Posted on 04/13/2006 7:47:16 PM PDT by NYer
Pope Benedict XVI Thursday recounted the Biblical betrayal of Jesus by Judas, calling the apostle a double-crosser for whom "money was more important than communion with Jesus, more important than God and his love."
Benedict's traditional depiction of Judas came during his Holy Thursday homily, a week after the release of an ancient Egyptian Coptic text dubbed the "Gospel of Judas," in which Judas is portrayed not as Jesus' betrayer but as his confidant who was doing his will by handing him over to his enemies to be crucified.
Holy Thursday marks the start of a series of solemn ceremonies in the Catholic Church in which the faithful relive Jesus' suffering, crucifixion and death — and then his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
During the service, the holy father humbly washed the feet of 12 men, re-enacting Jesus' washing of his apostles' feet during the Last Supper and saying the act cleansed the "filth" of mankind.
As a choir's hymn filled St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome, Benedict poured water from a golden vase over each of the men's feet and scrubbed each one dry in an act of humility and service.
In his homily, Benedict said Jesus washed his disciples' feet to purify them so they could join him at the Last Supper, the meal which the faithful believe Jesus shared with his apostles before he was betrayed by his apostle Judas and crucified.
"God comes down and becomes a slave; he washes our feet so we can be at his table," Benedict said. "The bath in which he washes us is his love, ready to confront death. Only love has the purifying force that takes away our filth and elevates us to God."
Benedict's homily adhered to the traditional portrayal of Judas as betraying Jesus.
The "Gospel of Judas" tells a far different tale from the four gospels in the New Testament. It portrays Judas as a favored disciple who was given special knowledge by Jesus — and turned him in at Jesus' request. It portrays Judas as being told spiritual secrets that the other apostles were not.
The Egyptian Coptic text, one of several ancient documents found in the Egyptian desert in 1970, was preserved and translated by a team of scholars. The text was made public last week.
Benedict presided over another Mass dedicated to priests during which he recalled the sacrifice of a cleric slain in Turkey.
Benedict read a letter written by Rev. Andrea Santoro in which the Italian prelate spoke of his willingness to offer his own body for the sake of preaching Catholicism in largely Muslim Turkey.
Santoro, 60, was shot and killed Feb. 5 while he prayed in his parish in the Black Sea city of Trabzon. Witnesses said the killer, a 16-year-old boy, screamed "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great," before firing two bullets into Santoro's back.
Benedict quoted Santoro as saying in his letter that he had chosen to live in Turkey to be among its people, "lending" his body to Christ to do so.
Santoro's slaying occurred at the height of unrest in the Muslim world over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad published in Europe. Top church officials have called Santoro a martyr.
"Top church officials have called Santoro a martyr."
I'm a Southern Baptist boy. I'd call Rev. Santoro a martyr, too.
Jesus was GOP all the way and Judas was of the Jackass party.
ping
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Which doesn't stand up to scrutiny and it's very easy to debunk. I'm glad Pope Benedict called it like it is, “a double-crosser for whom money was more important than communion with Jesus, more important than God and his love."
You're right. This text has been around for a long time and was already debunked in the 2nd century.
Happy Easter, NYer.
They did the play 'way back in high school, everyone thought it was 'cool' because of the music - then they sat down and read the lyrics: the play died right there on the table because nobody wanted to have anything to do with it.
Oh, hey (I just remembered it) - on the subject of theater:
Remember the movie Godspell? DID YOU KNOW that Christ was played by Victor Garber (alias Jack 'Spy Daddy' Bristow on ABC's 'Alias')? Think about THAT next week when the show comes back! :) Every time he comes in-scene, all I can ever see are the suspenders, striped pants, and the big red 'S'...
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002VDU.01._PE24_.Godspell-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
"...Yes, it's all for the best!..."
A blessed Triduum and Joyous Easter to you, dear friend.
Spaking of the idiot MSM....Last night a promo by Jon Scott of Fox News about Jesus, said "Jesus, ONE of the most powerful people ever to live"!!! ONE!!! Hey Jon.....Jesus was the MOST powerful person to live! geesh.
Last night at our Passover Seder (my husband is Jewish), all the prophecy readings were right there!! It's kind of hard to believe that Jewish people can't connect those dots when they are so clear.... or maybe it's because they have never read the New Testament.
"Jesus was GOP all the way and Judas was of the Jackass party."
Anything you say.
Have a blessed Easter.
"Shifting principles, flexible morality, the expediency of the moment, and the betrayal of anyone else's person or property or soul for gain is not the exclusive and proprietary practice of today's Democrats. They've just taken it to new levels."
Good comeback. Thanks, I got a chuckle out of it.
You'll forgive me if I don't take this opportunity to wax poetic on the virtues of the GOP. It is Lent after all.
Have a blessed Easter.
And may God have mercy upon my own soul for backing the lesser of two evils...
But that appears what we're saddled with.
I thank you for your forebearance in terms of comebacks and, after Holy Saturday, will make all the preparations for an Easter Sunday roast leg o'lamb. With garlic, kosher salt and without that toxic green mint jelly.
You have chosen a hard political road, sir. May you find your own Simon of Cyrene to assist you.
According to the gospel of John, it was the devil who prompted Judas to betray Jesus. When Jesus identified Judas by giving him bread, in order to fulfill prophecy, it was said that Satan entered Judas. I think it's reasonable that it was Satan who betrayed Jesus, and that the free will of Judas had nothing to do with it. But what do I know, I just read the Gospels to see what they say. You'll notice that on this thread there isn't much reference to them.
When the Christians decide to hate someone, it's nearly impossible to persuade them otherwise.
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