Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the 30 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. (Mt. 27:3-5)
The story of Judas going back to the chief priests and flinging the 30 pieces of silver into the Temple is told in three verses, and only by Matthew, but it is one of the best known stories in all the Gospels.
It is a sad story. Judas wants to undo his crime. But his co-conspirators are interested in getting Jesus, not getting justice.
The truth is, no sin can be undone/. It can only be forgiven. And getting it forgiven is not difficult. “The Lord is kind and merciful.”
Sometimes we break our necks trying to undo sin. We try denying it, erasing it from our minds, finding others who will tell us there was nothing wrong with what we did, blaming it on someone else, rationalizing it, and running away from it. But sin cannot be undone. It can only be forgiven.
We have to look sin squarely in the eye. We have to bring it to the Lord and ask forgiveness. And if we have wronged someone else we have to try to set things right. God’s grace from the Sacrament of Reconciliation can take us through it all.
Peter faced his sin squarely, cried, was forgiven, and became one of the greatest saints. Judas tried to undo his sin, was unsuccessful, and killed himself.
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
