Weeping

It was that self-love that caused Christ to pity that Judas was even born. 

Judas Kisses Jesus (Chris Cook)

The Divine Mercy is a powerful revelation.  While the concept of the Divine Mercy has existed for hundreds of years, it was through Christ’s revelations to Saint Faustina that the Divine Mercy came to be known throughout the world.  Pope Saint John Paul II called the institution of Divine Mercy Sunday (which is the first Sunday after Easter Sunday) the greatest achievement of his pontificate…

And yet, mercy is not mocked!  Christ does not forgive when we do not repent.  Mercy is not a free meal-ticket – so to speak – to getting away with whatever we wish… 

“As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, Peace to you’...  And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet...  Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’” (Luke 24:35-48).

I have been reflecting on the actions of Christ – first He showed His wounds and THEN he opened their minds.  In other words, we must acknowledge the consequences of sin BEFORE we ask God to merciful to us…

God can forgive any sin.  There is nothing beyond the power of God.  BUT… our mission – as communicated by Christ in the Scriptures – is that we must first ask Christ for forgiveness…

And this is why it was better for Judas if he were never born…  Because when he sinned, he turned his remorse inwards, which is an act of pride, instead of turning to God in humility, as Saint Simon Peter did for his betrayal of Christ.  And when Judas turned this remorse inwards, the Evil One could take hold of him and do with him what he willed…

And I have great and terrible pity for Judas.  Because Judas set such a high standard for himself that he could not bear to fail.  He was willing to do almost anything else other than fail – even take his own life.  If he had even a shred of humility he would have been able to ask Christ to forgive him…  He loved Christ.  If he did not love Christ, he would not have been so distraught by his own betrayal of Christ.  He loved Christ so much, more than I could imagine – just not more than he loved himself.  And it was that self-love that caused Christ to pity that Judas was even born.  Because it was that self-love that caused Judas to turn inward in his grief instead of outward…  It was the inward nature of Judas’ grief that caused him to weep and gnash his teeth rather than ask for the mercy and forgiveness of God.

And I ask for the mercy of God because without His Grace I can only love Him as Judas did, and I fear that my Beloved will say that it was better for me if I had never been born…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.