Spy Wednesday: Selling Out Christ

Spy Wednesday is the day when Judas Iscariot gathered with the Sanhedrin and plotted to betray Jesus for 30 silver coins.  Judas is the Disciple we never want to imitate.  He betrayed Jesus for material things - money. In today's world, we sometimes get caught up in consumerism.  We want want and want.  Companies market to us all kinds of things and in a sense brainwashing us to think that we need them.  We sometimes forget God.  We do not pray or go to Mass because we are busy using our gadgets, cell phones and what not.

This is the unfortunate reality in today's world. Everyone does not seem to have time for anything, especially prayer. We see the fruit of this in children who have no discipline, adults who grow up selfish, violence and the destruction of the family. We put other things before God and the Catholic faith. Today, religion is seen as a "thing" we do on the weekend. It is something only for Sunday. We go to Mass, complete our "obligation" and run out and repeat the same daily rituals of the week.  No conversion takes place. Everything becomes mechanical. Many times, we see Catholics leave Mass early just to take on another appointment.

As many of you know, the first Mass was at the Last Supper. Judas left the supper early. He was the first one to leave Mass early.  Why did he leave?  He left to collect his money and set up the betrayal he was conceiving.  Judas took the bread, the Body of Christ and left (John 13:30). While there may be valid reasons we can leave Mass, we must always try to avoid doing so. We must not be a spy for Satan. We must not be a fake Catholic like Judas who followed Jesus as an opportunist.  We must not sell out Christ for the things of this world.   

Let us meditate on where we stand before God.  Are we like Judas seeking silver coins?