Tuesday of Holy Week
(Isaiah
49:1-6; John 13:21-33.36-38)
An
apocryphal gospel says that Jesus instructed Judas to betray him. It sees Judas not only as Jesus’ obedient disciple
but the only one who truly understood his teaching. Early on the Church recognized this gospel as
false. It seems to have been composed in
the late second century when similarly strange ideas were circulating around
the Mediterranean area.
The false
gospel does raise the question of whether Judas was ever a sincere
disciple. If not, then why did Jesus
choose him? John’s Gospel tells how
Jesus knew of Judas’ evil nature (6:67-71).
Still, Judas might have shown some promise when Jesus selected him for
his inner core of disciples.
We should
be careful not to write off anyone as irredeemably good or bad. All of us are capable of a deed as wicked as
Judas’ betrayal. Conversely, any of us
may develop the courage to stand with Jesus at the cross like the beloved
disciple. Prayer to a good extent will
determine what kind of acts we shall do and what kind of people we will
become. We want to ask God for a heart
that marvels at His generosity to us and takes pity on those who suffer.
