Pope: Even Judas was part of God's plan

Benedict XVI tackled the "mystery" of the betrayal of an apostle that Jesus treated as a friend without touching his freedom. But Judas' action, provoked when he gave in to Evil, was transformed into a "space of saving love". Traitors are not lacking in the Church but it is up to each of us to counteract the evil they commit.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The betrayal of Judas remains a "mystery" and even he who was the "traitor" par excellence formed part of the plan of God, who transformed his action into the foundation of salvation. The figure of Judas and especially the many questions it raises, starting from why Jesus trusted him, were at the heart of the speech given by Benedict XVI today to more than 30,000 people in St Peter's Square for the general audience.

Depicting the personalities of Judas and Mathias, who was called to replace him, Benedict XVI ended his catechesis dedicated to the 12 apostles. In their list, he said, Judas Iscariot "is always last".

Presented by the evangelists as an apostle, his choice by Jesus "seems to be a mystery". Evidently Jesus treated him as a friend, but decided to respect his freedom, which shows how Jesus "respects our freedom".

But why did he betray Jesus, asked the pope, listing all the various speculations mooted throughout history. "Some," he said, "turn to the factor that he coveted money. Others uphold a Messianic type of explanation: Judas was disillusioned when he saw that his country's politico-military liberation was not part of Jesus' plans. In reality, the gospel texts stress another aspect. John expressly says the devil put into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus. Luke writes much the same. This goes beyond historical reasons, explaining the matter in terms of the personal responsibility of Judas, who miserably ceded to the temptation of evil."

In the gospels, then, his betrayal is seen as the effect of the action of Evil. But even this action, his betrayal, is inserted in God's saving plan. "Jesus treated him as a friend but in his invitations to follow him along the path of the beatitudes, he did not enforce willingness nor did he provide against the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom. In effect, there are truly many possible ways in which the human heart could be perverted. The only way to remedy this consists in not cultivating a vision that is solely individualistic, autonomous, but on the contrary, putting oneself over and again on the part of Jesus, taking his point of view." But at the end, Judas repented, however his repentance "degenerated into desperation and self-destruction" The difference to what happened to Peter, who betrayed, repented and returned to trust in God, is for us "an invitation never to despair of divine mercy".

Recalling that "it is not up to us to judge" the clemency of God, Benedict XVI said that "when we think of the negative role played by Judas in the history of Jesus, we must insert it in the superior management of events by God. His betrayal led to the death of Jesus but Jesus transformed this tremendous torment into a space of saving love, in giving himself to the Father. In his mysterious saving plan, God took on the inexcusable action of Judas as an opportunity for the total self-giving of the Son for the redemption of the world".

The pope then drew a final teaching from the personality of St Mathias, called "for his faithfulness" to replace Judas among the Twelve, "nearly compensating for the betrayal". So "even in the Church, there is no lack of Christians who are unworthy traitors, and it is up to each of us to counteract the evil they commit by clearly bearing witness to Jesus Christ".

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