Dear Salvation and NYer,

An Awesome Reflection by Father James Swanson L.C. on Judas who betrayed Christ.

I strongly believe that this Part applies to all Catholics who are hesitant to proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Master and Savior of their lives.

"Dialogue with Christ: Lord, if one of your hand-picked disciples can betray you after having lived with you for three years, seen your miracles and been instructed by you, then anyone can betray you. I have betrayed you so many times: when I don’t want others to know I am your follower, when I listen to attacks on you and your Church without saying anything, even when I do such a simple thing as not saying grace in a restaurant out of fear that others will realize I am a Catholic. May the experience of your Passion and death help me to have the courage of my convictions".

In Christ,

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 61 (62)
Peace in God
My soul, find peace in God alone: from him comes my salvation. It is he who is my refuge and my safeguard, my stronghold: I shall never be shaken. How long will you assail a man and band together to crush him, like a toppling wall or a falling fence? They plan to thrust him down from his high place. They delight in lies: with their lips they bless, but a curse is in their hearts. My soul, find peace in God alone, for he gives me strength to endure. It is he who is my God and my safeguard, my stronghold: I shall never be shaken. In God is my salvation and my glory, God is my strength – my refuge is with God. Trust in him, all you people together, pour out your hearts before him; God is our refuge. The children of Adam are as nothing; the children of men are a deceit. Weigh them in the scales, and they rise: they are lighter than a puff of smoke. Put no trust in violence, do not be seduced into robbery; and if riches come, do not count upon them. God has spoken once and for all. Two things have I heard him say: that strength belongs to God, and that mercy, Lord, belongs to you. For to each of us you give whatever our actions have deserved. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 61 (62)

Peace in God

My soul, find peace in God alone:
from him comes my salvation.
It is he who is my refuge and my safeguard,
my stronghold: I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a man
and band together to crush him,
like a toppling wall or a falling fence?
They plan to thrust him down from his high place.
They delight in lies:
with their lips they bless, but a curse is in their hearts.

My soul, find peace in God alone,
for he gives me strength to endure.
It is he who is my God and my safeguard,
my stronghold: I shall never be shaken.

In God is my salvation and my glory,
God is my strength – my refuge is with God.
Trust in him, all you people together,
pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge.
The children of Adam are as nothing;
the children of men are a deceit.
Weigh them in the scales, and they rise:
they are lighter than a puff of smoke.

Put no trust in violence,
do not be seduced into robbery;
and if riches come, do not count upon them.
God has spoken once and for all.
Two things have I heard him say:
that strength belongs to God,
and that mercy, Lord, belongs to you.
For to each of us you give
whatever our actions have deserved.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 66 (67)
All peoples, praise the Lord
O God, take pity on us and bless us, and let your face shine upon us, so that your ways may be known across the world, and all nations learn of your salvation. Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and rejoice, for you judge the peoples with fairness and you guide the nations of the earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you. The earth has produced its harvest: may God, our God, bless us. May God bless us, may the whole world revere him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 66 (67)

All peoples, praise the Lord

O God, take pity on us and bless us, and let your face shine upon us,
so that your ways may be known across the world, and all nations learn of your salvation.

Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and rejoice, for you judge the peoples with fairness and you guide the nations of the earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has produced its harvest: may God, our God, bless us.
May God bless us, may the whole world revere him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Colossians 1
Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead
Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance. He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers. All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all. For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself. Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Colossians 1

Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance.
He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation,
for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
thrones and dominations, principalities and powers.

All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all.
For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.
Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us worship the Saviour of the human race. His death destroyed death and his rising restored life to its wholeness. So let us put our petitions humbly to him, saying: - Sanctify the people you redeemed with your blood.
You are our Redeemer. Let our penance unite us to you in your Passion:: let it bring us to the glory of the Resurrection.
May your Mother, the comfort of the afflicted, give us her protection.: You console us and make us live again: may we do the same, in our turn, for those who mourn.
Teach the faithful in adversity to share in your passion,: and let the light of your salvation shine out through them.
You lowered yourself and were obedient even to death: death on a cross.: Let your servants be obedient also, and suffer patiently.
May the dead share in the light of your resurrection;: and may we, too, one day be united with them.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

So true, we have all betrayed Christ in one way or another. Thanks for coming on board.