Fr. Dehon's meditations on the passion of Jesus.
Judas comes forward armed with treachery and violence. Jesus ap proaches with weapons of humility and love. Judas gives Him a kiss more cruel than a poison ed arrow. Jesus bows to receive it with divine simplicity and generosity. Judas greets his Master with marks of pretended friendship. Jesus lovingly and sincerely offers him the oc casion of eternal salvation. “Judas, do you be tray the Son of Man with a kiss? Think of what you are doing. I am still ready to forgive you.” But the unhappy wretch is obstinately greedy for a paltry reward and sells his soul for a few silver pieces.
In Judas, Jesus sees a symbol of all who, throughout the ages, would lose their soul for a wretched temporal reward. His Divine Heart suffers more from the reprobation of His apostle and of so many other souls than from the suf ferings of His crucifixion.
How the kindness and mercy of Jesus shine forth in His dealings with Judas! Can we still doubt the kindness of the Heart of Jesus? Can we help loving Him? Can we refuse Him our confidence?
(Fr. Dehon,The love of the Sacred Heart II, 1905)
