9781644135945

The Easter Cycle
of Man with a kiss?” What a spectacle! Christ betrayed by one of His own apostles and handed
over to His enemies. That act sounded the depths of ingratitude, hypocrisy, and baseness. The
act was made more despicable by the fact that it was performed for money.
The Church suffers with Christ. She has suffered similar experiences, for often in the course
of her history many of her children have proved traitors to their Lord and Redeemer. This is as
mysterious as it is terrifying — an apostle turned traitor. He who had been selected from among
millions for the special love and esteem of Christ, sells his benefactor for thirty pieces of silver.
He who stands, “let him take heed, lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12). “Watch ye and pray that ye enter
not into temptation” (Mt 26:41).
Christ sees the traitor approaching, and although He knows his foul plan, He does not
withdraw. He offers His cheek to be kissed. He has feelings only of love and kindness even for
this traitor. He even calls him friend. In effect He says: Even if you no longer love Me, I still love
you and am prepared to forgive you the injury you are doing to Me. Christ shows no bitterness;
He has no harsh reproach even for Judas. For this fallen apostle He has only sympathy. What
did Judas gain? Thirty pieces of silver and the curse of God. He received a small temporal
reward for his treachery and was burdened with a remorse of conscience that drove him to
eternal damnation. This is the mysterium iniquitatis, the mystery of iniquity. Sin, the blindness
and perversity of the human heart, is indeed a mystery. If the Lord were not so full of kindness
and understanding, if He did not love us much beyond our deserts, what would become of us?
Even an apostle can become a traitor.
The Church makes a recompense to Christ for the disgrace heaped upon Him by Judas.
“In the name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under
the earth; for the Lord became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore
the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father” (Introit). He is obedient to the
Father, even submitting to the traitor. That was the will of the Father, and it was sufficient
for Christ.
Why has the traitor come to betray Christ? What has brought Him? Poor blind apostle!
Poor blind Christians! Why do they expend their energies on everlasting worries? Why do
they toil so eagerly for money? Why do they seek so avidly for offices, high positions, and the
esteem of men? Very often to achieve their ambitions they jeopardize their chances for eternal
happiness. Often they forsake religion and neglect the sacraments. What remains to them from
all the temporal advantages they may gain? They soon prove empty; this discovery drove Judas
to despair and suicide.
“Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour with Me?” With these words,
spoken by Christ to Peter, the Church calls upon us at Lauds not to leave the Savior alone in
His suffering and humiliation. At least during Holy Week let us remain close to Christ. That
this may be easier for us, we are led to St. Mary Major. Behold the mother. Behold how Mary
suffers with Jesus. Mary represents the Church suffering with Christ. Each of us should imitate
Mary in her suffering with her Son. With her we should follow Him with sympathetic hearts
and stand under His cross on Calvary. May not Christ address to us the sad words, “Couldst
thou not watch one hour with Me? . . . He does not sleep, but hastens to betray Me to the Jews”
(Responsory at Matins). It is often true that the friends of Jesus sleep while His enemies are
hard at work.
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