BELLUM CONTRA HÆRÉTICOS

Judas Iscariot. Impure love that leads to the hell of despair. During the Officium Tenebrarum on Holy Wednesday evening, the Roman Church sings with sad solemnity, among others, a responsory that summarizes the tragic story of Judas Iscariot, the Traitor of Jesus: "Judas mercátor péssimus ósculo pétiit Dóminum: ille ut agnus ínnocens non negávit Judæ ósculum: Denariórum número Christum Judǽis trádidit. Mélius illi erat, si natus non fuísset” He bargained for the Blood of the Innocent and, clear of the initial repentance, put an end to his life despairing of the Lord's mercy. Thus his soul - the exact opposite of the Good Thief - descended "to his own place" (Acts chapter 1, verse 25), i.e. hell, to eternally serve "the punishment of his guilt". One of the most tragic figures of the Gospel story, a black soul.

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[PIUS XII] To live the Holy Week Holy Wednesday. The Passion of Christ in the Church. The same Divine Redeemer said: “The disciple is not above the master”; “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you”; “Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.”. There is therefore no reason to be surprised if in our days, and perhaps more than in the past centuries, the Church of Jesus Christ and especially its ministers are struck by persecutions, lies, slanders and afflictions of every kind; but let us rather place our hope in Him, who, if He has already predicted future calamities, nevertheless wanted to pre-admonish us with these words: “In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.”. So let any despondency be far from you … Orientales Ecclesias, 1952

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The second passage foretells with such singular precision the principal circumstances of the Passion that the Fathers called Isaiah, the fifth Evangelist. The Messiah is the man of sorrows who was “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth”. “he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins”. “he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him. And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death” “and by his bruises we are healed.”. Confirming His name of Saviour, “He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross” (Introitus), as He is presented by the Passio according to St. Luke. Like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, he has a multitude of disciples for his inheritance (Lectio II). In fact, in the feast of Easter, the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance reconcile the souls with God. “Renewing in Mass the mysteries of the Passion of Jesus”, let’s kneel before the admirable mystery of a God who dies for mortals! We ask "for his merits" “to drive far from us the power of the enemy, that we mayest obtain the grace of the resurrection.” (I and II Oratio – Secreta).

HOLY WEDNESDAY From today on, the stationary functions of Holy Week are celebrated in Rome, in the great basilicas. That of Holy Wednesday in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest and most illustrious of the Sanctuaries consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Sanhedrites decide to kill Jesus and find the traitor in Judas Iscariot. The hour of the Passion is approaching in which the eternal Word of the Father, already oppressed by internal pains, will be totally crushed by the executioners, offering his Body and Blood as a holocaust for the ransom of sinful humanity. The first passage of the Prophet Isaiah applies to the Passion. The blood that purple the Saviour's garment is His own blood: and the Saviour, instead of annihilating the people in His indignation, suffers and dies for them.

"Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis"

Hodie, si vocem Domini audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra. Today, if you hear the voice of the Lord, do not harden your hearts.

Damned sin, damned us who continue to sin and add nails upon nails on His holy hands and feet Damned sin, damned us who continue to sin and add thorns upon thorns on His holy head Damned sin, damned us who continue to sin and thrust more deeply on His holy heart Damned sin, damned us who continue to sin and add needles upon needles on the heart of our Lady, His mother

Weep, shed tears of sorrow for your Lord. How can you still be not shedding tears after seeing all the injustices and mockeries made by the people? Even today, we still crucify Him.

Weep, shed tears of sorrow for your Lord. How can you still be not shedding tears after seeing all the injustices and mockeries made by the people? Even today, we still crucify Him.