Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Tuesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 49:1-6; John 13:21-33.36-38)

The apocryphal “Gospel of Judas” 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 rubbish.  It seems to have been composed in the late second century when similarly strange ideas were circulating around the Mediterranean area.

The false gospel, however, 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 all along recognized 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. 

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Wednesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25)

A decade ago the biblical world was in commotion over the discovery of a manuscript attributed to the apostle Judas Iscariot.  The manuscript, entitled the “Gospel of Judas,” featured a dialogue between Jesus and Judas in which Jesus hails him as the bearer of his truth.  Some scholars made the case that the text provides a whole new interpretation of Christianity.  More judicious ones, however, saw that there is little new in such writing.  Indeed, the late second-century orthodox theologian Irenaeus of Lyons even wrote of the document.  He described it as one of many such writings of the time which sought to undermine established truth and order.

Why are people then and now so fascinated with preposterous ideas like the one contained in the spurious “Gospel of Judas”?  Are they so restless on account of their own shortcomings that they will believe every new word in the wind?  Or perhaps they have become so disillusioned by the hypocrisy of Christians that they seek a new meaning for Christian truth? One way or another, they should find in today’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel enough reason to hold firm to the tradition.

Human beings very often act as Judas does in the reading.  They are willing to betray not only ideals but also friends for money.  They may even defy their friends in the face to hide their deceit as Judas does when he calls Jesus by the prohibited title, “Rabbi.”  Jesus has not come to reveal all such evil but to offer its perpetrators forgiveness.  He will die so that we might repent of our sins and recover our innocence with his gracious help.  Even when we fail in our efforts at reform, he remains ready to help us try again.