Wednesday of Holy Week | iPray with the Gospel
Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver … When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; and as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me … The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Is it I, Master?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Matthew 26:14-25
Judas, what has happened to you? Where is the Judas who was a chosen apostle? Where is the man whom Jesus met and told: ‘Come, follow me’? Judas, you did follow Him, you heard Him, you saw His miracles, and surely, you loved Jesus for a while. Have you forgotten the days on which you saw wonders and went to sleep smiling, regardless of being exhausted and having to sleep in the open? You, Judas, were so privileged: “many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you saw, and did not see it, and to hear what you heard, and did not hear it”.
Judas, when did you start feeling disappointed? When did you start taking for granted those times you spent with Jesus? When did you become inattentive or insensitive to His Words? When did you start thinking about yourself and your future, your plans, instead of thinking about what Jesus told you? When did you stop praying? When did you stop telling Jesus what was going on in your soul? It was then, Judas, that you started pricing Jesus in coins; it was then that your betrayal began. Because that betrayal didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow distancing, a slippery slope from which Jesus could have saved you if you had asked for help…
Judas, why didn’t you come back to Jesus afterwards? It didn’t matter what you had done; Jesus would have forgiven you everything. Why, Judas? Why didn’t you go to Him – repentant – and kiss Him again but this time with love and not with fear? You know how much Jesus loved you. You can imagine how much He cried for you! Judas! Why didn’t you come back… as Peter and Mary Magdalene and Dismas – the Good Thief – and Paul … and me? If it was too difficult, you could always have asked for Our Lady’s help! Mother, may I always come back to Jesus when I fall.
This article originally appeared on www.ipraywiththegospel.org. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © George Boronat.
Rev. George Boronat
Rev. George Boronat M.D. S.T.D is a Catholic priest from the Prelature of Opus Dei, working in the Archdiocese of Southwark in London. He is the Chaplain of The Cedars Independent School in Croydon, and also works as Chaplain of Kelston Club & Study Centre (Balham) and Oakwood Independent School (Purley). He has developed his pastoral ministry mainly with young people and is the author of iPray with the Gospel: Resources to Help Young People Pray.
