Holy Week 2026 - Tuesday - Judas' sins against faith, hope, and love

 

Three characters have three different responses to Jesus in the Gospel today. John, the beloved disciples lays his head on Jesus’ chest.  Peter, confesses his desire to follow Jesus even unto death, but at the sight of the cross flees in fear.  And Judas, with betrayal in his heart goes into the night. 

Sometimes we are like John: we have moments of great intimacy with Jesus, of deep prayer and unshakable love for the Lord.  Of all the apostles, it is John who stands at the cross with the Blessed Mother. 

Sometimes, we are like Peter: we can be so pious and enthusiastic one moment, saying, “Master, I will lay down my life for you”, and then the next moment, when discipleship becomes difficult and costly, we are running away in fear.

And then sometimes we are like Judas: rejecting the light and slinking off into the darkness—to sin.

We’ve have all been like Judas, from time to time, in some form or another. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we betray him often for so much less, a moment of passing pleasure, a juicy morsel of gossip, a resentment allowed to grow into hatred, greed for money and material things that keep us from charity towards the poor.

What led Judas to betray the Lord?

Unlike the other disciples that called Jesus “Lord,” Judas never used this title for Jesus and instead called him “Rabbi,” which acknowledged Jesus as nothing more than a teacher—nothing more than a human teacher. While it is never stated explicitly, it seems that Judas failed to make the leap of faith—that Jesus was God.

When the synoptic gospels list the Twelve, they are always listed in the same general order with slight variations. The general order indicates the relative closeness of their personal relationship with Jesus. Despite the variations, Peter and the brothers James and John are always listed first, which is consistent with their relationships with Jesus. Judas is always listed last, indicating his lack of love. Not to mention Judas' scoffing complaint when Mary anoints the Lord's feat with oil from the alabaster jar.

Third, Judas was consumed with greed to the point of betraying the trust of not only Jesus, but also his fellow disciples. He put his hope in mammon.

Judas lacked faith, hope, and love. And so do we, every time we sin.

Christians, rather, are to be animated by faith, hope, and love—what we call the three theological virtues. We are to practice faith, that he is God, and center our lives in worship and obedience to Him. We are to practice hope, putting our trust not in money, or created things, but in Him to save us and fulfill us. And we are to practice love—laying our ear next to the heart of Jesus, like John the beloved, through daily and frequent prayer.

Faith, hope, and love. The three theological virtues unite us with the life of God. As we enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum—may our faith, hope, and love increase, that as Jesus, the Lord, journeys to the cross for our salvation, we may journey with him, uniting our lives to Him, entrusting our souls to Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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 As we journey with Christ to the cross, let us bring our prayers before the Father, trusting in His mercy and seeking the grace to follow Jesus with integrity and love.

For the Church, that she may remain close to the heart of Christ, faithful in worship, steadfast in hope, and radiant in charity, let us pray to the Lord.

For those preparing for Christian Initiation at Easter: for the grace to follow Christ through death into new life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who flee the cross out of fear, for those whose faith is weak, for those who have placed their trust in wealth, success, pleasure, or other passing things, for those trapped in serious sin, resentment, greed, or betrayal: for God’s grace to touch theirs and the most hardened hearts, let us pray to the Lord.

For all who suffer, especially the poor, the anxious, the lonely, and the sick, that they may find comfort in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and be aided by the charity of His disciples, let us pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed, that having hoped in Christ in this life, they may now share forever in the joy of His Resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you call us to remain with your Son in faith, hope, and love. Hear the prayers we place before you, and draw us ever more deeply into the mystery of His saving Passion. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

1st Week of OT 2021 - Friday - The power to forgive sins

In just the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we learn a lot about Jesus. He is the one of whom the ancient Jewish prophecies foretold, rising up out of the waters of baptism, we learn he is the beloved Son of the Father, in the desert, we learn that he is in opposition to the powers of Satan,. Walking by the see of Galilee, he is the caller of disciples. In Capernaum, he casts out demons and cures the sick—even drawing near to lepers—the outcasts, the unclean.

Today’s reading begins just the second chapter of Mark, and something new is discovered about the Lord—he claims the authority and power to forgive sins. Again, imagine you knew nothing of Jesus or Catholic theology. Here is this man claiming a power that only belongs to God—the ability to look into a man’s heart and release him from the burden of guilt. 

Guilt and shame can be paralyzing. An act committed in a moment of selfishness, or in a period of greed, can haunt a person, especially as the impact of one’s sin begins to be realized. For sin often has ripple effects that cannot be predicted. An act of evil can bring ruin to not just one’s self, but one’s family or one’s nation—and the burden of that guilt can lead a soul to such crippling despair that life begins to lose it’s meaning. And in a sense it should—because evil is contrary to life. It’s contrary to the meaning of life and the purpose for which we are made. Evil is always a stifling of our potential—what could have been if we were less selfish. 

And no matter what we do, we cannot release ourselves from the debt of sin. For every sin is an offense against God, a violation of a divine command. So only God can forgive sin. Hence the connection with paralysis in the Gospel today. Sin brings a paralysis of soul, in which we cannot walk in the freedom God wants for us. 

And for Jesus of Nazareth to make this claim to this group of scribes who knew very well that only God can forgive sin, caused them to believe that he was blaspheming. And if he were only a human, they’d be right. 

But the Lord can forgive sin, he does forgive sin; he cures the paralysis of soul that allows us to walk in the freedom of the children of God. There is no burden of guilt so heavy, that cannot be forgiven when humbly confessed, hence the feeling of levity as we walk out of the confession, we literally feel lighter, when we sincerely confess our sins. Who wouldn’t want that?

And yet, many are afraid of the confessional, or refuse to enter the confessional. And perhaps that’s why this Gospel begins with the paralyzed man being brought to Jesus by four friends. Sometimes it takes a number of good Christians, speaking the truth, praying, witnessing the power of the Lord to heal and relieve guilt, to bring a hardened soul to repentance, to lead them to Jesus in the Confessional, to the Lord continues to forgive sins through his priests.

May we humbly repent of our sins, and take up the duty of being good friends to the hardened, perhaps even paralyzed sinners in our life, to lead them to the mercy of Jesus for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church and deliverance from the evils of the enemy.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.