Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

MATTHEW 26:3-5

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? Look to it yourself." Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself.

Gospelthink: Judas realized what he had done, but did not know how to repent. The Lord wants me to repent and show that repentance while working with the Spirit.

"I'm going under, and this time I fear there's no one to save me. This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy. I need somebody to heal, somebody to know, somebody to have, somebody to hold. I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain. Now the day bleeds into nightfall. And you're not here to get me through it all. I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug. I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved." 

Suicide is always a symptom of something else, a permanent solution, to be sure, but really only a symptom that something is wrong with a person's thinking. In the Gospel passage as we study Judas, the problem was that his thinking was exactly as his accusers counseled him to do – he was to look for a solution to the problem by looking to it himself. Alone, he could not solve the problem he was experiencing. He needed someone else, and he had betrayed the very person he needed.

The relationship of Jesus and Judas was one based on trust. When Judas felt that he could not trust anymore, then he had to leave the relationship. A breakup of a romantic relationship in modern-day living is somewhat comparable to the feelings of Judas and Jesus in the first century. People in a breakup need help and when they try to go it alone, they simply say, as in Lewis Capaldi's song "Someone You Loved," "I need somebody."

Of course, in the song, the one who is speaking about the relationship that has ceased thinks that the someone they need is the person who is breaking up with him. In reality, he needs someone else, a person to talk to, a counselor, indeed, his God to help him through the pain. If such a person does not find it, the results can be a permanent answer to a merely temporary problem. In the situation of the Gospel, Judas did need the person with whom he was ceasing the relationship.

The lesson for us is relatively easy to speak, but difficult to carry out. If we choose to love and to give of ourselves to someone, sometimes another relationship will form, and we will have to cease the one we originally chose. In other words, there will be a break-up.  And we do need someone who can help us in some way, a friend, a counselor, our God, someone we can talk to.        

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, it is our faith that we can talk to you anytime in prayer. Help us understand that in our lives, there will be times when we absolutely must turn to you in prayer, and at the same time be open to others asking for their help. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Romantic breakups are never easy and must treated with caution.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Someone You Loved" teach young people?
2. Knowing what you know about Judas, in your opinion, how would you describe Judas' personality?
3. What is the principal cause of a romantic breakup in our society?
4. In your opinion, what is the principal cause of suicide among young people?
5. How would you describe "despair" in our world?
6. In our world, who should we turn to in order to help us through a situation that brings about despair?
7. Why is revenge not a good solution to a romantic breakup? 

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America