Letters

Judas rethink (letters)

John Schmid

Contents - Jun 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Sacred music: an integral part of worship - Michael Gilchrist New Missal translation: light at the end of the tunnel - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Obituary: A tribute to natural family planning pioneer, Dr John Billings, RIP - Msgr Peter J. Elliott Tsunami: Salesians help Solomon Islanders New Zealand Catholic college's intellectually challenging RE program - Bernard Moran Verbicide: 'Happy' or 'Blessed'? How faith can be drained of meaning - Arthur Ballingall Youth ministry active in the Melbourne archdiocese - Barry Coldrey Sigrid Undset: Revived interest in a remarkable Norwegian Catholic novelist - Michael Daniel The Caroline Chisholm Library: Melbourne's hidden treasure - John Young Obituary: Bill Daly RIP: fearless defender of Catholic orthodoxy in Australia - Fr James Tierney Letters: Vatican II (letter) - Francis Vrijmoed Letters: Parish amalgamations (letter) - Eilenn A. Gomm SFO Letters: Judas rethink (letters) - John Schmid Poetry: A Glimpse of My Glory - Maureen Bidess Events: Archbishop Chaput in Australia - Melbourne 4 July 2007 Books: IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST: Writings in the Western Tradition, by Lucy Beckett - Francis Phillips (reviewer) Books: EDITH STEIN, WOMAN OF PRAYER: Her Life and Ideals, by Joanne Mosley - Tim Cannon (reviewer) DOES YOUR PARISH STOCK AD2000? Books: THE SONG OF BERNADETTE, by Franz Werfel - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Books: AD2000 Books Reflection: Pentecost, the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist - Fr Dennis Byrnes

A sermon I heard recently suggested that Judas was well meaning but his plan backfired and Our Lord was crucified, so he hung himself as punishment.

The new line being pushed, as in the recently published The Gospel According to Judas by Jeffrey Archer, is that Judas was not as bad as represented in the Scriptures.

It is said that the Church has never proclaimed that Judas went to hell - which, as far as I know, is correct. But no such declaration was apparently needed.

If Judas were subjectively not culpable, then his betrayal of Our Lord would not have sent him to hell - nor would his suicide.

But it is very clear that Judas was subjectively culpable, for Our Lord said: 'The Son of Man goes on His way, as the scripture foretells of Him; but woe upon that man by whom the Son of Man is to be betrayed; better for that man if he had never been born' (Matt 26:24).

Then the argument is given that this might have meant a long and painful purgatory - not necessarily eternal punishment in hell.

But at the end of purgatory there is the beatific vision, and, notwithstanding the worst that purgatory can inflict, it is worth being born if we eventually gain that beatific vision.

If the Scriptures are to be relied upon, the case for an 'innocent' Judas lacks credibility.

JOHN SCHMID
Boronia, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 5 (June 2007), p. 15