Judas

It is the Easter season. Wait. Actually, this is a misnomer. Contrary to common perception, the Easter season occurs in the weeks immediately following the resurrection of Christ. How can this be? I do not know. Anyway, to be accurate, it is the Lenten season.

The last week of Lent is traditionally regarded as Holy Week. During this week, each day preceding Easter denotes some historical and religious commemoration. Holy Thursday is no different. Huh? Holy Thursday. A memorial representing the day before Christ's crucifixion. More popularly viewed as the day Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples. Though the Last Supper is profoundly significant, a considerable amount of time was alternatively spent reflecting on Judas. What! Yes, I said Judas. That despicable disciple who assisted Roman soldiers and temple guards in the arrest of Jesus (Matthew 26:14-15, 48-49). Of course, we know the details of what happened after his arrest...

I have yet to meet a person who sympathized with the plight of Judas. After all, here was a person who walked side by side with Jesus. He witnessed firsthand the miracles performed. The compassion shared. The love. Yet, for whatever reason, perhaps greed, Judas, through his own malignant initiative, approached the Pharisees and betrayed Jesus for a bag of coins.

Yeah, that was a pretty malicious thing to do. And, of all people, Judas turned on Jesus, Son of man, Son of God. Whoa! Surely, Judas needs to burn in hell, freeze, and then burn some more. Thorn bushes would do well to grow through his body, each subtle movement of limb and breath resulting in a sharp poke. Nothing is too torturous to impose.  Or is it?

Judas was human, just like us. Sure, he had a front row seat to the inception of Christianity. But, by proxy, don't we also have a small window in which to view certain particulars of the same beginnings... the Bible? Looking behind the curtain, there's no doubt that Judas made a selfish, boneheaded choice. Yet, in comparison, haven't you ever experienced your own regrets?

Please understand, I am in no way attempting to justify the catastrophic actions of Judas, but we have all succumbed to poor decision-making. Probably, more than we would care to admit. After all, we are sinners.

Because of the severe tragedy of Christ's death (some Christians do not envision the crucifixion of Jesus as grim, but I do not understand that point of view), Judas has been looked upon egregiously. Understandably so. Nonetheless, I find myself identifying with him. Like Judas, I have mode some horrible, horrible decisions. One in particular will undoubtedly haunt me through eternity (visit my website). Also like Judas, I similarly felt remorse afterwards, on a very grand scale. Remember, once he realized the gravity of his choice, he returned the coins to the priests and Pharisees (Matthew 27:3-40). He wanted nothing to do with what he had set in motion. I, too, would like to revisit the past and take back what I did. Tragically, I cannot.

Living with our choices can sometimes be overwhelming. Judas was so overwrought with guilt that he hung himself. Me? Although I did not commit suicide, I emotionally beat myself. I refused to defend myself. Quite frankly, for years I hated who I was, defining myself by that one single act of malfeasance. Even to this day, twenty-five years later, I continue to struggle with my errors of youth.

That being said, all of this reflection and comparison has caused me to wonder if Judas is being treated (viewed) too hatefully, condemned without due consideration? Doesn't scripture teach us to forgive (Luke 24:46-47)? To love our neighbor (Matthew 23:39)? To help the weak in spirit (1 Corinthians 9:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:14)? Albeit a couple thousand years too late to have any beneficial effect on the mortal life of Judas, but shouldn't we cultivate these intentions of mercy in our hearts? It seems plausible that our intercessions of love would impact his life in a favorable way (cf. 1 Timothy 2:1, 2 Maccabees 12:42-46. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1032)? After all, Judas was obviously repentant, an indication that a sinner is in need of forgiveness (Luke 15:7). Surely, Jesus forgave Judas (Luke 23:34, 24:46-47)?

I don't know about you, but I am admittedly sad for Judas. He could not fix what he had done wrong (we can seldom make amends for our scarlet misdeeds). He is despised, where instead he should be forgiven (1 Peter 3:9). Ultimately, as difficult as this is to say, Judas should be shown love! Isn't that precisely what we want for ourselves...

September 2011