Judas as Co-Redeemer?

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Hi Everyone,

I had a Protestant friend of mine who is attending RCIA classes ask me a question that I couldn’t think of a good answer for. He asked:

“If Mary is a co-redemptrix, a *causa salutis *[cause of our salvation] given her ‘fiat’, then is Judas also a co-redeemer for his particiapation in the salvation process for his betrayal of Jesus?”

He went on to discuss how if Mary’s decision was based on free will and was necessary for the birth of Christ, then Judas’ free will decision to betray Christ and turn him over to the authorities was also necessary for the death of Christ on the Cross.

Thoughts? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! 👍
 
I’m sure someone will give you the scripture but it does say in the Bible that the devil entered into Judas and it also says Woe to the one who betrays the Son of man it would be far better that he was never born. I’m just going by memory…I’m sure someone will quote the exact Scripture.
 
This is a question that does not belong here. Someone in RCIA should look up the idea of co-redemtrix in the Catechism or elsewhere and see what the Church teaching is.

If there was any merit to the issue, the Church would have already made a statement on the matter.

Your “friend” should stick to the “script” of his studies. That is well-worth the time and effort.
 
Boomer_Sooner said:
Hi Everyone,

I had a Protestant friend of mine who is attending RCIA classes ask me a question that I couldn’t think of a good answer for. He asked:

“If Mary is a co-redemptrix, a *causa salutis *[cause of our salvation] given her ‘fiat’, then is Judas also a co-redeemer for his particiapation in the salvation process for his betrayal of Jesus?”

He went on to discuss how if Mary’s decision was based on free will and was necessary for the birth of Christ, then Judas’ free will decision to betray Christ and turn him over to the authorities was also necessary for the death of Christ on the Cross.

Thoughts? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! 👍
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In a sense, yes he was. Believe it or not, he also had the chance to repent of what he did, and he could have easily returned to Christ.
Unfortunately, he chose not to repent.
Judas played a part in our salvation, and even after he betrayed our Lord, it was possible for him to have returned.
Too bad he didn’t. :(:(:(😦​

Think of this:

If it were possible for a creature to have lived a life similar to Christ and suffered for our sin, God would not have done it.

Why?

Because it would have been a complete betrayal of His love for that particular creature!

God loves us sooooooooooooooooo much, that **he would not allow anyone other than Himself to bare our sin!!!
**
God became a Man in the form of His Son to bear our penalty!

It is the only way that God could be both just and merciful at the same time!!!​

I think that the relationship between a child and a parent is a microcosm of reality.

God created parenthood in the human race to show us, in a small way, the relationship between God, the parent, and Man, the child.
 
Crumpy said:
This is a question that does not belong here. Someone in RCIA should look up the idea of co-redemtrix in the Catechism or elsewhere and see what the Church teaching is.

If there was any merit to the issue, the Church would have already made a statement on the matter.

Your “friend” should stick to the “script” of his studies. That is well-worth the time and effort.
Click to expand...
RCIA is where interested parties are supposed to ask questions. I know I did! It is also the role of the Sponsor to help answer said questions. For this item, however, I would direct them to somone with a stronger grasp of theology.
 
When Catholics speak of Mary as co-redeemer, it is not simply because of Mary’s fiat at the Annunciation; rather Mary, throughout her life, but especially when she stood at the Cross of her Son, was open and obedient to the will of God and united herself with the Sufferings and Passion of Jesus, offering up her sufferings (great as it must be, for a mother to witness the cruel death of her innocent son and still be present, but for Mary, she also accepted this choice of her Son and offered him her maternal support throughout his Passion) and uniting them in hope and love with the Sufferings of Jesus. In this sense, she is co-redeemer with Jesus.

Judas on the other hand was the opposite of Mary. He made his own free choice to betray Jesus and did not unite himself with the sufferings of Jesus, and instead, committed suicide because he despaired of God’s mercy. God turned the evil that Judas into good, but that does not diminish the evil that Judas committed. The difference between Mary and Judas cannot be greater.
 
All: I appreciate you guys responding to my post. I was wondering the best way to tackle this question and your replys certainly helped point me in the right direction.

Crumpy: Your reponse, on the other hand, was terrible. If my question does not belong here, rather than being negative, how about you be a sport and point me in the right direction for where my question could best be answered.
 
Also, remind your friend that we’re all supposed to be “co-workers of the Truth”, referring of course to Jesus who is the Truth. Mary worked together with God in the work of the Redemption, just as hopefully all Christians work together with God.

Now, God makes all things work together to achieve His plans, including the malicious works of His enemies, permanent or temporary. To willingly work with God is glory. To see one’s works turned to good against one’s will is shame and misery.

So yes, in a way Judas was a co-redemptor of the human race. But all that is his burning shame and chagrin, because he is in Hell. If he had had the courage to repent and ask forgiveness and mercy, it would be a great and joyful joke in Heaven.

And so it will be for all of us in the end. We will learn what wonders God could work with even our smallest willing obedience. We will learn what horrors came from our rebellions and sins, and how God worked wonders with them in spite of us. We will be covered with shame and glory. One way or the other, we will turn out to be co-redeemers – even if we ourselves refuse to be redeemed.
 
I have heard it said that if Judas had repented, he would have been one of our greatest saints, but instead he despaired, and in effect, rejected God’s infinite mercy.
 
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