April 7, 2020 – Holy Tuesday

Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040720.cfm)

Homily

The Gospel today is very sad. A student and a friend turned bitter. Judas, one of the disciples of Jesus became bitter and his heart was filled with darkness.

What happened with Judas, really? Why did he betray Jesus who only showed goodness to him?

The Gospel says that “Satan entered into him,” meaning, Judas was controlled by Satan. But, does Satan can just overpower a person? Of course not, not unless we allow Satan to control us. 

Let us see the attitudes of Judas. Judas seemed to have been filled with complaints and bitterness. He would seek what was for him, what he could benefit or what he could gain. Judas would think of himself. He became entitled and even demanding. Yet, he was also pretentious in front of others. Remember how he expressed his disgust over an oil poured into the feet of Jesus for anointing. He was as if concerned that the poor can benefit from that, but not. He was only concerned of the amount of money that he could get out of that oil if sold and given to him because he was the treasurer of the group. Thus, Judas was gradually eaten by his selfishness. This turned him to be corrupt and deceiving.

These attitudes creeping in his heart became the entry points for Satan. Those were welcoming attitudes for Satan, the deceiver. Satan, indeed, deceived Judas.

Consequently, as Satan entered into him, Judas was not anymore in control of himself. He lost himself or perhaps has lost his mind. This was symbolized by the words in the Gospel, “it was night.” It means, Judas succumbed into darkness. He gave in to the false hopes and false promises of comfort, of wealth or influence. 

However, despite these actions of Judas, Jesus never gave up on Judas. That’s why, never in the Gospel that we heard Jesus condemning this person. 

With this scenario on this Holy Tuesday, these are the invitations for us.

First, be careful of the attitudes of our heart that conjures Satan most particularly of selfishness that creeps into our soul.

Second, we are not the center of everything. It is Jesus.

Third, do not succumb to darkness. Do not yield to our habitual sins that may lead us farther from God. Always seek the light. Seek God even if we stumble every now and then. 

In this way, hopefully, then what we will allow is God to be the master of our life and not Satan who will only grab us away from the presence of God. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR