Monday, April 14, 2014

Homily: Monday of Holy Week - Mary or Judas

Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve apostles.  Yet, never has the liturgical calendar given a date for his feast day; no people in the entire world claim him as their patron.  Artists in the early Christian centuries would often deliberately obscure Judas to avoid honoring him with the other eleven apostles.

We almost don’t even like to say his name.  Yes, each of the apostles was burdened with human weakness, but they eventually came to accept the grace of God and became great evangelizers and martyrs for the faith.  But not Judas.

Today we hear of Judas’ avarice:  in the house of Bethany, he objected when oil was used to anoint the feet of Jesus, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and used to steal from the contributions. 

Recall, an earlier Gospel story about the house of Mary and Martha.  Jesus extolls Mary for sitting at the feet of Our Lord, and listening to Him.  He commends Mary over Martha’s frantic busywork.  It was Mary whose heart was focused on Christ. 

Now Judas too fails to enter into the intimate moment of adoration.  His heart is filled with greed.  His avarice keeps him from appreciating what is going on here: that Jesus is preparing to go to his death out of love for sinners. 

Mary and Judas serve as an important dichotomy at the beginning of Holy Week.  Again, Mary has chosen the better portion.  She pours out a year’s salary to anoint and adore Christ.  Judas’ heart was far from Christ.  He was probably already looking for opportunities to betray Jesus.   

Mary gives, while Judas takes, and keeps things from Jesus.  Mary pours out, while Judas betrays.  Let us, of course, follow Mary’s example, gladly pouring out the best we have in order to adore Christ and repent from our greed which has kept us from loving Christ. 

This is a week for intensifying our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, that, as Christ’s blood is poured out for the world on Calvary, we might be poured out with him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.


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