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Tag: Judas Iscariot

  • How much do we value our relationships?

    How much do we value our relationships?

    April 16, 2025 – Wednesday of the Holy Week

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041625.cfm)

    How much do you value your loved ones? How much do you value your friends? How much do we value our relationships? When we value so much these people in our lives, their importance are shown in the way we spend much of our quality time and presence. When we also truly value people who are close to us, the more we become less and less self-centered. What becomes natural to us then is the way we give ourselves for those whom we value so much. These can be expressed in concrete ways like sharing our material resources, making ourselves available for them, giving an effort to understand and listen to them.

    This is how we grow and mature as persons capable of loving and giving life especially when what we experience is a mutual sharing of life and love.

    However, the value that we give to each other can also be spoiled. When we ourselves turned to be “life-sucking” or persons who suck and consume the life of others – then, we surely spoil and degrade the value of our relationships. This makes us attention-seekers, guilt-trippers and energy-consuming creatures to our family members and friends. This also means that we do not actually give value to people but we are only concerned on what we can personally gain and benefit from others.

    This is how Judas turned to be one, as he betrayed his friend and master. Judas sold Jesus. He even dared to ask the chief priests of the temple, “What are you willing to give ME if I hand him over to you?” And for 30 pieces of silver, Judas was most willing to hand over and betray Jesus. The value was not that much but Judas valued Jesus so little. He was willing as long as he could benefit something immediately.

    Well, why would Judas do that to the person who only showed kindness and generosity to him and to the people? Judas though, was chosen to be one of the close friends of Jesus and disciples had these two attitudes that motivated him to betray the Lord and to sell him for thirty pieces of silver.

    First, Judas never believed that Jesus is the Lord and the Messiah. He never believed in the Son of God who was sent into the world to redeem the world and save the people from their sins and evil ways. Judas never believed in Jesus but only thought that Jesus was a mere teacher. Thus, Judas never called Jesus as Lord but only Rabbi, which means teacher.

    Second, Judas did not have a close, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. Because Judas never believed in Jesus as Lord, it also followed that Judas had never developed that close relationship with the Lord. Judas actually failed to build true friendship and closeness with Jesus. Hence, he could not recognize God in Jesus.

    These attitudes of Judas may also be present in us. When we do not believe or refuse to believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, who has come to love and forgive us, then, we too shall have the difficulty of not being able to build a personal relationship with God. Failure to recognize God in our life leads us to a distanced relationship with God.

    This is also true with our human relationships. Failure to believe in the person, to a friend, to your beloved, to your husband, or wife or child will lead us to a distanced relationship. This failure in knowing the person and building personal and intimate relationship with the person will lead us to easily discard the person. It will be easy for us to hurt them, to cause them pain, to cheat on them, to betray them, to leave and abandon them – because after all, we are never committed in that relationship. And because we don’t value that relationship.

    Thus, we are called rather now to know better the person that we are in relationship with, our friends, our beloved and all those people around us. It is in knowing them that we come to recognize their importance and believe in them. And again, this shall also move us to truly value our relationships by committing ourselves in those relationships by developing a close and intimate relationship with others and with God. This is manifested in the way we give life for the sake of others. Kabay pa.

  • Jesus in the life of Judas

    Jesus in the life of Judas

    Judas was most probably the most practical and at the same time the brightest among the disciples of Jesus. Why? Judas was assigned to be the treasurer of the group. He held the money bag. Jesus had confidence in him because of the qualities he saw in the person of Judas. Judas must have shown dedication in his work.

    Yet, in the Gospel of John[1], it was mentioned how the heart of Judas also was corrupted by jealousy and insecurity. When Mary the sister of Lazarus poured an expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus, Judas complained about it. For him, it was better to sell the perfume and given to the poor. However, it was not really his intention. Judas intended to use the money for himself and not for the poor. He was jealous of the action of Mary to Jesus because Judas did not experience such kindness from that lady. He also did not benefit anything from that expensive perfume.

    Judas turned bitter and corrupt even though he was with Jesus for at least the past 3 years of public life of Jesus. He was there with the other disciples to witness the many miracles of Jesus, in healing the sick, forgiving sinners and raising the dead. He was there in the preaching sessions of Jesus. He heard about the coming of the Kingdom of God and that it belongs to the humble like the children. He too was there in the Last Supper of Jesus, he shared the meal with Jesus and with his co-disciples.

    However, deep within, Judas failed to see that there was more in the person of Jesus. Perhaps, Judas found Jesus to be just an interesting charismatic leader. it was fun to be with him and to be with the other co-disciples. Yet, Judas also was able to benefit from those times of being with Jesus. He held the money bag. He kept the resources given to Jesus and for the group for the ministry. Nevertheless, it was also an opportunity for him to become dishonest.

    This was the reason why, it was so easy for him to sell Jesus to the chief priests of the Temple. For him, betraying Jesus and selling his whereabouts to the chief priests was an opportunity to gain something, materially. Judas believed that the thirty pieces of silver will give him satisfaction and contentment. But he was wrong.

    We can also ask why. Why would Judas do that to the person who has only shown kindness and generosity to him and to the people around?

    Judas though was chosen to be one of the close friends of Jesus and disciples had these two attitudes that motivated him to betray the Lord and to sell him for thirty pieces of silver.

    First, Judas never believed that Jesus is the Lord and the Messiah, the Son of God who is sent into the world to redeem the world and save the people from their sins and evil ways. Judas never believed in Jesus but only thought that Jesus was a mere teacher. Thus, Judas never called Jesus as Lord but only Rabbi, which means teacher.

    Second, Judas did not have a close, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. Because Judas never believed in Jesus as Lord, it also followed that Judas had never developed that close relationship with the Lord. Thus, Judas actually failed to build true friendship with Jesus and so failed to recognize God in Jesus.

    These attitudes of Judas may also be present in us. When we do not believe or refuse to believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, who has come to love and forgive us, then, we too shall have the difficulty of not being able to build a personal relationship with God. Failure to recognize God in our life leads us to an estrange relationship with God.

    This is also true with our human relationships. Failure to believe in the person, to a friend, to your husband, or wife, or child will lead us to a distanced relationship. This failure of knowing the person and building personal and intimate relationship with others will lead us to easily discard those people around us, to easily hurt them, to easily leave and abandon them, abuse them – because we are never committed in that relationship.

    Thus, we are called rather now to know better the person that we are in relationship with, our friends and those people around us because it is in knowing them that we also come to recognize their importance and believe in them. And again, this shall also move us to commit ourselves in that relationship by developing a close and intimate relationship with others and with God.

    Judas and the Influence of Satan

    The Gospel of Luke recounted how Satan entered into Judas (Luke 22:3). In the Gospel of John, it was said, that the devil had already induced Judas (John 13:2). In the same Gospel, it was also described that as soon as Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him (John 13:27). The intentions of the heart and actions of Judas were already leaning towards the evil spirit, hence, it was easy for Satan to get hold of Judas and brought him deeper into darkness and sin. This was how the devil influenced the mind, decisions and actions of Judas.

    This was symbolically recounted also in John’s Gospel, “So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.” (John 13:30) This was an action, a decision being made to go into darkness. A very dangerous thing. Judas must have thought that his desires and longings will be fulfilled through these decisions and actions of him. Yet, he was wrong. He was controlled and manipulated. He was not himself anymore. His mind and heart were clouded by the darkness of human greed and insecurity.

    However, the moment he realized what he had done, he deeply regretted it. Though he realized that Jesus was entirely innocent and he had sinned, yet, Satan who got hold of his heart and mind led him deeper into despair and hopelessness. Judas could not see himself anymore. He could not see God and even believe that God can still forgive him. The Gospel of Matthew told us that Judas, after returning the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders of the people, he left and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).

    Judas was in total darkness. Satan was controlling him, perhaps, even without realizing that the evil spirit was already manipulating and dictating him further away from the grace and light of Jesus and closer to darkness and death. This led him to that pitiful death.

    The Eucharist and Betrayer

    Even though this was what happened to Judas, it cannot be denied that at the Last Supper of Jesus, his Body and Blood were given also to a disciple, a friend and a companion who betrayed him on that night. In fact, the Eucharistic Prayer II says, “At the time he was betrayed…” and similarly, Eucharistic Prayer III also says, “For on the night he was betrayed…” – both prayers recognize that important point in our salvation history in which Jesus offered his whole life for Judas and for all the potential Judases (in the words of Bishop Ambo David in his Facebook Post – In Defense of Judas) that we might be. As Bishop David wrote in his post, “the Eucharist is Jesus’ option to transform that night of betrayal into a night of forgiveness.”

    This is how we realize that unconditional love of the Lord and his fundamental mission to continuously offer and grant mercy, forgiveness, freedom and new life. Kabay pa.

    [1] John 12:1-11 (Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.  Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”)

  • The Power of the Washing of the Feet and of the Shared Meal

    The Power of the Washing of the Feet and of the Shared Meal

    April 6, 2023 – Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper and Washing of Feet

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040623-Supper.cfm)

    Power is an ability to influence, to create and transform. It can be either positive or negative. When power is expressed as a positive force via affirmation, then, power builds respect. When is expressed through love, then, power transforms into service and giving of oneself. However, when power is expressed as a negative force, it leads to coercion, manipulation, abuse, exploitation and even to death

    Each of us is a bundle of energy, of power. We possess power as long as we live with others because power can only exist and be exercised in the context of community. Hence, power is entirely about relationship because power is an exercise of influence, which can be realized only in the context of community.

    We remind ourselves that it is also in the context of our relationships that we discover who we are, our talents and capacities, strengths and potentials, as well as our weaknesses and limitations. It is in the community that we also understand ourselves the “I am.” I am – is the uniqueness of the person whatever his or her status in life. Our person regardless of our social standing, sexual orientation, age, educational attainment or role in the family or community, is called by the Lord to share in God’s fullness of life, living in a community. Our person also is gifted with THINKING, FEELING, and ACTING. These are forms of power which can be expressed positively or negatively within our community

    Our thinking, feeling and acting can, indeed, influence others. Through thinking we create ideas, we make plans and decisions. Through feeling or emotions, our thinking and acting can be influenced. Our feeling may dictate our thinking and in the process also affect our actions. Through our actions we initiate movements that may directly and indirectly affect our environment, which include the people around us.

    Thus, when we become anxious of ourselves and less aware and knowledgeable of who we are, there is a tendency of insecurity. Insecurity leads us to compensations, which means that what is lacking in us, we try to compensate in other forms. For example, a child who is abused physically or verbally at home, may tend to be a bully at school to exercise dominance. Or a person who is deprived of things, like food, toys, and clothes at home may tend to become a hoarder later on. The person will try to collect and possess more, to feel some sense of security. While trying to satisfy himself/herself, the person may in turn deprive others too.

    These are expressions of power that are also being unfolded as we begin the Paschal Triduum of Christ beginning today and will culminate in the Resurrection of Christ. Yet, for now, what I want to focus more is on how power in its positive and negative forms give influence to people and transform us. It is good then, that we become aware on how the power of Satan suppresses life and how the Power of God gives life.

    Let us look first at the power of Satan and on how it controls and brings death. The Gospel of John clearly tells us that the devil had already induced Judas, to hand Jesus over (John 13:2). In the same Gospel, it was also described that as soon as Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him (John 13:27). The intentions of the heart and actions of Judas were already leaning towards the evil spirit, hence, it was easy for Satan to get hold of Judas and bring him deeper into darkness and sin. This was how the devil influenced the mind, decisions and actions of Judas.

    Judas must have thought that his desires and longings will be fulfilled through these actions and decisions of him. Yet, he was wrong. He was controlled and manipulated. He was not himself anymore. Judas was in total darkness. Satan was controlling him, perhaps, even without fully realizing that the evil spirit was already manipulating him farther away from the grace and light of Jesus and closer to darkness and death. This led him to his pitiful death. This is how the power of Satan controls us and brings us farther away from the grace of God.

    However, let us also not forget how Jesus turned upside down this terrible event. Even though that happened to Judas, but Jesus turned that night of betrayal and pain through the power of love and mercy.

    This was described to us as Jesus assumed the humble position of washing the feet of his disciples. It was power expressed through service and humility. Jesus tells us that being a person with power as an authority figure or leader is not about controlling others or manipulating others.

    As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, he gives a model of a life-giving way of expressing power and that is through service and love. This tells us too that the power of being a Christian is having the capacity to serve and love without pretention, without manipulation and that does not count the cost. Christian Discipleship is indeed a form of power, a life-giving power.

    This call and invitation to exercise power as a Christian Disciple applies to all, regardless of our age, gender and sexual orientation, social status, educational attainment or state in life. Indeed, to be a disciple of Christ is to give life just as Jesus gives his life for us. And this is the true expression of power which is sacramentally given to us through the shared meal on that Last Supper of Jesus. This is what we powerfully remember today.

    It cannot be denied that at the Last Supper of Jesus, his Body and Blood were given also to a disciple, a friend and a companion who betrayed him on that night. Yes, even Judas was in that meal. He too received the body and blood of Jesus even though he was not in the “state of grace.” Jesus gave and offered his body and blood for Judas and for us who are also potential Judases[1] today. This is the power of forgiveness, the power of unconditional love, the power self-giving. This is the power of God.

    As we enter into the Paschal Triduum, let us also allow the power of serving, of loving, of caring and of compassion to be the very power we express in our relationships, in our roles and leadership, and in our life through our thinking, feeling and acting. Let the power of God transform any forms of control, manipulation, and abuse into life and into love. Kabay pa.

    [1] In the words of Bishop Pablo David, DD, Bishop of Kalookan.

  • Knowing and believing the person we love

    Knowing and believing the person we love

    April 5, 2023 – Wednesday of the Holy Week

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040523.cfm)

    Judas sold his friend and teacher. The Gospel recounts to us that one of Jesus’ close friends sold him to the chief priests. Why would Judas do that to the person who only showed kindness and generosity to him and to the people?

    Judas though, was chosen to be one of the close friends of Jesus and disciples had these two attitudes that motivated him to betray the Lord and to sell him for thirty pieces of silver.

    First, Judas never believed that Jesus is the Lord and the Messiah, the Son of God who is sent into the world to redeem the world and save the people from their sins and evil ways. Judas never believed in Jesus but only thought that Jesus was a mere teacher. Thus, Judas never called Jesus as Lord but only Rabbi, which means teacher.

    Second, Judas did not have a close, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. Because Judas never believed in Jesus as Lord, it also followed that Judas had never developed that close relationship with the Lord. Judas actually failed to build true friendship with Jesus and so failed to recognize God in Jesus.

    These attitudes of Judas may also be present in us. When we do not believe or refuse to believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, who has come to love and forgive us, then, we too shall have the difficulty of not being able to build a personal relationship with God. Failure to recognize God in our life leads us to an estrange relationship with God.

    This is also true with our human relationships. Failure to believe in the person, to a friend, to your beloved, to your husband, or wife  or child will lead us to a distanced relationship. This failure in knowing the person and building personal and intimate relationship with the person will lead us to easily discard the person. It will be easy for us to hurt them, to cause them pain, to cheat on them, to betray them, to leave and abandon them – because after all, we are never committed in that relationship.

    Thus, we are called rather now to know better the person that we are in relationship with, our friends, our beloved and all those people around us because it is in knowing them that we also come to recognize their importance and believe in them. And again, this shall also move us to commit ourselves in that relationship by developing a close and intimate relationship with others and with God.

    May Our Mother of Perpetual Help guide and inspire us in our relationships and to truly believe in Jesus and to build personal and intimate relationship with him. Kabay pa.

  • Take a Stand

    Take a Stand

    April 5, 2023 – Holy Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040523.cfm)

    Worse than their disobedience – for eating the forbidden fruit, Adam & Eve commit the sin of not taking responsibility for their actions. When God asked them why they disobeyed Him, they blame not themselves but rather each other & the snake. Simply put, they don’t own up their promise & responsibility for their actions. They don’t take responsibility for their mistakes. In effect, sin happens & sinfulness abounds – remains to exist. Same way, whenever we don’t own up our promises & our actions, & most especially continue not to take responsibility for our mistakes, we hurt ourselves; we hurt one other; we hurt others; & we ultimately hurt God & our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Today is Holy Wednesday, also known as Spy Wednesday, because of the treachery & betrayal of Judas Iscariot. As this story preludes the suffering, eventual persecution & death-caused by Judas’ betrayal, the passion of our Lord is about & also caused by irresponsibility of the other disciples. When Jesus told them that one of them would betray Him, they, even his betrayer, asked, “It is’nt me, is it, Lord?” Here they concerned themselves not so much of taking responsibility for Jesus & defending Jesus, but rather on suspecting who among them is the said betrayer, except themselves. Rather than taking responsibility for Jesus, they concern much on their self-image & finger pointing for someone to blame.

    With this, Jesus said: ‘You said it’, “Sugid mo, sinabi mo”. Here Jesus is not about who is the betrayer, but asking His disciples-then & us-now to take a stand & be responsible for our promise & action to Him. So, rather than be concerned about whether you & I, or one of us is & has been a Lord’s betrayer to blame, Jesus wants us to CLAIM & SAY to ourselves: “IT IS NOT ME” (period). By our sins, yes, we may have at times betrayed him, but this time on we may promise ourselves: NOW, I choose not to betray you, Lord. I stand & take responsibility for You, whatever may happen.”

    Today is more than just about our possible betrayal & abandonment of the Lord, but moreso, about our commitment in owning up & taking responsibility to follow and stand for the Lord in our lives, so that we may not remain a burden but rather be His responsible disciple of His passion.

    So Be it.