The Actual Betrayal

Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him. And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the pasch? But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: the master saith, My time is near at hand, with thee I make the pasch with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the pasch. But when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples. And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me.

And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord? But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born. And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.
Matthew 26:14-25 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father to read the account of the actual betrayal should warn us about the repercussions. How many of us have actually betrayed another or for that matter witnessed one. But it is worse if we have done it to you dear Father and to your son. It truly would be better if we weren't born then. I don't know how it feels to betray a person, I can only imagine what a soul goes through. But when a person does this to another, it's easy to see the change they undergo. In the workforce many betray their coworkers daily. Not in the effect that they might be stealing, but more in the fashion of gaining a better position for more money. It's amazing to see how they fidget and change in their demeanor when they do this. How can a conscience live in you dear Father when it's like this. One can only imagine then, the fate Judas comes to because his betrayal was far worse than what people do to each other. His was to Jesus. We have such a beautiful gift of the sacrament of Reconciliation for the many, many souls who perform acts as these to help in cleansing their conscience as well as their souls. Love does conquer!