Holy Wednesday

 

 Today is “Spy Wednesday”. It is the day Judas, the apostle, sells Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We seldom have the opportunity to hear a homily written by saint. The following is a homily written by St. Anthony of Padua concerning the betrayal of Judas. He begins by quoting Judas. He says:

What will you give me, to betray him? [Mt 26.15]

“The shame of it! To set a price on that which is beyond price! Alas! As the verse says, "He is shown forth; God is sold for a worthless coin." O Judas, will you sell God, the Son of God, as if He were a lowly slave, or a dead dog? And will you not even set the price yourself, but leave it to your customers? What will you give me? What can they give you? If they gave you Jerusalem, Galilee and Samaria, could they buy Jesus? If they gave you the heavens and all the angels in them, earth and all mankind, the sea and all that is in it: could they pay a price worth the Son of God, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hid? [Col 2.3] No! Never!

Can the Creator be bought or sold by a creature? And yet you say, “What will you give me, to betray him to you?” Tell me: how has He injured you, what harm has He done you, for you to say, I will betray him to you? What of the humility and voluntary poverty of the incomparable Son of God? What of his kindness and affection? What of his sweet preaching and working of miracles? His tears, so loving, shed over Jerusalem and for the death of Lazarus? What of the privilege that he chose you as an Apostle and familiar friend? Let the remembrance of these things, and others like them, soften your heart and inspire you to mercy, so that you do not say, I will betray him to you. Yet how many Judas Iscariots there are today, ‘hirelings’ according to the meaning of his name, who sell the Truth for the reward of some small temporal advantage, who sell their neighbor with the kiss of flattery, and in the end hang themselves in the pit of eternal damnation.”

St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us, that we may be faithful to Jesus. When we make our final journey, may be made worthy of eternal life with Mary, and all the angels and saints in heaven, to adore Our Blessed Lord in His Kingdom!