"Woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born." -Matt. 26:24
I have long had the impression that the general attitude toward Judas among Catholics and various other Christians is one of disdain, disgust, and even hatred. We even find in the writings of the saints and the sacred liturgy the same sentiments (i.e. in the Byzantine Liturgy he is referred to as "the wicked betrayer"). And even among non-Christians in the western world the betrayal of our Lord by Judas is so well known and famous that it has become common speech to refer to one who perpetrates a betrayal as "a Judas".
But what I have thought about during my meditation on the various aspects of the passion and my own sinfulness over the past eight years or so is that I do not feel so much of the above feelings but rather more of a sense of a deep pity for this man who will suffer for all eternity for his sins.
I have looked at the passion through the eyes of our Lady at times, at other times putting myself in the place of the apostles, and of course considering the perspective of our Lord (to the degree this is even possible). Each mode has revealed another aspect of the passion and deepened my love for our Lord and my compunction for my own sins.
As I said, at times I have considered the actions of the apostles during the passion and the three that stick out to me most are Peter, John, and Judas.
Judas, I feel we sometimes forget, was a beloved friend of our Lord, His mother Mary, and the other Apostles and disciples. He journeyed with them all for three years, and I believe he did truly love our Lord when it all began. Nor do I think he was made to fall, for God does not create any of us with the intention of destroying us. Judas could have been saved.
With this in mind, consider again that scene in the garden just after our Lord sweat His own blood so profusely that he had soaked his garments and the ground around Him, knowing full well all that lay before Him. Judas and his band enter into the garden and the apostles are confused and upset, while our Lord looks upon Judas with a look of love mixed with utter sadness. Judas then greeted Him with a kiss, just as a close friend would, and Jesus responded by saying: "Friend, whereto art thou come?" (Matt. 26:50)
He called him His friend. But then the guards seized Jesus and the Apostles understood that Judas had betrayed their Lord and them. Imagine then if someone from among a group of your closest friends so deeply betrayed your best friend right in front of you? How would you feel? But more how would you feel if you were the one betrayed? Or the one who did the betraying, and suddenly realizing upon committing the terrible act just how terrible was the thing that you did?
Judas sat at the feet of our Lord just like the others and was counted among His closest friends. He witnessed all the same miracles, and was give the same abundance of graces.
How could he have fallen so far?
Most will cite His greed which led to theft, and which ultimately led him to sell His friend to His enemies for what amounts to about $20 in today's money. And this is true, but most miss the far worse sin that began his descent into darkness, and which crowned his evil actions with the worst sin of all.
The late great Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, points out in a retreat given to a group of Priests that Judas' fall (and the fall of most priests of our time) can be traced back to his denial of an essential teaching of the Catholic Faith, and not just any teaching, but that given by our Lord on His own most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Many miss the final lines of the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John (the chapter often referred to as the "Bread of Life Discourse"):
"Jesus answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve; and one of you is a devil? Now he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon: for this same was about to betray him, whereas he was one of the twelve." -Jn 6:71-2
This is the moment Sheen points to when Judas turned away from our Lord in his heart, even if for some time after he still seemed outwardly to be just another one of His devout followers.
And once Judas had sunken to the depths of darkness, just after being ordained a Priest and Bishop, at the Last Supper when our Lord said these chilling words:
"Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me. And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord? But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born. And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it." -Matt. 26:22-25
And even after this final warning from our Lord he sacrilegiously received His precious Body and Blood. Immediately following this he was fully possessed by the devil, and went out to betray our Lord:
"And after the morsel, Satan entered into him. And Jesus said to him: That which thou dost, do quickly...He therefore having received the morsel, went out immediately. And it was night." -Jn 13:27, 30
Judas vs. Saint Peter or Why there is No "Saint Judas"
Now Judas having done his evil deed realized what was going to happen to our Lord, and only then fully realized what his sin had wrought.
"Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients." -Matt. 27:3
But sadly, though deeply sorry for what he had done, Judas despaired of the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord.
He made the very same mistake so many today make and failed to ask for the mercy of God. (Though today most go around without asking for God's mercy while they sin with impunity assuming that because God is merciful that they are entitled to His mercy, but never asking for it they will end up with Judas. You can read a discourse by Saint Alphonsus on the abuse of God's mercy at the end of this article here.)
Now Saint Peter too received a chilling warning from our Lord at the Last Supper:
"Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to him: Yea, though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples." -Matt. 26:31-35
And indeed, despite all of his promises, Saint Peter, the First Pope, would publicly deny our Lord three times. And this last denial was even in the sight of our Lord:
"And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter going out, wept bitterly." -Luke 22:61-62
But in Saint Peter's case he did not despair of the mercy of God even though he had this terrible thing. But rather he repented of what he did and would ask forgiveness for it from our Lord and would go on to be one of the greatest Saints that has ever, and will ever live.
Saint Peter vs. Saint John
But then why was Saint John different, for as our Lord said: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. But yet Saint John was the only one who didn't betray our Lord or leave Him, but followed Him even to Calvary. Why? What made John different from the rest? Two things: the Sacred Heart and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Sacred Heart
At the Last Supper, the First Holy Mass, the position of Saint John is most important to consider. We know that Saint Peter was not sitting immediately next to our Lord because when our Lord spoke of the one who would betray Him Peter asked John to ask our Lord for him who it was that would betray Him. John himself records that he was then "leaning on the breast of Jesus" (Jn. 13:25) This was the very same position he took during a meal they all shared after the resurrection as well (Jn. 21:20). John then could even hear and feel the beating of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and it was this most Sacred Heart that would strengthen him until he saw that very same Heart pierced by Saint Longinus with a lance on Mount Calvary.
The Blessed Virgin Mary
But what also, most importantly, supported John during the terrible Passion and Death of our Lord was the presence of our Lady whose side he never left. It was our Lady who strengthened him also and who surely appreciated his company during that time in where her suffering it is said to have exceeded the suffering of all the martyrs combined.
We need then to learn from Saint Peter to ask for the mercy of God for our sins, and from Saint John to stay always close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary. If we are faithful to these things it is impossible that we can be lost for our Lord will certainly pour out His goodness and mercy from His most Precious and Sacred Heart and if our request does not obtain His mercy for us then the request of His own Mother, to whom He can refuse nothing, will obtain it for us.
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| St. Peter Weeping before the Virgin by Guercino |
Dirígere et sanctificáre, régere et gubernáre dignáre, Dómine Deus, Rex cæli et terræ, hódie corda et córpora nostra, sensus, sermónes et actus nostros in lege tua, et in opéribus mandatórum tuórum: ut hic et in ætérnum, te auxiliánte, salvi et líberi esse mereámur, Salvátor mundi: Qui vivis et regnas in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen. (O Lord, Almighty God, King of heaven and earth, Savior of the world, bless, lead, rule and govern our hearts and bodies, our senses, words and deeds today, following thy law and commandments, that here and for eternity with thy help we shall be saved in freedom. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.)
-From the Divine Office at the Hour of Prime for each day
