Several Catholic bloggers have noted and praised a trenchant article posted at American Digest entitled "Judas: A Saint for Our Seasons." I share most of their enthusiasm. While overheated in spots, the author's main point cuts right to the quick of our society: the point of publishing the Gospel of Judas is to "sanctify treason." The editors of National Geographic would scoff at that, of course. But their hearts have reasons that their reason does not know.The educated élite of our society, for the most part, worships Self and hates God. That's why we have rampant materialism, no-fault divorce, legal abortion, hatred of country, and do-it-yourself religion. It's all about "my needs" and my ideas; the result is betrayal of loved ones, of our cultural patrimony, of God, and ultimately of our very nature. Betrayal is our meme under various names. That's why, over the last several years, very old heresies are regularly resurrected by the media around Christmas and Easter time. Something similar was operative with Judas. He betrayed the Son of God because the latter didn't present the divine as the former thought he should. A Messiah who wouldn't tackle the Romans was a deluded disappointment that had to be put paid so that we could "get on with our lives."
In the end, of course, the treason served God's purpose. Jesus saved us by being killed and rising from the dead, even as Judas killed himself by losing his soul and lost his soul by killing himself. Demographics suggest that the same is happening to the West. Only a saving remnant will know and care in time. The cultured despisers won't be around.
