You mention that Judas lost his faith in Jesus on the day He
taught the doctrine of the Eucharist. I had never heard that
before. Could you please elaborate? Thank you so much.
Guillermo
On 14 Feb 1996, Father Mateo wrote:
>
> But Catholics can change. Some will lose their faith for lack of
> prayer, from listening to the world and not to Christ. The
> doctrine of the Real Presence seems to be a favorite trget of
> rejection and unbelief. When Our Lord first announced it (John
> 6:22-59), many of his disciples, maybe most of them, refused to
> believe it and turned their back on him (6:60-71). On that
> day, Judas too lost his faith. But Jesus did not budge from
> his doctrine (verse 67).
Dear Guillermo,
In his Bread of Life discourse in John 6:26-59, Our Lord insisted
eight times (verses 48-50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58) that his
disciples would eat his flesh and drink his blood, and so they
would have eternal life.
Understanding him literally, many of his disciples rejected his
teaching (verse 60) and turned their backs on him, following him
no longer (verse 66).
Jesus had read their thoughts, their unbelief (verse 64). He
knew which ones would reject him and his Real-Presence promise.
Among them, he knew Judas, "the one who would betray him" (ibid.)
So he branded Judas at that moment a devil and a traitor.
Our Lord did not back down from his teaching. He challenged the
apostles. "Will you also go away?" (verse 67). They stayed ---
but in his heart at that moment, Judas denied him and refused to
believe the promise of eternal life through eating and drinking
Christ's flesh and blood in the Holy Eucharist.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Mateo
- Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit -
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