Pope Calls Judas Double-Crosser in Homily (Adios National Geographic's romantic notion!)

AP ^ | April 34, 2006 | Daniela Petroff

[NYer]

Pope Benedict XVI Thursday recounted the Biblical betrayal of Jesus by Judas, calling the apostle a double-crosser for whom "money was more important than communion with Jesus, more important than God and his love."

Benedict's traditional depiction of Judas came during his Holy Thursday homily, a week after the release of an ancient Egyptian Coptic text dubbed the "Gospel of Judas," in which Judas is portrayed not as Jesus' betrayer but as his confidant who was doing his will by handing him over to his enemies to be crucified.

Holy Thursday marks the start of a series of solemn ceremonies in the Catholic Church in which the faithful relive Jesus' suffering, crucifixion and death — and then his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

During the service, the holy father humbly washed the feet of 12 men, re-enacting Jesus' washing of his apostles' feet during the Last Supper and saying the act cleansed the "filth" of mankind.

As a choir's hymn filled St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome, Benedict poured water from a golden vase over each of the men's feet and scrubbed each one dry in an act of humility and service.

In his homily, Benedict said Jesus washed his disciples' feet to purify them so they could join him at the Last Supper, the meal which the faithful believe Jesus shared with his apostles before he was betrayed by his apostle Judas and crucified.

"God comes down and becomes a slave; he washes our feet so we can be at his table," Benedict said. "The bath in which he washes us is his love, ready to confront death. Only love has the purifying force that takes away our filth and elevates us to God."

Benedict's homily adhered to the traditional portrayal of Judas as betraying Jesus.

The "Gospel of Judas" tells a far different tale from the four gospels in the New Testament. It portrays Judas as a favored disciple who was given special knowledge by Jesus — and turned him in at Jesus' request. It portrays Judas as being told spiritual secrets that the other apostles were not.

The Egyptian Coptic text, one of several ancient documents found in the Egyptian desert in 1970, was preserved and translated by a team of scholars. The text was made public last week.

Benedict presided over another Mass dedicated to priests during which he recalled the sacrifice of a cleric slain in Turkey.

Benedict read a letter written by Rev. Andrea Santoro in which the Italian prelate spoke of his willingness to offer his own body for the sake of preaching Catholicism in largely Muslim Turkey.

Santoro, 60, was shot and killed Feb. 5 while he prayed in his parish in the Black Sea city of Trabzon. Witnesses said the killer, a 16-year-old boy, screamed "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great," before firing two bullets into Santoro's back.

Benedict quoted Santoro as saying in his letter that he had chosen to live in Turkey to be among its people, "lending" his body to Christ to do so.

Santoro's slaying occurred at the height of unrest in the Muslim world over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad published in Europe. Top church officials have called Santoro a martyr.

[az wildkitten]

Excellent synopsis.

[SaltyJoe]

The Pope does Judas a great favor by condemning his betrayal and lack of reconciliation before death by suicide. If condemning the betrayer's actions is correct, as it is correct when the Pope speaks on the subject, then glorifying Judas brings his soul more suffering. Those who are truly interested in the life and death of Judas can help him by buying a Mass intention for his soul.

Being enamored by a so-called "gospel of Judas" is to be dangerously enthralled in Satan's role of spreading misery and sin. Rejecting both Satan, himself and all his works, and Judas' ACTIONS (not him personally) is in step to humbly submit in obedience of God's Judgment of what is righteous and what is evil.

Recognizing Jesus' Truth of His betrayer, "It would be better for that man if he had never been born." is to accept the terrible Fear of God's Judgment. I suppose the Reason is that if the gaining of Salvation is not enough to motivate your soul, then perhaps the loss of Salvation may help light a fire under your feet.

Thus, I can only imagine that Judas would prefer to be scorned rather than be held up as exemplary. Even a soul bound to the torments of the netherworld would much prefer to warn those still living sinfully. Even Jesus instructs us (Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus):

Luke 16:

22
When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,
23
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
25
Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
26
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' 27
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house,
28
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' 29
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.'
30
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"







After betraying Our Lord with a kiss, artistic license has Judas' lips irritated and "burning" in the movie, "The Passion of the Christ."

[Walkingfeather]

I would like media watch to do a study on how many negative and anti Christian stories appear on TV and in the press a few weeks before easter. That would be a telling study.

[VeniVidiAuferi]

The result(s) of Judas having said "nope - I ain't doin' it" would have kind of made a mess out of all the OT prophecy concerning Christ's coming and his sacrifice and crucifixion, no?

[D-fendr]

yes, and you not harming your brother would make kind of a mess out the need for God's forgiveness.

So sin and harm away. You are only doing God's will after all. Right?

[Ciexyz]

Remembering the martyrdom of Rev. Santoro -- may his example inspire the world.

[Ciexyz]

CNN's Larry King "honored" Holy Week with a Thursday evening show discussing the "controversy" of priestly celebacy, dealing with other topics such as whether gays and lesbians are welcome in the church, and running the much-publicized United Church of Christ advertisement, "We don't turn anyone away" with photos of an inter-racial couple and a gay couple.

[Ciexyz]

National Geo had an article in a recent issue slobbering all over Hugo Chavez and his socialist revolution in Venezuela. It was blatantly pro-revolution, quoting Venezuelans who support Chavez and his "reforms" and casting aspersions on the rich citizens who do not. In fact the slant reminded me of similar pro-revolution articles written in past decades about Fidel Castro and Cuba.

[Cate]

Egads... you are very funny :):):)

[Ciexyz]

When Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" came out circa 1970, I remember being a big fan. But now when I see the DVD of the musical, it's astonishing to see how sympathetic it is of Judas, who at one point sings to Jesus, "You have murdered me." The play was written from the persepective of Judas and purports to show how Judas was "manipulated" by Jesus, was a helpless puppet.

I don't agree with that position, of course. I just find it astonishing that the slant of the musical never dawned on me when I as a college student saw it some 35 years ago.

[ZULU]

"Benedict read a letter written by Rev. Andrea Santoro in which the Italian prelate spoke of his willingness to offer his own body for the sake of preaching Catholicism in largely Muslim Turkey.

Santoro, 60, was shot and killed Feb. 5 while he prayed in his parish in the Black Sea city of Trabzon. Witnesses said the killer, a 16-year-old boy, screamed "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great," before firing two bullets into Santoro's back."

In the controversy over Judas the above seems to have been overlooked.

Another shocking crime perpetrated by the lunatic followers of the "peaceful religion" in a so-called "secular" Islamic state. Such an entity does not, cannot and never did exist.

And these people want in to the European Common Market???

The Turk should be driven from Constantinople, Hagia Sophia should be cleansed of the pollution inflicted on it by the Turk, and the Turk should be driven from Anatolia, back into the wastes of Central Asia which spawned him - and locked up there. Anatolia, once the seat of the Christian religion, should be restored to its ancient faith.

[longtermmemmory]

There is a move to give the patriarchate of the orthodox church the status of independent nation.

In addition there was a thread here on FR about restoring Agia Sofia to christians as a condition of EU membership.

[RKBA Democrat]

"Well one thing for sure, Judas WAS a Democrat."

That's an interesting leap of logic, given that the Democratic party in the U.S. didn't exist until almost 1800 years after judas' death.

I've read the Gospels on numerous occasions, and I don't recall reading any passage where Our Lord registered a party preference.

[NYer]

I just find it astonishing that the slant of the musical never dawned on me when I as a college student saw it some 35 years ago.

Ditto. Somehow or other, the expression - 'Wisdom comes with age' - takes on a new meaning. :-)

[Convert from ECUSA]

Thank you, Pope Benedict XVI, for speaking the truth! National Geographic should stick to what it does well, shows about animals, travel, etc., and stay out of the religion area.

[Tribune7]

The result(s) of Judas having said "nope - I ain't doin' it" would have kind of made a mess out of all the OT prophecy concerning Christ's coming and his sacrifice and crucifixion, no?

Of course. Which means?

[N. Theknow]

Gospel of Judas?

LOL!

Next up: The contract Jesus made with the Romans to roll away the stone, bury his body in another part of the cemetary and then tell everyone they were sleeping.

[MarkBsnr]

When it comes to human behaviour, there's nothing new under the sun.

Shifting principles, flexible morality, the expediency of the moment, and the betrayal of anyone else's person or property or soul for gain is not the exclusive and proprietary practice of today's Democrats.

They've just taken it to new levels.

[Tiberius109]

I agree , what if Judas "saw the light " before he turned in Jesus and changed his mind ? Then where would the story go ? He was part of the grand plan .