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On Overcoming Temptations

Homily

Sunday, March 12, 2006, 2nd Sunday of Lent

St. Joseph Parish, Detroit

Judas, Mercator Pessimus[1]

            A composer named Victoria wrote a piece which describes Judas as “Mercator pessimus,” the worst businessmen. “He sold the savior of the word,” the four voice Latin polyphony cries out, “for thirty silver pieces. It would have been better for him if he had never been born, for he sold the savior of the world for thirty silver pieces.”

            Judas is one of the key characters of the narration of the Gospels and of the passions, a forewarning of all those whom Jesus would call, and then betray him. Let us study his life and learn the somber lessons, and thereby swear to renounce a life of sin and truly follow Jesus Christ, faithful to his Catholic Church. This meditation is especially appropriate during this season of Lent.

            He was named after Jude, one of the twelve sons of Israel, son of Jacob.

            Whenever Judas is listed among the Twelve apostles, the list always adds, “who betrayed him.” And often when he is named, he is called, “Judas, one of the Twelve.” The other apostles are not cited so, as if to underline the horror of his treason.[2]

            Judas’s decline started when he lost faith in the Eucharist. When Jesus told them, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). Then Jesus prophesied the hatred of Judas saying, “‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!’ He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.”[3] So when you find those who seem to be good Catholics, yet claim that Jesus is not “literally,” “really,” “truly,” or “physically” in the blessed sacrament, know that they have begun to go down the lonely road of despair trodden first by Judas Iscariot.

            His decline continued with him stealing from the common purse, for Judas was a thief, as John tells us, he was concerned with the expensive perfume wasted on Jesus, “not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.”[4] St. John narrates these things, and one notices that John had only contempt for the backstabbing Judas inflicted upon our loving savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And if anyone uses the Church, be he bishop, priest, religious or lay person, to fill their own coffers, to help themselves from the Church’s common purse, they earn for themselves despicable sin.

           Satan first tempted him, but then conquered him. Before the betrayal, “the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.”[5] Satan had entered him, “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.”[6] “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.”[7] So if any think that Satan doesn’t exist, or he’s not really as bad as they say; or that there is no thing as possessions, or that some priests overstate the malice and danger of sin, they fool themselves and all hell laughs at them.

            Jesus had foreknowledge of the betrayal of Judas, a fact which he revealed at the first Mass, the Last Supper[8]; he had indicated his treason to the Apostles by giving him a piece of bread,[9] reminiscent of the Psalm “Will evildoers never learn— those who devour my people as men eat bread,”[10] and, “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”[11] St. Augustine writes, “[Judas] received [the morsel of bread] at his own perdtion, because he, being evil, received in an evil manner what is good.”[12]

            He went to the chief priests, made and agreement with them, and waited for the right moment to hand him over.[13] He sold the Savior of the world for thirty silver pieces, the worst business transaction conceivable; thirty silver pieces was the price of a slave.[14]

            With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.[15] Yet Jesus is God, so he did not succumb tragically to the powers of the world, he gave his life freely, and it was in his power to stop them, even call twelve legions of angels to defend him.[16] Such is the love of God for us. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.”[17]

            Judas handed over Jesus calling him “Rabbi,” teacher, yet Judas had learned nothing from Jesus.[18]          Using the sign of friendship, a kiss, he betrayed him to those who sought to torture and kill him.[19] “But Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’”[20]

            Judas was seized with remorse when he saw Jesus was condemned, for as evil as he was, and possessed by Satan, as long as he was alive on earth, his conscience still lived.[21] Judas attempted to fix the wrong he had done, pathetically attempting to shirk his responsibility for his actions, and then the high priests paid him no heed. They did not try to convince Judas that he had not betrayed innocent blood, they knew they were killing an innocent man. And so the wicked bickered with the wicked. Judas cast the money on the temple floor, and hung himself,[22] and his entrails spilled out,[23] a sign of his sinfulness.[24]

            So ends the life of the great traitor, and so too will end all those who perish in unrepentant mortal sin. How sad it must make our Lord to see such unrepentant souls, after he shed his blood to save them, for God is merciful for those who love him.