During the three years that Christ spent teaching the people and preaching to them, He did much good and worked many miracles. Do you know what a miracle is ? A miracle is something so great that no one but God could work it. For instance, you learned from your Bible that one day Jesus changed water into wine. Can any one do that? If people want to make wine, they must have grapes or some other kind of fruit from which to make it; and then it takes a long time before it is wine. But in this miracle Jesus turned the water into wine all at once. He healed the sick, cured the lame and the blind, and even raised the dead to life. Now you would think that all the people would love Jesus for the good He did. But there were many who hated Him, because Jesus told the people what was wrong and what they must avoid to get to heaven, and some of these men, not willing to do what Jesus said, began to hate Him. They tried in every way to set also the other people against Him. Jesus knew all this, yet He was kind and gentle and kept on doing good. But the more good He did, the more these bad men hated Jesus.
You remember the twelve Apostles who helped Jesus to teach the people. These men were very poor and they were not learned. Most of them had been fishermen; but when Jesus called them they went at once and left everything to follow Him.
Judas Sells Our Lord
Now there was one among these Apostles, Judas by name, who was not following his conscience which told him he was doing wrong. Judas was a miser. Do you know what a miser is? Yes, a miser is a man who likes money so well that he does not use it, but keeps it and always tries to get more. A miser will do anything to get or keep money. This Apostle did not like it when people gave money to Jesus, for Jesus at once gave it to the poor. Judas was angry with Jesus because He gave all the money away. So what .did he do? Dear children, you will hardly believe the horrible thing that this wicked man did. Judas went to the bad men who hated Jesus and asked them, "What will you give me if I deliver Jesus of Nazareth up to you ?'' Just think, Judas wanted to sell Jesus to these bad men! Can you think of anything more horrible? Judas loved money so much that he was willing to sell his Master to these wicked men who wished to put Him to death. Oh, I know you do not think anything so wicked possible. But that is what sin leads to.
See, dear children, Judas had this bad fault: he liked money too much. Had he listened to his conscience, Judas would never have done so monstrous a thing. But Judas did not listen to his conscience. He shut his heart to his good angel; he listened to the devil. You see now, how necessary it is for you to watch and be careful about little things. Judas did not all at once think of selling Jesus. He began by keeping back a little money here and a little there. He was not honest. When Jesus told him to give anything to the poor, Judas grumbled and kept some of it back. Then when Judas heard that the Jews wished to catch Jesus, the idea came into his mind of going to them and asking what they would give him if he told them where they could find Jesus.
Be careful, dear children, about your small faults. If these are not stopped, they will soon grow larger, and who knows what they may lead you to do? Pray often to Our Lord, asking Him never to let you act as Judas did. Ask our blessed Mother to help you to be true to Jesus always.
Practice:
1. I will listen to the voice of my conscience so that I may overcome my faults.
2. I will think of the horrible deed of Judas and will pray that I may never hurt Jesus by being so ungrateful.
O! Sacred Cross! O Holy Tree!
On which my Blessed Savior died,
Teach my poor heart the mystery
Of my Redeemer crucified.
Cross of my Savior! Sacred Sign!
Lead from sin to grace divine.
~William, Cardinal O'Connell ~
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued tomorrow . . . . . . .
You remember the twelve Apostles who helped Jesus to teach the people. These men were very poor and they were not learned. Most of them had been fishermen; but when Jesus called them they went at once and left everything to follow Him.
Judas Sells Our Lord
Now there was one among these Apostles, Judas by name, who was not following his conscience which told him he was doing wrong. Judas was a miser. Do you know what a miser is? Yes, a miser is a man who likes money so well that he does not use it, but keeps it and always tries to get more. A miser will do anything to get or keep money. This Apostle did not like it when people gave money to Jesus, for Jesus at once gave it to the poor. Judas was angry with Jesus because He gave all the money away. So what .did he do? Dear children, you will hardly believe the horrible thing that this wicked man did. Judas went to the bad men who hated Jesus and asked them, "What will you give me if I deliver Jesus of Nazareth up to you ?'' Just think, Judas wanted to sell Jesus to these bad men! Can you think of anything more horrible? Judas loved money so much that he was willing to sell his Master to these wicked men who wished to put Him to death. Oh, I know you do not think anything so wicked possible. But that is what sin leads to.
See, dear children, Judas had this bad fault: he liked money too much. Had he listened to his conscience, Judas would never have done so monstrous a thing. But Judas did not listen to his conscience. He shut his heart to his good angel; he listened to the devil. You see now, how necessary it is for you to watch and be careful about little things. Judas did not all at once think of selling Jesus. He began by keeping back a little money here and a little there. He was not honest. When Jesus told him to give anything to the poor, Judas grumbled and kept some of it back. Then when Judas heard that the Jews wished to catch Jesus, the idea came into his mind of going to them and asking what they would give him if he told them where they could find Jesus.
Be careful, dear children, about your small faults. If these are not stopped, they will soon grow larger, and who knows what they may lead you to do? Pray often to Our Lord, asking Him never to let you act as Judas did. Ask our blessed Mother to help you to be true to Jesus always.
Practice:
1. I will listen to the voice of my conscience so that I may overcome my faults.
2. I will think of the horrible deed of Judas and will pray that I may never hurt Jesus by being so ungrateful.
O! Sacred Cross! O Holy Tree!
On which my Blessed Savior died,
Teach my poor heart the mystery
Of my Redeemer crucified.
Cross of my Savior! Sacred Sign!
Lead from sin to grace divine.
~William, Cardinal O'Connell ~
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued tomorrow . . . . . . .
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