Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday)

 

On this Holy Wednesday, today is called “Spy Wednesday” because Judas, one of the twelve apostles, secretly went to the chief priests in order to turn Jesus over--- for the selfish desire of money.

He said, “What will you give me, if I hand his over to you?” Because the chief priests wanted to arrest Jesus in order to kill him, they paid Judas 30 pieces of silver. Since that moment, Judas was looking for an opportunity to hand him over.

Jesus and His apostles had just eaten the Passover meal and after Our Lord instituted the first Mass, at His Last Supper, He reclined at the table with His twelve apostles and said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will be betray me.” Jesus knew the future and knew the heart of Judas, his betrayer.

All of the apostles became deeply distressed. They must have looked at each other wandering-- who it might be, but then became fearful that Jesus might be speaking about them, and so each apostle said, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”

Peter, the head of the apostles, motioned to John, who was leaning near the chest of Jesus. Peter wanted John to ask Jesus, who was going to betray Him. Judas, in order to hide his wicked intentions likewise said, “Surely, it is not I, Rabbi.”

Our divine Lord then said, “Whoever dips his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.” Did you know the action of giving a morsel to Judas was Jewish tradition as a sign of special love and tenderness? But Judas maintained his callousness and hardness of heart. And it was at this moment Judas dipped his hand in the dish, the same time Jesus did. Another Gospel states that after “Judas had taken the morsel Satan entered him.” Satan long ago found entrance into the heart of Judas; but now, as the tempter persuaded him to reject every effort of the Divine Master to win him back, each resistance to grace produced an increase of hardness, blindness, and malice. The father of lies was now his undisputed master.

We now know how the sad ending would occur. Judas lead the soldiers and the Jews to Jesus to have Him arrested in the garden and would even kiss him, in what should be a sign of greeting and affection would instead be a sign of betrayal.

Later, Judas would regret handing Jesus over and would return the 30 pieces of silver and throw them in the temple at the chief priests.

But because he did not trust in Our Lord’s mercy, he never asked Jesus for forgiveness. He fell into despair and committed suicide, by hanging himself, and the action would even cause his bowels to be opened. Apparently, after his death, his corpse fell from the tree, and when it landed on the ground his stomach burst open.

Imagine if Judas, would have repented and came to Jesus telling Our Lord that he was sorry, how that would have greatly delighted to Heart of Jesus to have forgiven the man who betrayed him. But how could Jesus forgive Judas, if Judas would never ask to be forgiven?

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Many of us know what it is like for a friend to betray us. And perhaps we too betrayed a friend. It hurts when someone we trust hands us over, or perhaps tells on us. Perhaps, we may tell a friend or family member not to tell anyone, and we ask them to not tell anyone. But later, we find out they told someone anyway, and we are embarrassed because now others know our secret. Perhaps the reason why they broke the secret was for their own selfish reason, to make themselves look better. Remember, Judas betrayed Jesus for selfish reasons.

On our part, we must be like Jesus and forgive, those who betray us, and pray for them, that God in His mercy, will help them to seek forgiveness and if we have betrayed someone, we should ask the person whom we betrayed to forgive us and ask Jesus in Confession for His mercy.

As we prepare to receive Jesus in Holy Communion, may we resolve to keep true secrets, to not betray a friend for selfish reasons.