"I'M SORRY!"

Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25

This is the third day in a row our gospel readings are concerned with Judas. Why is that? Maybe because the Church is trying to warn us against following in his steps. When we sin we are walking in the footsteps of Judas Iscariot.

"Did Judas go to hell?" This was the question posed to me by a friend of mine yesterday. And I responded by quoting what Jesus said in today's gospel, “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Better for him if he had never been born.”

Some people use that statement as proof that Judas must have gone to hell. Otherwise it would have been good for him that he was born. The Church makes no official declaration on the subject. We must not either. Nobody can know what might have transpired between Judas and Jesus before Judas breathed his last breath.

If Judas did go to hell it is not because of the horrendous act he performed. It would be because he did not accept forgiveness. It would be because he despaired, he lost all hope that Jesus could and would forgive him for what he had done. Let us not forget Peter betrayed Jesus too. He stated not once but three times that he didn’t even know Jesus. Remember what Jesus once said: “He who denies me before men, I will deny before my Father in heaven.” (Mt.1 0/33)
But Jesus didn’t deny Peter before God in heaven. Instead, he made him head of his Church on earth and gave him a glorious eternity in heaven. That’s because Peter regretted what he had done, he had sorrow in his heart, he hoped and trusted that Jesus would forgive him, he sought forgiveness. And received it!

Did Judas, maybe at the last second, seek forgiveness too? Well, we don’t know. But one thing we know for sure: No matter how terrible our deeds, Jesus is ready to forgive us - not once, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.

Let us never doubt Christ’s love. His love for you and me is without end. Let’s have sorrow for any wrongs we have done, no matter how terrible, and place them in his hands - not tomorrow – but TODAY!