall this?
“So that we might realize that all of us are capable of behaving like Judas. And so that we might ask Our Lord to keep such treasonous rejections and defeats out of our lives, not only because of the negative consequences they would bring to us personally—which would be serious enough—but because we could occasion the loss of others, who need the help of our good example, our encouragement, our friendship."
“There are places in Latin America where images of the Crucifix show a deep wound in Our Lord’s left cheek. They say that it represents the kiss of Judas. So great is the pain our sins inflict on Jesus! "
“Tell him that we all want to be faithful, that we do not want to sell him, as Judas did, for thirty coins, for a pittance—which is what our sins amount to: pride, envy, impurity, hatred, resentment. When a temptation threatens to throw us to the ground, let us consider that it isn’t worthwhile to exchange the happiness of the children of God, for so we are, for a sinful pleasure that ends right away and leaves behind the bitter disgust of defeat and infidelity."
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