From the Gospel according to Matthew. Mt; 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”
They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.””‘ The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Worse Than Nothing
If my Creator were to regret having created me, that would be an issue—terrible issue, in fact. What dignity would remain to me then? I would be better off having never existed. My goodness—what a sentence.
Judas betrayed the covenant with Jesus. He also betrayed His love and His trust.
When we married, there was a covenant; there was a love that united us, and a trust between us, for we entrusted our lives to one another, each and every day. There was also a covenant with Christ—His love united us, and He placed His trust in us. The question I ask myself is: how many times have I betrayed that covenant? I had better remain faithful to my love from now on, so I never have to hear those dreadful words from the lips of my Lord: “It would have been better for you not to have been born.”
Applied to Married Life:
Albert: What gives me dignity is being made in the image of God—being a child of God. If I betray Him by breaking the covenant through which He united me to you, what remains of my dignity?
Lucy: I understand that if our covenant is a sign of Trinitarian Love and shares in Christ’s Love, then by betraying it, we are betraying our very essence.
Albert: It’s true that marriage is something profoundly great and sacred—and for that very reason, to trample upon it is gravely serious.
Lucy: Then the only option left to us is being like Peter: deeply repentant, asking for forgiveness.
Mother,
May we respond faithfully to the covenant we have entered into. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.