That's what Pope Benedict said.
"[...] a sycophant who bows down before the anonymous power of changing moods and current fashion." Not a 'master of evil' or some scary, demoniacal figure.
I think Judas was nice, as I pointed out yesterday; 'his speech softer than butter, his words smoother than oil...'
When he complained about the expensive aromatic nard Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with, proposing that it should have been sold, and the money given for the poor, Scripture tells us Judas said that because he was a thief and helped himself to the contributions...
I believe Judas was certainly duplicitous, as well as a thief - but I think his criticism of the anointing might have been motivated by envy and jealousy as well. He may have been jealous, envious of Mary's devotion, her great love which attracted the trust and intimacy of Jesus... which he really wanted for himself. He wanted to be the greatest in Jesus' eyes... he was ambitious.
I wrote that last night... yet didn't trust my personal meditation enough to publish it.
This morning I read Jean Vanier's understanding of Judas:
"Perhaps he is jealous of any intimate relationship Jesus has that does not include him. This jealousy and revolt against a gentle, loving Jesus pave the way for the devil to enter his heart. Satan then can take over and inspire Judas to betray Jesus and hand him over." - Jean VanierWhat is perhaps more terrifying - as in terrible - is that Judas probably convinced himself his intentions were righteous, and necessary... and that somehow Jesus even approved.
Of course syncophant comes from the Greek sȳkophántēs: informer.
ReplyDeletehttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sycophant
I sometimes think about the moments concerning Judas recounted in the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich. At the washing of Judas' feet, she says Jesus had his face bent right down over his feet and he was weeping for him while washing his feet, moaning words to him quietly. And the while Judas pretended not to notice, suddenly making some small talk to Peter as a reaction to this profound act of Christ's loving mercy, and Peter rebuked him for being so causal while Christ was performing this act.
ReplyDeleteShe also said Judas took money for doing healings.
"...which he really wanted for himself."
Yes, and it should be distinguished from the natural want of love, for Emmerich says all the apostles after the last supper were kind of jealous of a display of intimacy between Jesus and St. John, a secret conversation.
Judas wanted His love for earthly ends.
I think Christ chose Judas as a disciple knowing of his betrayal precisely because of His love.
His love and mercy and intimacy were made richly and lavishly available to Judas. They were available to him even after his betrayal.
It was all part of the fulfillment of love.
And then Christ descended into hell.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI get so obsessed with Judas around Holy Week . . . A priest told me off once.
is it wrong that i cannot despise judas? i think his example is a healthy warning for me to always trust and believe in our Lord's love and mercy and not despair, DESPITE my unfaithfulness and envy etc.
ReplyDeletethis was a very good reflection of yours, terry. thanks for posting.
This reminds me of a local Catholic man who has SSA and is pushing the absurd idea that the Church can and should change her entire anthropology regarding man so as to include homosexual relationships. He is very nice, charming, smooth in language, and media savvy. His blog gives the impression of righteousness. But the veneer is thin. What he is peddling is sinister, heretical, and demonic. He is causing the loss of souls. God help him.
ReplyDeleteIt happens that Father O'Flaherty of County Cork had taken to excoriating the British during his homily each and every Sunday until one day the bishop got wind of it and told him he had to knock it off. "Never let me hear that you've railed against the Brits in one of your sermons ever again, O'Flaherty; do you hear me?"
ReplyDeleteFather O'Flaherty obediently acquiesced to his bishop's admonition and promised hizzexcellency it would never happen again.
The next Sunday Father O'Flaherty mounted the pulpit mindful of his pledge to his bishop. A dutiful son of the Church as he ever was, he had prepared a homily that made no mention of the British whatsoever.
Once in the pulpit, Father O'Flaherty opened the Lectionary, announced the Gospel reading of the day, and proceeded to proclaim it:
"...and Judas said to Jesus, 'Blimey, guvnah, I say! All those quid she spent on that bloody perfume could have been given to the poor, wot'."
I feel conflicted about Judas. Probably because I can relate to him so well, maybe even more than I relate to Peter.
ReplyDeleteThat's so weird! I just wrote a blog post on March 4th about how Judas might have been envious. I was writing about how the seven deadly sins show up in the first seven sins committed in the Old Testament. Envy was Cain and I connected it to Judas this way: "God hears the blood of Abel from Cain's field. (I'm reminded of the field of blood where Judas was buried. Could Judas have envied Jesus in some bizarre way? Something to ponder...)" http://www.otakucatholic.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-seven-deadly-sins-genesis-style_4.html
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