Meditation On The Passion: And Jesus Said To Him: Judas, Dost Thou Betray The Son Of Man With A Kiss?

GIOTTO di Bondone 
No. 31 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 15. The Arrest of Christ (Kiss of Judas) 

1304-06
And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss? Lk.xxii.

Mark every word, (friend) First hitherto thou hast been a friend: Secondly thou commest in the habit of a Friend, offering a kiss, a token of love: Thirdly I do not hate thee, but offer thee reconciliation, & am ready to shed my blood & to offer my death also for thy sake, which I must now suffer, if thou thy self wilt.  I desire not hat thou shouldest deliver me out of the hands of these Jews for I am born to that end to suffer death, but that thou shouldest repent thee, of this thy great sin, & return into grace and favor.

(Wherefore art thou come.) First I am not ignorant with what mind thou art come hither, I have searched already into the bottom of thy heart: return again therefore unto thy self for I thy Judge am not ignorant of thy fraud. Thou wretch, whiter art thou fallen? Late an Apostle now a traitor; of late a principal pillar of the Church, no chiefest amongst Thieves: Behold thine own baseness, & now at least repent thee of thy fault.

(Judas) If thou likest not thy name of a friend, because thou wilt not be a friend, yet hear me calling thee in my accustom manner. Secondly remember thy ancient parents, Judas the Patriarch, and Judas Machabeus, from whose manners thou doest degenerate.

(The Son of man) him who is admirably the son of man, begotten in heaven by his only Father, & born in earth by his only mother, who did never any evil unto thee, but laboured three & thirty whole years for thy sake, & is now ready to die for thee: what cause have I given thee, that thou shouldest betray me an innocent?

(with a kiss) thou doest abuse the sign of peace, & turn it to a mark of treason; as Joab in times past kissing Amasa, killed him. Thou knowest, that nothing is more dear to me, then to be joined in firm love thee, & doest thou convert this conjunction of love to my death.

(dost thou betray) doest thou give me to them, that hate me deadly, which will do me all manner of hurt, & which will never be satisfied with my miseries?

Admire in all these things the benignity of Christ & imitate it: suffer with thy Lord, who suffered so many indignities by his servant, on whom he had bestowed so many benefits , and never hurt him in any thing; & considering what, & how effectually he spake for the conversion of wicked traitor, thou mayest be assured he will never forsake thee, if thou commest unto him with a contrite heart.

Pray therefore to  Christ, that he will remain thy friend, and give thee grace to suffer all injuries patiently, and to love them, that offer any unto thee.

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616

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