April 17, 2003 - 10:04 a.m.
Well, it's Maundy Thursday and I'm drawn to do something to mark the day since I'm certain that Mass isn't in the cards. (Taking two small children to a church with no nursery services isn't my idea of "worship." Might as well take Zachary to a park to run around, which is safer than the church parking lot.) So I'm spending some time this morning contemplating Judas Iscariot.
I once asked my father why Judas was so reviled in Christian tradition. Yes, he facilitated Jesus' arrest at Gethsemane and was paid for it but without that action there would have been no crucifixion, no resurrection, and therefore no Christianity. And the rest of the Apostles didn't behave so loyally that weekend, either. Most ran off and hid and Peter launched into a PR campaign of denial rivaled only by Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf.
I don't think Dad was expecting those sort of questions from a 12 year old. He pointed out that Peter and the others repented their actions and devoted the rest of their lives to ministry. Judas, on the other hand, hanged himself assuming that he could never be forgiven and that denial of Christ's purpose, not his betrayal, was his true crime.
That answer still works for me in explaining the consequences, though I still wonder about Judas's motivations. At least I'm not alone. There are whole sects, most labeled heretical, devoted to "What the f* was this guy thinking?" Judas was the only member of the Twelve who wasn't from Galilee. Did he always hang to the fringe of the group, excluded from old fishing stories, or did he have a bit of distain for these country boys meandering down to Jerusalem? He obviously didn't expect Jesus to be handed over to Pilate and crucified so what plan had he devised when he arranged his arrest with the Jewish priesthood?
The trick with contemplating questions with no answers is knowing when to stop... I suppose, at least, this entry is a fine example of what response you're likely to get if you offer 30 pennies for my thoughts...
