Author Topic: i often wonder about Judas. (Read 1360 times)

Incredulous · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2025, 01:09:50 PM »

Quote from: OABrownson1876 on April 19, 2025, 05:36:15 PM

One of the mystics describes how Mary the Mother of God was calling out to Judas because she knew what he had done; but the more she cried out the faster he ran away to his tree of self-execution.

What part of the 5th Commandment did Judas not understand!

Incredulous · « **Reply #16 on:** **Yesterday** at 08:08:16 AM »

If you go to the Catholic mystics, like Anne Catherine Emmerich, you’ll get a clearer picture of his demise.

He admired the Pharisees for their power & wealth, even though he had directly known the Eternal Light.

He was ultimately caught up in a whirlwind over demonic temptations that lead him to off himself.

Emmerich on Judas in Our Lord’s Passion

Matthew · « **Reply #17 on:** **Yesterday** at 10:24:46 AM »

Quote from: Ladislaus on April 18, 2025, 08:25:44 AM

So, the Gospels also mention that Judas, when he objected to Mary Magdalene's anointing of Our Lord, wasn't actually concerned about the poor, but he had been embezzling from their common funds, so his corruption goes way back. We don't know why. Did he just not have faith in Our Lord or lose it along the way? Or was he just overcome with greed?

I still think Judas should be the focus of a series of meditations for a special "accountant's" or "bursar's" 5-day silent retreat.

I think there's a fundamental danger to being mired in worldly concerns, the bottom line. Other officials, whether at a non-profit, religious order, etc. can keep their focus on what their organization is about: spreading the Faith, teaching, forming the minds and souls of children, preaching, tending the sick, spreading the truth (news), etc.

But that poor accountant stares at a screen every day, focused on that bottom line. If only we could get more people/viewers/clicks, we'd have a higher number on that "income: donations" entry! Then the bottom line would be better.

So they will be inclined to compromise, modify their views, whatever it takes to get "more people" to support their organization (readers, viewers, benefactors, parishioners, etc.)

Just look at Bishop Fellay. He was bursar for the SSPX. It seems to have formed his thinking into a very worldly, practical, numbers-focused worldview for the SSPX. If I were to guess "what caused his fall", it's the best guess I have. Although only God knows for sure. Bishop Fellay was raised Trad; right in the environs of Econe if I recall correctly. Like across the street or something similar. So all the pieces were there, for +Fellay to become an excellent Trad Catholic.

I know the answer is "original sin" or "free will", but WHAT PART of his free will led him to his fall? It wasn't wine or women in his case. I think he just formed too human, too material, of an outlook. Probably caused by his daily work keeping the books and watching the purse and the things that were contained therein. Hey, it happened to Judas, why couldn't it happen to other religious bursars?

But I know that both Jesus Christ and Archbishop Lefebvre (who are likely in the same place right now) had bursar problems.

Matthew · « **Reply #18 on:** **Yesterday** at 10:33:13 AM »

Some temptations are timeless. Such as a parish priest being distracted by visiting his Faithful during the week, seeking more and more human consolation (conversations, socializing, good food, "innocent" amusements, at least for a layman) instead of spending time praying, sacrificing, spreading the Faith, studying, travelling, etc.

Some temptations are tried and true go-tos for the devil, because they are fundamental to a given career or vocation. They almost go with the territory.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #19 on:** **Yesterday** at 11:10:30 AM »

Quote from: Matthew on Yesterday at 10:33:13 AM

Some temptations are timeless. Such as a parish priest being distracted by visiting his Faithful during the week, seeking more and more human consolation (conversations, socializing, good food, "innocent" amusements, at least for a layman) instead of spending time praying, sacrificing, spreading the Faith, studying, travelling, etc.

Some temptations are tried and true go-tos for the devil, because they are fundamental to a given career or vocation. They almost go with the territory.

I agree. Especially the neo-SSPX appear to emphasize and value an excessive fraternization with the lay faithful. When I was at STAS, an elderly priest once visited who told us that when he was in seminary they cautioned against that. Way too many potential drawbacks vs. possible benefits. Faithful could lose respect for priests if they see them too often in secular settings (e.g. playing basketball, drinking alcohol in restaurants, etc.). Also, as this priest mentioned, you could create resentment where some faithful feel the priest "favors" some more than others ... and the perception of cliques among them. It's like if a parent favors some children the other ones are saddened and resentful of it. Then of course there the aspects you mentioned that are more harmfult to him. If priests get too familiar with the faithful on a natural level, it might make them more reluctant to confess sins to him, and/or they might be less likely to take his direction seriously.

IMO very little is to be gained from playing basketball with a priest or going out for drinks with him. "Wow, that priest has a great 3-point shot. That makes me want to be and to remain a Traditional Catholic." Really? "Ah, that guy is so cool, so Tradism can be cool too and doesn't have to be so irrelevant and crusty." ... Didn't they learn the lesson from the Conciliars about how this is an abject failure?

SimpleMan · « **Reply #20 on:** **Yesterday** at 11:46:08 AM »

Quote from: Ladislaus on Yesterday at 11:10:30 AM

If priests get too familiar with the faithful on a natural level, it might make them more reluctant to confess sins to him, and/or they might be less likely to take his direction seriously.

Whenever possible, I avoid going to confession to priests whom I know for that very reason. It can get awkward.

I seek out priests with whom I'll never interact outside the confessional.

cassini · « **Reply #21 on:** **Yesterday** at 12:12:34 PM »

Quote from: SimpleMan on Yesterday at 11:46:08 AM

Whenever possible, I avoid going to confession to priests whom I know for that very reason. It can get awkward.

I seek out priests with whom I'll never interact outside the confessional.

Me too Simpleman.
But here is another aspect to confession that I have never heard a comment about.
'What must it be like for women having to confess to men?

Incredulous · « **Reply #22 on:** **Yesterday** at 02:58:21 PM »

Quote from: cassini on Yesterday at 12:12:34 PM

Me too Simpleman.
But here is another aspect to confession that I have never heard a comment about.
'What must it be like for women having to confess to men?

Recall many years ago, waiting in a long Confessional line which included many ladies, shortly before Mass. Father Hogan was the confessor.

I didn’t think I would make it, until Father stuck his head out of the Confessional and said:

”I’ll take the next (3) men.”

😊

Incredulous · « **Reply #23 on:** **Yesterday** at 03:41:05 PM »

Quote from: Matthew on Yesterday at 10:24:46 AM

Just look at Bishop Fellay.

“C’mon… what would you say to 80 million Euros?”

Ladislaus · « **Reply #24 on:** **Yesterday** at 04:35:37 PM »

Quote from: Incredulous on Yesterday at 02:58:21 PM

Recall many years ago, waiting in a long Confessional line which included many ladies, shortly before Mass. Father Hogan was the confessor.

I didn’t think I would make it, until Father stuck his head out of the Confessional and said:

”I’ll take the next (3) men.”

😊

... many women definitely think of Confession as counseling, spiritual direction, and psychoanalysis, but the priest should learn to sense when it's ramping up and put a stop to it with "just the sins and the number please for now, since the line is getting long before Mass and I'd hate to see someone miss out on Holy Communion by going too long. I'll be back in the Confessional afterwards if you need additional direction."

Men tend to be more sin, #, sin # ... and receive absolution, though there are some exceptions, especially among the scrupulous.

I recall Fr. Alphonsus when preaching his missions would tell people that no General Confession should ever take more than 5-10 minutes at the most, since there are only 10 commandments, and you just mention the sin, #, sin #, etc. ... receive absolution. He had some saying about "be brief, be blunt, be gone"

BTW, I've always tried to adopt the attitude of imagining that you're someone else judging the penitent, i.e. how you would describe and characterize the sin to a priest if someone ELSE had done it, "Father, this guy here did [this, that, or the other thing." It actually helps create a bit of additional objectivity, filtering out some nonsense that could be due to an excessively subjectivist or introverted perspective, including churn about scrupulosity, attaching excessive or too little culpability, etc. If your friend or relative had committed these sins and you were in charge of telling the priest and accusing THAT individual in Confession, how would you describe and characterize it, how would you confess that other person's sin to the priest. It changes your persepctive a little bit to something more objective.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #25 on:** **Yesterday** at 04:41:21 PM »

Quote from: SimpleMan on Yesterday at 11:46:08 AM

Whenever possible, I avoid going to confession to priests whom I know for that very reason. It can get awkward.

I seek out priests with whom I'll never interact outside the confessional.

Yes, and when you're too "familiar" with the priest, it's more difficult to put yourself in the mindset that you're confessing your sins to Our Lord, and that the priest is there just as His instrument. Bob (albeit a priest) has no right to hear your Confession, to know your sins, or pass judgment on you ... nor the authority to forgive them, nor does your drinking buddy (priest). It's one of the reasons for both the screen in the Confessional and the priest wearing vestments during Mass (and facing the altar) ... to ANONYMIZE the priest in order to impress upon the faithful that the actions he's doing in the capacity are actually being done by Our Lord.

If you recall that story of the one Black inmate on death row to whom Our Lady appeared and whom she converted, Claude Newman, he relates that Our Lady in teaching him about Confession (she was catechizing him some) told him to think of the priest as if he were a telephone through which we were speaking through Our Lord.

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-amazing-conversion-of-death-row-inmate-claude-newman

Quote

The priest introduced the sacrament [of Confession] when Claude interrupted him saying, "Oh, I know about that! The Lady told me that when we go to Confession, we're kneeling down not in front of a priest, but in front of the Cross of her Son. And that when we're truly sorry for our sins, and confess them, the Blood He shed flows down over us and washes us free from all sins."

... Claude reminded his fellow prisoners, “Don't be afraid of going to Confession. You're really telling God your sins, not the priest. You know, the Lady said that Confession is something like a telephone. We talk through the priest to God, and God talks back to us through the priest.”

Matthew · « **Reply #26 on:** **Yesterday** at 04:52:49 PM »

Quote from: Ladislaus on Yesterday at 04:41:21 PM

If you recall that story of the one Black inmate on death row to whom Our Lady appeared and whom she converted, Claude Newman, he relates that Our Lady in teaching him about Confession (she was catechizing him some) told him to think of the priest as if he were a telephone through which we were speaking through Our Lord.

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-amazing-conversion-of-death-row-inmate-claude-newman

I'm hoping it was just a typo or done without thinking, but did you just capitalize black? I hope you at least capitalize White as well. Certain MSM outlets have a policy to capitalize "black" but not "white" in the same context. What the heck? How is that equality?

St Giles · « **Reply #27 on:** **Yesterday** at 07:53:23 PM »

Quote from: Ladislaus on Yesterday at 11:10:30 AM

I agree. Especially the neo-SSPX appear to emphasize and value an excessive fraternization with the lay faithful.

I disagree. It even seems the opposite to me at times. I do think they can get caught up in the temptation though, and so many people really want their attention. We'd all flock to and want to hang around Jesus as much as possible if he walked among us. I think it is similar with priests who are other Christs.

Author Topic: i often wonder about Judas. (Read 1360 times)

Incredulous

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Incredulous

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Matthew

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Matthew

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Ladislaus

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SimpleMan

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cassini

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Incredulous

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Incredulous

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Ladislaus

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Ladislaus

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Matthew

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St Giles

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