Toward perdition
Not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. (John 12: 6)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. (John 12: 1-11)
Unlike God, the devil has no children, only servants. The deeds of the devil’s servants, are the same as his: suspicion, theft, betrayal and murder. Judas' path of perdition ultimately involved betraying Jesus, but began with his acts of suspicion and theft. He was suspicious of Mary Magdalene who, full of love for her divine Master, used an expensive perfume (costing ten times more than the amount Judas needed to betray Jesus) and he stole money from the apostles' common purse. Let us not make the same mistake as Jesus' betrayer and remain vigilant while in God's Grace so that we do not take the first steps towards our own perdition.
