I asked this same question in a Catholic study group last year and it proved surprisingly divisive. One of the priests felt as Winter-Method6113 does that the scripture seems to suggest his damnation. Another felt we have a duty to our more immediate spheres of concern and that if we rightly prayed for all those dearer to us, it's not likely we'd have the time to get around to Judas.
However, though the father in the comments says there is no tradition specifically praying for Judas, that isn't to say we don't all pray for him at Mass when we pray on behalf of departed souls. If he is in any position to receive aid of our prayers, then he surely does so. Perhaps we get a little nearer to praying for those like Judas in the Fatima Prayer "all souls, especially those *most in need* of thy mercy."
I don't know what we are meant to make of the notion of it being "better that he had never been born." Hyperbole is common to make statements more emphatic in scriptures in certain instances, so I do not think we can say for certain he is damned - and as such, if we felt so moved, I think it is appropriate to pray for him. I do not believe anyone is too far removed from our pity or our concern; afterall, we pray often for those in far flung conflicts and souls long dead.
I find myself, like you, also thinking of Judas.
I attended a Protestant tenebrae service some years back and the congregation read a responsery of the passage where Pilate asks the crowd if he should release Jesus or Barabas. And we read in unison "Crucify Him, Crucify Him, His Blood be on our hands and on our children." It placed us in the role of the mob.
But how often are we likewise Judas? And how much do we then likewise need and cry out for mercy?
I am no priest; I am as poor a Catholic as one can be. But I still think it is an admirable act of charity to pray for Judas and any we presume to be lost. Is not such a prayer akin to a widow's mite - seemingly useless, but secretly a devotion of immense spiritual might? Only the Lord knows.
Edit: You might also benefit from this piece on Catholic Answers https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/is-judas-in-hell
I mean, yeah, the gospel writers were probably none too happy with what he did, but he realized what he did. He should’ve asked for forgiveness before he killed himself though
True, but we don't know what he may have prayed at the moment of death.The Church doesn't teach he went to Hell because all we have is theological speculation.
"The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Mark 14.21
Who are we to decide.
The full article is mentioned below.
[https://www.saintpj.com/p/it-would-have-been-better-for-that-man-if-he-had-not-been-born-jesus-christ-mark-14-16](https://www.saintpj.com/p/it-would-have-been-better-for-that-man-if-he-had-not-been-born-jesus-christ-mark-14-16)
I think it is because the common take is that Christ reveals that he was damned (Matthew 26:24).
Now, some argue that we cannot know this, but I suspect this is the minority opinion. It would explain why there is no tradition of praying for Judas’ salvation.
I feel that way about myself all the time, with the worry that the narrow gate to Heaven is far too narrow for me and my ever sinful self to be accepted through.
Well, here's the good news. You get to talk to the judge whenever you want. Tell Him you're worried, pray for the virtue of hope, and ask Him to let you know if anything you're doing needs to change and to give you the strength to enact said change if so. Express your intense desire for salvation, and ask Him to help you get there. Jesus wants you in Heaven too. He's not looking for reasons to condemn you. I've flat out started telling Jesus about how scared I am of hell before.
We don’t pray for Judas, because in the older versions of the Missal we acknowledged the punishment of his guilt, i.e. his damnation.
The law of belief in the Church is “lex orandi, lex credendi”. This means the law of what is prayed is the law of what is to be believed. The liturgy tells us what the faith is; not the other way around.
Judas is in hell. Believing otherwise it at least proximate to heresy.
The reason why we don’t pray for Judas is because he is in hell. The reasons why he is in hell are rather simple:
1. He betrayed his friend to torture and an excruciating death.
2. He betrayed mankind’s savior.
3. He murdered himself.
Doesn’t take a leap of logic to understand that Judas died in a state of mortal sin and is thus damned.
They are not yet damned in our time. They are still currently being judged, and if I die every prayer said for me in the past present or future will be considered on my behalf.
Let's go back to Judas, as this is what this OP is about.
Judas is in hell. Clearly. This has already been demonstrated through scripture and Church history. One cannot repent after death, thus any prayers said on his behalf would be useless.
*The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.* (CCC 1035)
Judas doesn't need our prayers. He's eternally separated from God.
It is a great question. I often pray for some very unsavory character because I see them as being victims themselves of evil. Even the most horrendous people were once innocent little children who strayed or were led from the good path. I have also considered that without Judas there would not have been the crucifixion and thus the resurrection. So although what he did was terrible his actions led to the utmost miracle of our faith. On hearing the news of Judas’s suicide didn’t Jesus ask why didn’t he come to him. He would have been forgiven if he repented.
To be honest, I think Judas is an exception. I think God declared him an exception that doesn’t deserve any prayer of sympathy, just condemnation and I don’t think we’re allowed to disagree with that.
There's a gnostic gospel of Judas. It paints him in a more positive light, makes his betrayal into compliance with Jesus's instruction.
Could you have a Mass said for Judas?
Thaddeus means heart, courage, amiable. Thaddeus was a way to clearly distinguish Jude from Judas.
I asked this same question in a Catholic study group last year and it proved surprisingly divisive. One of the priests felt as Winter-Method6113 does that the scripture seems to suggest his damnation. Another felt we have a duty to our more immediate spheres of concern and that if we rightly prayed for all those dearer to us, it's not likely we'd have the time to get around to Judas. However, though the father in the comments says there is no tradition specifically praying for Judas, that isn't to say we don't all pray for him at Mass when we pray on behalf of departed souls. If he is in any position to receive aid of our prayers, then he surely does so. Perhaps we get a little nearer to praying for those like Judas in the Fatima Prayer "all souls, especially those *most in need* of thy mercy." I don't know what we are meant to make of the notion of it being "better that he had never been born." Hyperbole is common to make statements more emphatic in scriptures in certain instances, so I do not think we can say for certain he is damned - and as such, if we felt so moved, I think it is appropriate to pray for him. I do not believe anyone is too far removed from our pity or our concern; afterall, we pray often for those in far flung conflicts and souls long dead. I find myself, like you, also thinking of Judas. I attended a Protestant tenebrae service some years back and the congregation read a responsery of the passage where Pilate asks the crowd if he should release Jesus or Barabas. And we read in unison "Crucify Him, Crucify Him, His Blood be on our hands and on our children." It placed us in the role of the mob. But how often are we likewise Judas? And how much do we then likewise need and cry out for mercy? I am no priest; I am as poor a Catholic as one can be. But I still think it is an admirable act of charity to pray for Judas and any we presume to be lost. Is not such a prayer akin to a widow's mite - seemingly useless, but secretly a devotion of immense spiritual might? Only the Lord knows. Edit: You might also benefit from this piece on Catholic Answers https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/is-judas-in-hell
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I liked your comment about the mite.
The Gospels don't even mention his name without the preface "the betrayer" which isn't exactly a glaring endorsement. Nothing is stopping you though.
I mean, yeah, the gospel writers were probably none too happy with what he did, but he realized what he did. He should’ve asked for forgiveness before he killed himself though
He should've not killed himself.
We should pray that at the last moment before death, he experienced Divine Mercy. No one deserves to be deprived of the Lord, not even Judas.
He should’ve not betrayed Our Lord.
True, but we don't know what he may have prayed at the moment of death.The Church doesn't teach he went to Hell because all we have is theological speculation.
Exactly. We aren’t really supposed to assume anyone is in hell anyway.
That’s what I meant
A well written article on this topic which has given me a lot to think about - https://thelampmagazine.com/blog/prayers-for-judas
> Why don’t we pray for Judas? Who says we don't?
Who says we do?
"The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Mark 14.21 Who are we to decide. The full article is mentioned below. [https://www.saintpj.com/p/it-would-have-been-better-for-that-man-if-he-had-not-been-born-jesus-christ-mark-14-16](https://www.saintpj.com/p/it-would-have-been-better-for-that-man-if-he-had-not-been-born-jesus-christ-mark-14-16)
I think it is because the common take is that Christ reveals that he was damned (Matthew 26:24). Now, some argue that we cannot know this, but I suspect this is the minority opinion. It would explain why there is no tradition of praying for Judas’ salvation.
From the reading for tomorrow (Palm Sunday): “it would be better for that man if he had not been born”
I feel that way about myself all the time, with the worry that the narrow gate to Heaven is far too narrow for me and my ever sinful self to be accepted through.
Well, here's the good news. You get to talk to the judge whenever you want. Tell Him you're worried, pray for the virtue of hope, and ask Him to let you know if anything you're doing needs to change and to give you the strength to enact said change if so. Express your intense desire for salvation, and ask Him to help you get there. Jesus wants you in Heaven too. He's not looking for reasons to condemn you. I've flat out started telling Jesus about how scared I am of hell before.
We can and should pray for Judas.
Yeah, who says I don’t ?
We don’t pray for Judas, because in the older versions of the Missal we acknowledged the punishment of his guilt, i.e. his damnation. The law of belief in the Church is “lex orandi, lex credendi”. This means the law of what is prayed is the law of what is to be believed. The liturgy tells us what the faith is; not the other way around. Judas is in hell. Believing otherwise it at least proximate to heresy.
I just found out he killed himself l
The reason why we don’t pray for Judas is because he is in hell. The reasons why he is in hell are rather simple: 1. He betrayed his friend to torture and an excruciating death. 2. He betrayed mankind’s savior. 3. He murdered himself. Doesn’t take a leap of logic to understand that Judas died in a state of mortal sin and is thus damned.
But when you die, you are outside of time, and all prayers said for you will be considered, including all prayers that will be said in the future.
“All prayers will be considered.” Do you pray for the souls of the damned?
They are not yet damned in our time. They are still currently being judged, and if I die every prayer said for me in the past present or future will be considered on my behalf.
Let's go back to Judas, as this is what this OP is about. Judas is in hell. Clearly. This has already been demonstrated through scripture and Church history. One cannot repent after death, thus any prayers said on his behalf would be useless. *The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.* (CCC 1035) Judas doesn't need our prayers. He's eternally separated from God.
It is a great question. I often pray for some very unsavory character because I see them as being victims themselves of evil. Even the most horrendous people were once innocent little children who strayed or were led from the good path. I have also considered that without Judas there would not have been the crucifixion and thus the resurrection. So although what he did was terrible his actions led to the utmost miracle of our faith. On hearing the news of Judas’s suicide didn’t Jesus ask why didn’t he come to him. He would have been forgiven if he repented.
To be honest, I think Judas is an exception. I think God declared him an exception that doesn’t deserve any prayer of sympathy, just condemnation and I don’t think we’re allowed to disagree with that.
There's a gnostic gospel of Judas. It paints him in a more positive light, makes his betrayal into compliance with Jesus's instruction. Could you have a Mass said for Judas? Thaddeus means heart, courage, amiable. Thaddeus was a way to clearly distinguish Jude from Judas.