It did not strike me before but today during the Mass in the morning, it struck me that Judas' did repent for his crime of handing over Jesus to the Jews. Frankly speaking, being the political clout that the Jewish religious leaders wielded they could have just barged their way into Jesus' company and arrested him. That they needed someone to 'sell' Jesus to them was merely a sham.
Anyway, coming to the point, I realized that Judas was indeed sad for what he did and wished to undo it. He therefore goes back to the elders and even offers them the money he received for 'betraying' Jesus. I suppose if he had more money, he'd have willingly given that too just to get things back to as it were before his 'handing' Jesus over. But then why is it that Judas always is portrayed in the negative. For that matter, Peter also betrayed Jesus when he denounced him not once but thrice! Going by that count, there are more heinous ways that we have 'betrayed' the Lord than Judas did!
His sin, I guess, is to believe that God would not forgive him! Neither did he forgive himself! These two facts coupled together saw him hang himself. Certainly the society then - and now - would always have blacklisted Judas, had he lived on. But he would have lived with that scar and through his life transformed it into a blessing for himself and others. However, he was too miserly in his outlook of God... he never brought himself to believe that his crime would be forgiven - not by God and not even by himself!
Anyway, coming to the point, I realized that Judas was indeed sad for what he did and wished to undo it. He therefore goes back to the elders and even offers them the money he received for 'betraying' Jesus. I suppose if he had more money, he'd have willingly given that too just to get things back to as it were before his 'handing' Jesus over. But then why is it that Judas always is portrayed in the negative. For that matter, Peter also betrayed Jesus when he denounced him not once but thrice! Going by that count, there are more heinous ways that we have 'betrayed' the Lord than Judas did!
His sin, I guess, is to believe that God would not forgive him! Neither did he forgive himself! These two facts coupled together saw him hang himself. Certainly the society then - and now - would always have blacklisted Judas, had he lived on. But he would have lived with that scar and through his life transformed it into a blessing for himself and others. However, he was too miserly in his outlook of God... he never brought himself to believe that his crime would be forgiven - not by God and not even by himself!
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