Might Judas be in Heaven?

[Della]

Please do watch all of the four videos I have posted the link of.

The Early Church Fathers, apparitions, etc. are not the Magisterium of the Church. As I wrote before, the Church has never declared anyone in hell. So, we cannot say that she has. Judas most probably is in hell, but that is only opinion, no matter whose opinion it might be, not Church teaching.

 

[steve_b]

But people can’t help doing it all the same, and then try to say that their speculations are Church teaching.

Prophecy is conditional not absolute. When Jonah preached the destruction of Ninevah, for instance, what he predicted didn’t happen because the people repented. …

Except Jesus didn’t make a conditional statement here John 17:12

 

[Della]

Except Jesus didn’t make a conditional statement here John 17:12

Please reread my post. I never said that God didn’t carry out prophecies, I stated that they are conditional upon our response. Judas’ response was to hang himself–seems pretty bad. Yet, the Church has not interpreted Jesus’ words to mean that Judas is definitely in hell because she knows that even Judas may have repented in his dying moments.

Jesus never said Judas could not repent only that he would betray him and that that act made him the “son of perdition” because he would fulfill prophecy–not that he was doomed to hell. The difference is there although I admit it’s a slim chance, but it’s a chance we cannot deny him. Only God knows Judas’ fate, and I’m happy to leave him in God’s merciful but just hands.

 

[JOE_OBERR]

The Early Church Fathers, apparitions, etc. are not the Magisterium of the Church. As I wrote before, the Church has never declared anyone in hell. So, we cannot say that she has. Judas most probably is in hell, but that is only opinion, no matter whose opinion it might be, not Church teaching.

I would like to hope I am in fact wrong about my belief that Judas is in hell as I certainly am not desirous of him or anyone being there but I simply do not know what else can be concluded from Jesus’ statement about Judas’ existence. Since Jesus is God and knows all, he knew, apparently, that Judas would not repent which is why he made the statement he did. If Jesus knew Judas was ultimately going to repent and would eventually go to heaven why would he say of someone who would eventually be rewarded with the happiness of heaven that it would have been better had he never been born? It does not make any sense. The only way Jesus’ statement makes sense is by connecting it to Judas’ non-repentant state of which Jesus certainly knew.
And since Revelation comes from the written word of God as well as the oral word of God (as received from the Apostles, also known as Tradition,) Jesus is clearly restating his earlier Scriptural teachings on what happens to those who reject God’s love, His mercy, His forgiveness by rejecting said love, mercy and forgiveness. If one hates God because of his love of mammon (money, illicit sex, drugs, unforgiveness etc., in a serious or grave way) then he clearly chooses to go to hell because why would he want to go to heaven where he would have to love the God he just clearly and unambiguously rejected? God did not send him to hell, God does not send anyone to hell as the individual chooses it over heaven and sends himself there. God respects our free will, He does not override it as it would make no sense to force someone to heaven who did not love God and neighbor more than his attachment to whatever serious sin(s) he had and of which he did not repent. That person would then be miserable in heaven since he would have to face the God he rejected while living.

 

[steve_b]

Please reread my post. I never said that God didn’t carry out prophecies, I stated that they are conditional upon our response. Judas’ response was to hang himself–seems pretty bad. Yet, the Church has not interpreted Jesus’ words to mean that Judas is definitely in hell because she knows that even Judas may have repented in his dying moments.

And the Church doesn’t say Judas is NOT in hell either. As others have said, the Church doesn’t do that.

Jesus is the one who judges EVERYONE. He knows upfront who is in and who is out. And Jesus said

" 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled."

In context, when Jesus says someone IS LOST they are lost. When scripture is fulfilled it’s fulfilled.
D:

Jesus never said Judas could not repent only that he would betray him and that that act made him the “son of perdition” because he would fulfill prophecy–not that he was doomed to hell. The difference is there although I admit it’s a slim chance, but it’s a chance we cannot deny him. Only God knows Judas’ fate, and I’m happy to leave him in God’s merciful but just hands.

Not to keep beating this up

Jesus could have been silent on this and never breathed a word of it. But instead He revealed what happened. The son of perdition “is lost”. Perdition= hell and that’s where the lost go.

People who are lost don’t go to heaven
People who are lost don’t go to purgatory. Purgatory is only for the saved.
People who are lost go to hell.

Jesus didn’t say the son of perdition might be lost

He said the son of perdition IS lost

 

[Della]

And the Church doesn’t say Judas is NOT in hell either. As others have said, the Church doesn’t do that.

Jesus is the one who judges EVERYONE. He knows upfront who is in and who is out. And Jesus said

" 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled."

In context, when Jesus says someone IS LOST they are lost. When scripture is fulfilled it’s fulfilled.

Not to keep beating this up

Jesus could have been silent on this and never breathed a word of it. But instead He revealed what happened. The son of perdition “is lost”. Perdition= hell and that’s where the lost go.

People who are lost don’t go to heaven
People who are lost don’t go to purgatory. Purgatory is only for the saved.
People who are lost go to hell.

Jesus didn’t say the son of perdition might be lost

He said the son of perdition IS lost

The point, however, is that the Church has never declared Judas or anyone else damned. Therefore, we leave it in God’s hands. It’s just that simple.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

The Early Church Fathers, apparitions, etc. are not the Magisterium of the Church. As I wrote before, the Church has never declared anyone in hell. So, we cannot say that she has. Judas most probably is in hell, but that is only opinion, no matter whose opinion it might be, not Church teaching.

Of course. The likelihood is high he went to Hell. But we don’t know if he repented as he died.

 

[dcana]

This is a bit off-topic, but it’s something I’ve never understood. Why did Judas need to identify Jesus to the Jewish authorities? Weren’t they more than familiar with Jesus?

 

[bixntram]

I’m always amused at the number of people who worry/speculate about this.

We should look to our own souls, and let God handle everyone else as only He knows.
Maybe it’s a desire to think “well, I’m not as bad as so and so…”

None of us comprehend the depths of God’s mercy.
We pray for all the deceased. May they be reconciled to Our Lord.

Your “amusement” belies your self-centeredness, and does your admonition to “look to our own souls,” etc. Why are we (myself included), concerned about the fate of Judas? Because God made is in his own image, i.e. compassionate. That’s why we care about Judas’ fate. Personally, think his throwing the money back and taking his own life are at least indications of repentance.

 

[Telstar]

This is a bit off-topic, but it’s something I’ve never understood. Why did Judas need to identify Jesus to the Jewish authorities? Weren’t they more than familiar with Jesus?

I’ve wondered about that, too. I think it’s probably because they wanted to kill Jesus, and had to be sure they got the right person. They didn’t want to go through all that trouble and end up arresting the wrong guy, especially since they were planning to have the Romans do it for them. They didn’t want to have to explain to Pilate that they made a mistake and arrested the wrong guy, then wanted him to crucify Jesus, too. They may also have been worried that the Apostles might try to fool them by claiming that one of them was Jesus, or that He would slip away in the crowd, as He’d done so many times in the past. They wanted to make sure He wouldn’t get away, again.

 

[oneofmany]

I realize that none of us can answer these questions with certainty, but he obviously felt bad about what he did, although he then went on to commit another sin, suicide. I sometimes wonder if Judas went through purgatory. Of course we cannot know the answers to this. Curious to know what you guys think about this?

No, he went to hell. There are those today who want to believe there isn’t even a hell to begin with all because they want their sins to be ok. It’s all to discredit the Church and it’s usefulness, like if no hell we don’t need confession and if we don’t need confession we don’t need priests and we don’t need the Church. See how it goes?

 

[dcana]

I’ve wondered about that, too. I think it’s probably because they wanted to kill Jesus, and had to be sure they got the right person. They didn’t want to go through all that trouble and end up arresting the wrong guy, especially since they were planning to have the Romans do it for them. They didn’t want to have to explain to Pilate that they made a mistake and arrested the wrong guy, then wanted him to crucify Jesus, too. They may also have been worried that the Apostles might try to fool them by claiming that one of them was Jesus, or that He would slip away in the crowd, as He’d done so many times in the past. They wanted to make sure He wouldn’t get away, again.

-]Hmm…I guess, maybe, but they knew Him. He denounced them to their faces./-]

I just did a bit of scriptural research to see exactly who it was who came out against Jesus that night. I had always thought that the Jewish authorities were themselves present (i.e. the oft-referred to “scribes, chief priests, and elders”). Matthew and Mark say that these authorities send out a (rather anonymous) armed crowd to find Jesus and bring Him back to them. John mentions “a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees.” Even though, as Jesus says, “[He] was with them day after day in the temple teaching,” these groups might not recognize Him as readily. Plus it was night. But Luke relates that, “the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders [came] out against him”. So I don’t know.

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him ** a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people…Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.**

• Mt 26:47,57

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him and lead him away under guard”…“Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled”…And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled.

• Mark 14:43-44,49,53

And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death; for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and engaged to give him money. So he agreed, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of the multitude…Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

• Luke 22:2-6, 52-53

Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons…So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

• John 18:2-3, 12-13

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

1. When there are prophesies in the Bible that do not take place or where human events change them, they are indicated by a telling of those events. In other words, God goes through the trouble of identifying and telling about the betrayal and the betrayer, but that He would not include the story of His Salvation does not make sense.
2. I used to work in a large Grocery Chain and was part of the “Loss Prevention team” Every single time we caught someone stealing they offered to pay/give it back. Every time, without fail. Not because they had repented, or experienced true remorse, but so we would not prosecute them. Justice dictates that this crime cannot be made punishable by mere restitution. This could be God’s point.
3. Suicide is not only a potential Mortal sin in and of itself, it is something that is common by those who are guilty to avoid consequences. That is why we have suicide watches in our legal system. Showing remorse is not at all indicated by the suicide of someone. Ask a victim of a horrid crime. We cannot express our reconciliation to God with the commission of another Grave matter. I am not sorry and repentant for my adultery if I kill my mistress.
4. The story of Judas is one that we are told not as an example of Hope to sinners but one of a cautionary tale. His example is most definitely what NOT to do. He is the Evil in a Story of Good and Evil. Jesus spent A LOT of time talking about hell and saying that indeed there WILL be people in it. And The Holy Spirit saw fit to also tell us about Judas without the “redemption part” Which is indeed telling. If It was a message of Hope for all Sinners, I would like to think that God would have been a good enough Author so as to include that little nugget that He spent so much time telling us about in the Gospels.
5. I have no problem justifying my own HOPE that Judas is in Hell. Because I do indeed HOPE that God’s Justice and Mercy are Holy and Righteous. My theology dictates this deep sense of Justice and Perfect Mercy. My theology dictates that there will be an accounting. But here is the real rub. If Judas is indeed in heaven when I get there there would be no worry that I would go to hell for wishing, with my reading of God’s own Word and my understanding of the economy of salvation that he be in hell. I would certainly not be damned for that! For if Judas is in heaven, then there really is no hell is there?

I hope Judas is in hell. And I think that is a perfectly Catholic view.

I also think that the Church does not spend time 1) Stating the obvious. And 2) Declaring people in Hell.

 

[dcana]

1)4) The story of Judas is one that we are told not as an example of Hope to sinners but one of a cautionary tale. His example is most definitely what NOT to do. He is the Evil in a Story of Good and Evil. Jesus spent A LOT of time talking about hell and saying that indeed there WILL be people in it. And The Holy Spirit saw fit to also tell us about Judas without the “redemption part” Which is indeed telling. If It was a message of Hope for all Sinners, I would like to think that God would have been a good enough Author so as to include that little nugget that He spent so much time telling us about in the Gospels.

Very good points that I have not seen explicitly made before.

1. I have no problem justifying my own HOPE that Judas is in Hell. Because I do indeed HOPE that God’s Justice and Mercy are Holy and Righteous. My theology dictates this deep sense of Justice and Perfect Mercy. My theology dictates that there will be an accounting. But here is the real rub. If Judas is indeed in heaven when I get there there would be no worry that I would go to hell for wishing, with my reading of God’s own Word and my understanding of the economy of salvation that he be in hell. I would certainly not be damned for that! For if Judas is in heaven, then there really is no hell is there?

I hope Judas is in hell. And I think that is a perfectly Catholic view.

One need not hope that God’s justice will be done; it most certainly will. I don’t think it’s right to hope that anyone is in hell, though we can “expect” or “surmise” that certain historical figures are there, objectively-speaking. But only God knows the heart. We (or at least I) hope than in some way, not recorded in the Scriptures, Judas repented for what he had done, maybe at that mysterious point between this world and the next. However, it seems very unlikely, ‘seems’ being the key word. We just can’t know for sure, with an infallible certitude. God knows for sure. But, as you said, “The story of Judas is one that we are told not as an example of Hope to sinners but one of a cautionary tale. His example is most definitely what NOT to do. He is the Evil in a Story of Good and Evil.”

I also think that the Church does not spend time 1) Stating the obvious. And 2) Declaring people in Hell.

The Church does not spend time declaring people to be in hell because she can’t know who is there.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The Church does not spend time declaring people to be in hell because she can’t know who is there.

Not exactly true. The Church does not spend time declaring people in Hell because God has not revealed this to Her. He reveals some that are in heaven. It is not that the Church CAN"T know, it is that it has not been revealed to Her.

 

[dcana]

Not exactly true. The Church does not spend time declaring people in Hell because God has not revealed this to Her. He reveals some that are in heaven. It is not that the Church CAN"T know, it is that it has not been revealed to Her.

I’d say the Church can’t know because God has not revealed this to Her, but maybe it’s just semantics. I mean, theoretically speaking, even I “could” know anything imaginable, within the bounds of my finite human mind of course, if God somehow revealed it to me. As He is (presumably) not going to do this (like, for instance, coming down from Heaven and telling me, “Oh, by the way, David, Judas ‘is’ actually in hell”), then there are many things I can’t know. Despite my curiosity, I am not meant to know many things. It is better that I not know them. I think that applies to the Church as well, regarding who is in hell.

 

[Della]

HoosierDaddy:

I hope Judas is in hell. And I think that is a perfectly Catholic view.

If you truly believe this, then we all ought to be in hell when we die, no? Haven’t we all betrayed Jesus in our lives? Peter certainly did, and yet, he’s in heaven. Why? Of course, because he repented. It is perfectly fine to hope that Judas truly repented, against all odds, because each of us must realize that “there but for the grace of God go I.” The same holds true for others who committed egregious sins against God and man.

It is not the Catholic view that we should wish anyone in hell except Satan and his demons. We are to pray for and hope for the salvation of all human beings without exception because we are all poor sinners who may be saved only through the salvation Christ gained for us. In your heart of hearts you know this. I think you are so disgusted by Judas that you wish him in hell–I’m no fan of his either, but you must also know that to hope he is in hell lacks compassion for sinners, especially for the one we see in the mirror.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

If you truly believe this, then we all ought to be in hell when we die, no? k:

If you truly believe this, then we all ought to be in hell when we die, no? Haven’t we all betrayed Jesus in our lives? Peter certainly did, and yet, he’s in heaven. Why? Of course, because he repented.

Yes, we know about the repentance of Peter because God chose to reveal it to us, it is used as a teaching tool of God’s mercy and a blueprint for how to show remorse and be forgiven. God chose to not tell us about any possible repentance of Judas, he is used as the example of what not to do all the way up until he Chose to Kill himself. There is no clue of redemption. None. Period.

It is perfectly fine to hope that Judas truly repented, against all odds,

Sure it might be perfectly fine, but it is in NO WAY taught by the Church, not is it even HINTED at anywhere in scripture. You might as well just say that Joseph Smith is a prophet. It would have the same backing, none.

because each of us must realize that “there but for the grace of God go I.” The same holds true for others who committed egregious sins against God and man

That idea is often misunderstood. I agree that "there but for the grace of God go I, but I am hopeful and confident in my own forgiveness and I feel quite ok putting myself up against the great betrayer even on my worst day. The difference of Course is my love for God expressed by my absolution in His Church. Judas never had that. And God took much care to tell us exactly what Judas thought several times.

It is not the Catholic view that we should wish anyone in hell except Satan and his demons.

This is just not true. It is the Catholic view to understand that Justice dictates that Evil cannot be in heaven, and that some people choose Evil. And that not everyone will be saved. And it is certainly Catholic to understand the scriptures and the story of Judas as one of evil and good. And siding with God’s Justice is never anti Catholic. So, yes, I hope that my understanding of Good and Evil is such that Justice is served. The redemption of some of the worst criminals against God is told in the Bible. Adam, Peter, Paul, And the Good thief. Funny how the man who betrayed our Lord and about whom much ink was spilled was never concluded with the hope you wish to have… To me, the hope for Judas is the position that denies key elements of Catholicism and the History of Salvation.

We are to pray for and hope for the salvation of all human beings without exception because we are all poor sinners who may be saved only through the salvation Christ gained for us.

Yes, this unites us with God who wishes the Salvation of every single person ever born. In my mind, Judas is already judged. And I hold that that judgement was Holy and Fair. And that He is in Hell. This does not put me at odds with the Church, with Christ, or with the quote above.

In your heart of hearts you know this.

In my heart of hearts I believe he is in hell, and I find comfort and happiness in knowing that if that is true, then my sense of God and Justice and Love and Mercy is correct. And that it is a good thing if he is in hell, it is good because God ordained it. And I hope for that!

I think you are so disgusted by Judas that you wish him in hell–I’m no fan of his either, but you must also know that to hope he is in hell lacks compassion for sinners, especially for the one we see in the mirror.

That is interesting that you think that. I wonder if that somehow makes sense in your mind, and I am sure for some, it could be true. But it is not the case. actually I am not that disgusted by Judas. He is a character in my salvation story and he lived 2000 years ago. He betrayed our Lord but Our Lord knew this, and not only allowed it but conquered it and used it to save you and I (but not Judas) More accurately, what disgusts me is not the character of Judas, but of those who refuse to see evil for what it is. I am more disgusted by the attitude that Judas would be in heaven given only what we know about him and the economy of Salvation. It does not offend me that he betrayed God as much as it would offend me that God would abandon Justice for false Mercy. To me that is offensive. So, going only by what we know about Judas from the Church and scripture. I indeed hope that he is in hell. I pray he is in Hell. And I do so because there is so much injustice in the world that if he is not, and his redemption is left out of the salvation story of our faith, then I would have serious doubts about what or who God really is. What is offensive is to suggest to the history of the world and even people suffering injustices today of rape, or poverty, or death, or war that the Church cannot say that anyone will be held accountable. That is a slap in the face to those who suffer like Christ. And that is weak theology and used only to make ourselves feel comfortable in our own failings and our own betrayals of Our Lord.
If we are to wish that the fallen angels are in Hell, like you said, then certainly, we should wish and hope for the fallen and unrepentant of us to be in Hell.

I feel justified and confident in saying, "God, judge me by the standard you Judge all your betrayers and even Judas Himself, because I know how to repent, be forgiven and turn back to Christ, using my life and my forgiveness to further the Kingdom. Judas never did that. There is just no indication of it at all.

 

[powerofk]

Okay - here’s the thing about Judas Iscariot. In Matthew’s account, Judas obviously regrets his action. But, unlike Peter, who denied even knowing Jesus, Judas didn’t believe that he could ever be forgiven. If he had believed, he could have returned to Jesus and wept before Him. Instead, he hung himself in despair, believing himself unworthy to go to Heaven. Matthew’s account gives some minimal hope of Judas being in Heaven, as he was repentant but felt that his sin was too great to be forgiven.

In Luke’s account (told in Acts), Judas had no qualms at all, and used the money to buy his own field (in Matthew’s account, the field is bought by the temple priests - to be used as a burial ground - after Judas throws the money back). Judas trips and falls and spills his guts over the ground. Now, here’s the thing here - though not stated in Luke’s gospel, during the Last Supper in John’s gospel, Judas calls Jesus “Rabbi”, while everyone else calls Jesus “Lord”. Though Matthew states that greed was the main reason why Judas betrayed Jesus, the main reason may simply be that Judas simply did not believe that Jesus was the messiah. As such, Judas may have sincerely believed that he was doing the right thing. Thirty pieces of silver was not considered a great sum - it was the amount given to a person whose slave was gored by an ox (btw, the betrayal and the price is the fulfillment of the Zechariah prophecy of the rejected shepherd - written about in chapter 11). Now if Judas truly did not believe that Jesus was the messiah, it would follow that he would have no qualms about betraying Jesus, as Judas would have believed that Jesus was blaspheming by claiming to be the messiah. In this case, Judas would have believed that he had done the right thing (his feigned ignorance of the betrayal at the Last Supper was so that the other apostles wouldn’t realize what he was planning). So, we don’t know about Judas.

 

[Della]

Yes, we know about the repentance of Peter because God chose to reveal it to us, it is used as a teaching tool of God’s mercy and a blueprint for how to show remorse and be forgiven. God chose to not tell us about any possible repentance of Judas, he is used as the example of what not to do all the way up until he Chose to Kill himself. There is no clue of redemption. None. Period.
Sure it might be perfectly fine, but it is in NO WAY taught by the Church, not is it even HINTED at anywhere in scripture. You might as well just say that Joseph Smith is a prophet. It would have the same backing, none.
That idea is often misunderstood. I agree that "there but for the grace of God go I, but I am hopeful and confident in my own forgiveness and I feel quite ok putting myself up against the great betrayer even on my worst day. The difference of Course is my love for God expressed by my absolution in His Church. Judas never had that. And God took much care to tell us exactly what Judas thought several times.

This is just not true. It is the Catholic view to understand that Justice dictates that Evil cannot be in heaven, and that some people choose Evil. And that not everyone will be saved. And it is certainly Catholic to understand the scriptures and the story of Judas as one of evil and good. And siding with God’s Justice is never anti Catholic. So, yes, I hope that my understanding of Good and Evil is such that Justice is served. The redemption of some of the worst criminals against God is told in the Bible. Adam, Peter, Paul, And the Good thief. Funny how the man who betrayed our Lord and about whom much ink was spilled was never concluded with the hope you wish to have… To me, the hope for Judas is the position that denies key elements of Catholicism and the History of Salvation.
Yes, this unites us with God who wishes the Salvation of every single person ever born. In my mind, Judas is already judged. And I hold that that judgement was Holy and Fair. And that He is in Hell. This does not put me at odds with the Church, with Christ, or with the quote above.

In my heart of hearts I believe he is in hell, and I find comfort and happiness in knowing that if that is true, then my sense of God and Justice and Love and Mercy is correct. And that it is a good thing if he is in hell, it is good because God ordained it. And I hope for that!

That is interesting that you think that. I wonder if that somehow makes sense in your mind, and I am sure for some, it could be true. But it is not the case. actually I am not that disgusted by Judas. He is a character in my salvation story and he lived 2000 years ago. He betrayed our Lord but Our Lord knew this, and not only allowed it but conquered it and used it to save you and I (but not Judas) More accurately, what disgusts me is not the character of Judas, but of those who refuse to see evil for what it is. I am more disgusted by the attitude that Judas would be in heaven given only what we know about him and the economy of Salvation. It does not offend me that he betrayed God as much as it would offend me that God would abandon Justice for false Mercy. To me that is offensive. So, going only by what we know about Judas from the Church and scripture. I indeed hope that he is in hell. I pray he is in Hell. And I do so because there is so much injustice in the world that if he is not, and his redemption is left out of the salvation story of our faith, then I would have serious doubts about what or who God really is. What is offensive is to suggest to the history of the world and even people suffering injustices today of rape, or poverty, or death, or war that the Church cannot say that anyone will be held accountable. That is a slap in the face to those who suffer like Christ. And that is weak theology and used only to make ourselves feel comfortable in our own failings and our own betrayals of Our Lord.
If we are to wish that the fallen angels are in Hell, like you said, then certainly, we should wish and hope for the fallen and unrepentant of us to be in Hell.

I feel justified and confident in saying, "God, judge me by the standard you Judge all your betrayers and even Judas Himself, because I know how to repent, be forgiven and turn back to Christ, using my life and my forgiveness to further the Kingdom. Judas never did that. There is just no indication of it at all.

I’m afraid you have quite the wrong idea about God’s justice if you think Judas HAD to go to hell. Not at all. The pitiable thing is that Judas could have been saved but refused.

How was his sin any worse than that of Peter’s? Jesus predicted that Peter would betray him, as well remember. That’s betrayed him–just like Judas did. Peter denied that he even knew Jesus, this after being appointed the head of the Apostles by Jesus himself, after he’d been favored with a closer relationship with the Lord than the other except for James and John. Peter had more reason to be called out as a betrayer than Judas who was merely a “second stringer.”

Besides this, you are quite wrong that God’s justice demanded Judas go to hell. Only because he didn’t repent–like any other miserable sinner who doesn’t repent deserves hell. That’s why, not because God’s justice needs any kind of balancing. God isn’t a juggler. He wants to be merciful, longs to be merciful, bends over backwards to be merciful. But, Judas, like Peter, and the rest of us, exercised his free will and chose to remain unrepentant. It may be that he simply couldn’t give up his sins–he was a thief according to the Gospels. But another theif repented and Jesus told him he’d be with him in paradise. No, Judas was no worse than any other sinner with mortal sin on his soul–the only difference is that he refused God’s merciful love. It’s that simple.