Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-19
3fai1a ann fta Utmra
BY DANIEL-ROPS
CHAPTER IA

On Holy Wednesday, 1t has been assumed
that Jesus stayed In Bethany from the fact
that no teaching was given on that day and
also that it was then that He had dinner
with Simon.
Now Judas comes on the scene. He has
never been very much in evidence from the
beginning: only an allusion here and there
has evoked his presence, and these have
been slight, obscure and incomprehensible
before the event.
Even on this fatal Wednesday, it would
seem that the Evangelists did not wish to
record any additional facts which might
explain the actions of this man as he goes
out to commit the crime which has made
his name opprobrious forever.
The reason which prompted Judas will
always remain obscure. st. Luke and st.
John both say: Satan entered into him."
and this Of course Is true. The statement is
probably nothing more than figure Of
speech; even today Orientals will excuse
themselves by saying "the devil came
into me-"
But If the statement is accepted in its full
literal meaning, how was 1t that Jesus,
who cast out so many devils, should
abandon one Of His own disciples to the ad-
VerSary?
His Motives Mysterious
If the Gospel is read literally, there would
seem to be no other motive than q base de-
sire for gain. But when he realized the full
result OF his crime, he came to the Sanhe-
drin and threw the money back at them and
rushed of to kill himself to escape from
his incapable despair. So there must have
been something, even in this dark soul,
which Mammon did not possess.
If it was not avarice, could it have been
anger?
We may see him as mean creature, proud
Of his thickness and not even abashed by
the obvious contempt Of his paymasters; q
coward ready to sink to any depth to pre-
serve his interests or his skin.
Yet it Is hard to believe that Jesus would
have chosen such a man and kept him
among His closest disciples for two years.
The Gospel Is extremely vague about
Judas, but such glimpses as 1t gives are Of
q character more disagreeable than cow
ardly
Perhaps this irritability hid another less
ignoble sentiment. Perhaps Judas was even
motivated by love, not the pure disinter-
ested love which Peter and the other 10 had
for their Master. but one Of those devour-
ing, exclusive passions which can thrust q
man into the worst excuses Of jealousy, q
love so near to hate that in certain circum-
stances 1t indeed becomes hate, only to re-
cover itself when the worst has been COM
mitted, in the extremity Of pain and
despair.
Events Not Recounted
Thursday, nothing is said in the Gospel
about the events of the daylight hours.
There is every reason to think that Jesus
passed it in the company of His intimate
friends and His family; His mother must
have been there for on the day after we
ind her at the foot Of the Cross.
The decisive events take place during the
evening.
The Passover was the greatest Of the
Jewish feasts. During the enslavement in
Egypt, Jehovah had smitten the oppressors
with the Tenth Plague" in which all the
first-born sons of the Egyptians were to be
killed. In order that the Angel of Death
should spare the Jewish households, the
Chosen People were told to mark q sign in
the blood of lamb upon the Intel OF their
dOorwayS.