EDITORIAL

Judas the social justice warrior

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The Irish playwright, poet and novelist Oscar Wilde once wrote that “Too many people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” This was always a problem with Judas, who was chosen to be a Disciple as was Simon Peter. Judas never accepted Jesus as Lord, but only addressed him as Rabbi.

St. John mentioned in Jn 12:1-8 that Jesus was at the house of Martha and Mary having dinner with them and Lazarus whom he had just raised from the dead. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. Judas protested saying, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”

John recounts that Judas said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it. Jesus rebuked Judas telling him to leave her alone because she did this for his burial. Then the Lord comments, “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Judas never accepted the Gospel preached by Jesus, but instead substituted faith with a false concern for the poor. Social justice and good works towards our neighbor fall within the realm of charity, but they are never a substitution for faith. Our faith in the Risen Lord orders our good works towards loving our neighbor and as a final end to give glory to God, who perfects charity in the human heart.