Holy Week 2025 - Wednesday - The callousness of betrayal and sin

 

"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?"

These callous and chilling words of Judas reveal a heart entrenched in selfishness and spiritual blindness. Judas, who had witnessed firsthand the miracles of Christ—healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding thousands, teaching truth and mercy—chooses to value his own immediate gain above everything that Jesus embodied—reducing the infinite value of Jesus—the Son of God, the Savior—to a mere commodity, something negotiable, exchangeable for earthly silver. 

Consider that Judas lived, ate, and traveled with Christ; he experienced the compassion and love of the Savior directly. Judas’ willingness to conspire with those who sought Jesus’ life shows a heart hardened by a series of choices where greed, self-interest, and pride displaced faith, loyalty, and love, if those things ever really took root.

In the end, Judas chose himself over Christ—valuing Jesus less than a handful of coins. The betrayal was not simply about money; Judas rejected the call to conversion, the eternal value of turning away from the self in order to embrace Christ and the eternal life offered through him. 

How could anyone reject the pricelessness of Jesus’ identity, dignity, and mission? But isn’t that what sin is, the exchange of life for a passing enticement?

Here on the threshold of the Paschal Triduum, Judas’ words remind us how easily any of us can fall into the temptation of placing worldly gains—wealth, status, pleasure, or power—above fidelity to Christ and His Gospel. 

Judas’ greed serves as a sober reminder of the need to cling closely to Christ, valuing His presence and truth above all else, knowing that Jesus values our souls more than his life. Jesus goes to the Cross to redeem Judas and to redeem us all, to examine our own hearts to ensure that we value nothing more than Jesus—To fortify ourselves against any earthly enticements that might tempt us to callously choose sin over Jesus. 

May the example of Judas serve at least as reminder of how subtle temptations can grow into outright rejection if we are not vigilant against them, and the need to reject fleeting rewards in order to embrace instead the eternal value found only in faithful, humble devotion to Jesus for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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As we stand at the threshold of the sacred Paschal Triduum, let us humbly lift our hearts in prayer, seeking fidelity and strength from Christ our Savior.

For the Church throughout the world, that we may remain faithful and vigilant, resisting the subtle temptations of worldly gain, and always choosing Christ above all else. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all leaders and public officials, that their decisions may reflect integrity and justice, rejecting greed, corruption, and self-interest in favor of serving the common good. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those struggling with temptation, greed, or selfishness, that they may find strength and healing in the merciful presence of Jesus, who offers lasting freedom and true fulfillment. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish community, that we may enter into these sacred days with hearts purified and renewed, fully valuing the priceless gift of Christ’s sacrifice and love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the chronically ill and all the suffering, that they may know the compassionate love of Christ, who suffered for us and never abandons us. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, that they may experience the fullness of redemption and eternal life purchased by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Let us pray to the Lord.

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and strengthen our devotion, that we may faithfully journey with Christ through His passion and resurrection. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Holy Week 2022 - Spy Wednesday - The sin of Judas Iscariot

 Wednesday of Holy week is known as Spy Wednesday because on this day Judas Iscariot made the shameful bargain with the high priests to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  

In Dante’s Divine Comedy, the depths of the inferno are reserved for traitors, those guilty of the sin of betrayal. For Dante, the sin of betrayal is so much worse than sins of the flesh—like gluttony or lust. Opposed to the hot-blooded impulsive sins, Dante saw betrayal as cold, requiring forethought, and malice. Satan coldly sought to betray God, as did Judas. Which is why both Satan and Judas are together in hell’s lowest, coldest depths. 

I’ve read that In some villages in Poland, on this day, an effigy of Judas is throne from the church steeple, dragged through the streets and stoned, and then drowned in a pond.

Of Judas, the Lord himself said, “It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Why? Because Judas knew the truth about Jesus, but betrayed him anyway, and then went on to take his own life. The Church has never declared that Judas is in hell. But based on the Lord’s own words and the fact that Judas died apparently without repentance for his terrible betrayal and by his own hands, it is likely.

But it didn’t have to be so. Jesus died for Judas too. Salvific grace was available to him too, if he would have repented. Like all those in hell, Judas’ eternal sufferings would consist of  the pain of being excluded from God’s presence for all eternity, the knowledge that its duration will continue forever without possibility of rest, the knowledge that it could have been otherwise, and the understanding that it is entirely his own fault.”

We consider Judas’ story today, during holy week, to understand the events leading up to the Lord’s Passion, but also, that we might not make the same mistake as Judas. 

We mustn’t lead greed fester in us, allowing our sins to remain hidden, like Judas who stole from the community purse. We shouldn’t allow anger toward God fester in us. We mustn’t allow unrepentance to fester in us, for any sin, no matter how slight. 

Tomorrow begins the Great Paschal Triduum. In our great liturgical celebrations, we will consider all the Lord did, and suffered, and endured for us. He bore the weight of our sinful betrayals, our lusts, our selfishness, our greed, our pride, wishing no sinner to die, but to return to Him and live. As we contemplate his sufferings and His love for us, may our conviction for the Gospel increase, that we will look for opportunities to know him, love him, and serve him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For increased faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That the grace of these holy days may touch the most hardened of hearts, and move unrepented sinners and fallen-away Catholics to return to the mercy of God.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

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

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Week 2021 - Wednesday - "I have set my face like flint"

In the middle of Holy Week, we hear from prophet Isaiah. 800 years before the Lord’s birth, Isaiah prophecies about the Messiah. He starts with a number of characteristics of the Messiah: he will have a well-trained tongue, he will speak to the weary, he will not turn his back on God or rebel from the will of God, as difficult as it might be.

Isaiah then foreshadows the sufferings the Lord will endure in his passion as he makes his journey to the cross: his back will be beaten, his beard will be plucked, he will be mocked, his face will be beaten and spit upon. On Good Friday, we will hear again how the Lord is beaten and mocked as he carries his cross through the streets of Jerusalem.

But, Isaiah also gives us a glimpse into the heart of our Lord as he carries his cross. He is not filled with resentment or despair. Rather, he sets his “face like flint”—a phrase to describe Jesus’ unwavering determination to persevere in the excruciating task set before him. His inner strength, to bear the cross, to bear the weight of the sins of the world, my sins and your sins—his strength and fortitude is beyond measure.

And yet, his strength and his firm and unflinching commitment to fulfill his mission derives from his absolute trust in his Father—as Isaiah says, “He is near who upholds my right…the Lord God is my help”

Staying on track in the Christian life requires setting our faces like flint. Difficult tasks and heavy burdens in the Christian life—fulfilling the responsibilities of one’s vocation, witnessing to the Gospel in a culture who mocks Christianity at every turn—requires fortitude. But that inner strength will quickly evaporate for us mere humans, like Peter’s courage at the sight of the cross evaporates, if we are not rooted in absolute trust, surrender, and love of God.

St. Paul explains the source of his fortitude in his evangelizing mission through storms, tortures, imprisonment and impending martyrdom, when he writes, “there but for the grace of God go I”. With abandonment to the grace and will of God comes the strength to remain faithful to God’s holy will despite the cost.

Contemplating our Lord’s own sufferings in the upcoming days, may we love God and trust God with ever-increasing abandonment to His divine will, that our faces may be set as flint against the buffeting winds of our culture, the temptations of the flesh, and fear of suffering for the Gospel, that we may be faithful to the holy work and heavy crosses of our time for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

For increased faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

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

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.