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Father Brown’s Catholic Daily Message

Holy Week Wednesday was once “Spy Wednesday”



imageThe intrigues of more than 2000 years ago revisit Christians during Holy Week. So many still recoil in horror at the searing memory of Judas Iscariot who delivered Jesus into the hands of His enemies for 30 pieces of silver. But how many of us knew that Wednesday of Holy Week was once called “Spy Wednesday”? Of the thousands of messages that come my way via emails, none are more inspirational than those written by Father Victor Brown in Father Brown’s Catholic Daily Message.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Rev. Victor Brown, O.P. was the Pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, in Houston, Texas between 1986 and 1995. Parochial Vicar, of St. Dominic Parish, New Orleans, LA, between 1996 and 2005, he has been in residence at Holy Rosary Priory, in Houston, Texas, since 2008. Fr. Brown served as Personnelman, U.S. Navy; Naval Air Stations on the west coast and aboard USS Boxer, CV-21 during the Korean conflict. That Wednesday of Holy Week was once called “Spy Wednesday” can be found in old missals or church calendars. “The reason was that Judas Iscariot, one of our Lord’s twelve apostles, had made a deal with the enemies of Jesus to deliver Jesus into their hands, and now he began to spy upon our Lord to decide the best time and way to betray his master into the hands of his enemies, Fr. Brown wrote on Wednesday.

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“There are several passages in the gospels that give us a tragically sad idea of what Judas was like. When Saint Mary of Bethany poured expensive perfume over Our Lord’s head and feet, Judas asked, “Why this waste?” In his opinion, the anointing of the body of Jesus, which was a generous and beautiful gesture on the part of Mary, was simply “waste”. Then Saint John the evangelist explains to us why Judas called that gesture “waste”. It is because Judas was a thief and used to take the money given to Jesus and the other apostles for their sustenance. Had Mary given the money to them rather than buying perfume with it, Judas could have stolen some, if not all of it.” Fr. Brown continues, “Then, when it became clear the the religious leaders of Jerusalem wanted to kill Jesus, Judas saw an opportunity to turn their desire to money for himself. He went to them and began his conversation with them by saying “How much will you give me...?” Thirty pieces of silver was the price agreed upon. Our Lord’s enemies were willing to give that much to capture Our Lord, and Judas was delighted to make some easy money by betraying his Lord and Master. “And one last indication of the sort of man Judas was. The enemies of Jesus needed a sign by which Jesus could be identified in the dark, since what they were going to do was to be done at night, outside. Judas came up with a sign: the man he would kiss, THAT was the one they wanted. And when Judas came up to our Divine Lord and kissed him, Jesus asked, almost incredulously, “Judas, you betray me with a KISS?” By this act of love you show your indifference to me, the God of love itself? “Yes, that’s the way Judas did it. Ordinarily when one person kisses another, it means “I love you.” In this case, it means “You mean nothing to me, and I gladly betray you for an amount of money.” That is why this day was called Spy Wednesday; that is why the very name ‘Judas’ has come to be synonymous with treachery and malice.” Fr. Brown ended his Wednesday message with thoughts well worth contemplating: “In these next four days, there will be two groups of people who appear in the gospels. One group is composed of Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the torturers of Jesus and his executioners. And of course, Judas. The other group is composed of Our Blessed Mother, Saint John the Apostle, Saint Mary Magdalene and the other devoted women who stood at the foot of the cross with Our Lady: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Let us consider them both carefully, and then decide with whom we will side. Thank you for seeking God’s truth. God bless you.”

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