In
Dante’s Divine Comedy, the lowest ring of the lowest circle of Hell is
reserved for betrayers. It’s named after
Judas.
Why
are we so offended by Judas' betrayal of Jesus? Why is treason at the top of
our civil list of capital offenses? Is
it because treason and betrayal so offend our finely-tuned, “eye-for-eye,
tooth-for-tooth” sense of reciprocal love and reciprocal justice?
On
the other hand, Jesus does not take offense. At the point of betrayal, when
Judas greets Jesus in the garden, Jesus calls him "friend"
– “Friend, do what you have come to do.” (Mt 26:50) Jesus came to announce, to live, and to die
for the good news that God's love is not reciprocal; it is unconditional. While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. (Rom 5:8)
Today,
on Spy Wednesday, join me as I pray for Judas, in fervent hope that that he
ultimately realized the forgiveness that Christ offered even to those who
nailed him to the cross. It is same
forgiveness he offers to each of us even as we continue to betray his
unconditional love whenever we settle for mere human, reciprocal love and justice.
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