Thought for the Day – 11 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Betrayal of Judas
“It is quite certain, that Judas did not commit this sacrilegious act of betrayal on the spur of the moment.
Evil, like goodness, is arrived at step-by-step.
Perhaps it was some motive of self-interest, rather than of pure love,which led Judas to become one of Jesus; Apostles.
Covetousness, “the root of all evils,” (Cf 1 Tim 6:10) seems to have been his dominant passion.
As the Gospel tells us, he kept the money offerings which those who had been converted, gave to Jesus for His support and for that of His Apostles.
Judas did not know how to suppress his dominant passion at times.
On one occasion, he complained about Mary Magdalen, when she anointed the feet of Jesus with precious ointment.
The passion grew and he became a thief, “He was a thief and holding the purse used to take what was put in it” (Jn 12:6).
In spite of the extraordinary grace he had received, he fell into sin.
Finally, he was guilty of the betrayal, of the sacrilegious communion at the last supper and of the kiss of hypocrisy in Gethsemane.
The example of Judas is a lesson to us.
It is disastrous to begin to yield to our passions and to fall into evil habits.
The Holy Spirit warns us that anyone who makes little account of small things, will fall into bigger (Cf Ecclus 19:11).
Let us remember, that even a tiny spark can set off a conflagration.
Likewise, a single mortal sin can lead us to Hell!”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci
PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/09/thought-for-the-day-9-april-the-betrayal-of-judas/
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