"Say what?"
"Love Judas? We hate Judas!"
"He betrayed our Lord! Why would we love Judas?"
Perhaps Jesus understood this better than we do.
As indicated in this scripture.
John 13:26-28 NIV
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give
this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”
Then, dipping the piece of bread,
he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “
What you are about to do, do quickly.”
28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
Did Jesus love Judas?
If Jesus loved Judas, shouldn't we?
"To love a betrayer, a person who seeks your actual harm and
who slanders you, is a part of our faith (Luke 6:22; 1 Peter 4:4). It literally is
the story of Jesus Christ. Also a part of our faith is the separation between Holy and unholy,
as was stated previously, between friend and foes, which will lead to separation
even amongst family (Luke 12:53). Loving a person who seeks to harm us lays hot coals
on the heads of the betrayer (Romans 12:20), but it also is most Christ like
when done so. Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8) and it creates a pathway
for redemption (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) as we see people as more than just
flesh and blood, we see them as souls to be redeemed."
Source
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@TonyChanYT
In support of what you're saying about Judas, and those like him, I'm sharing what Jesus dictated to Maria Valtorta on May 16th, 1947:
"And who is the apostle I loved most? It is Judas Iscariot. Do not stare in disbelief or give a start. It's true. I loved Judas Iscariot more than anyone else. And now I'll explain to you and you'll understand.
John was the beloved one. Everyone knows. And everyone knows the truth. He was good, pure, and faithful. It is obvious that he attracted the love of God and the love of the Man that is, the love of Jesus the God-Man.
But tell me: is it more wearisome to perform an action demanding continuous effort which we know beforehand will be futile or to perform another which, instead of effort, involves joy and repose in carrying it out? The former, isn't it? And who will have more merit? The one carrying out the former or the latter? In the former case, where the sole purpose is to do one's full duty with no hope of receiving compensation, or in the latter, where minute by minute we are amply repaid for what we are doing? Whoever carries out the former act will have more merit.
And, to continue, do you know what kind of love people have who, out of the heroism of love alone and duty towards God and their brothers and sisters, go on showing interest and concern in bringing their wicked brothers and sisters benefit and trying to make them good and glorify the Lord? They have perfect love. The love which carries out everything and forgives everything, overcoming all, moved by the perfect end of doing the work which is pleasing to God. Do they not succeed? Is it clear that they do not succeed? Is it clear that God knows they do not succeed? It doesn't matter. They act, all the same. It is the heroism of duty done to perfection. And it also shows perfection in sentiment. For if people did not love in God those who they know are delinquents, traitors, and incorrigible in their perverse sentiments, they could not love such delinquents. But they love them with the sublime love which swelled my Heart on the Cross when I was not praying for the just, but calling for the Father's forgiveness of those who were my killers.
This is the love I want in you for all those who hate you.... If only you knew how this love we give to those who are our unbending enemies—the unconvertible—works miracles! Directly, in terms of themselves, as was the love of Stephen for Saul, a love which obtained for the latter an encounter with Me on the road to Damascus, or indirectly.
Love is not lost. Not even an infinitesimal part of love, of this coin, of this yeast, of this balm which is love, remains with out fruit. Gathered in by the angels, noted by God, it rises into the treasury of Heaven and there serves—oh, mysterious operations by God!—to acquire, bring growth to, and treat souls slaves of Satan, immobile souls in their newly-fashioned justice, wounded and sick souls. The love given for the conversion of our crucifiers and remaining without fruit for them on account of their perverse will, goes on to fecundate other souls for grace who are unknown on earth, but will be known in Heaven.
Listen further, getting back to Judas. I said, "Whoever loves much will be forgiven much." It is true, and it is just. The more people love, the more they deserve forgiveness by those offended. But, in addition, those who forgive more show they love much. And those who forgive all at all times—at all times everything, until the hour of judgment comes—love, not much, but totally. That is the way I loved Judas Iscariot. Totally. I also loved the others that way, especially John. But it was a matter of justice to love them like that. They were good, even in their defects, and they love Me with all their strength. Were they small, imperfect? Were they so until the end, until the Holy Spirit renewed them? It doesn't matter. It was all their strength. But Judas! But Judas! To love Judas! To love Judas completely, when I was aware of every wrinkle in his tenebrous heart! To love him because we are told, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself"!
You see, soul of mine, many repeat this command, from pulpits, teaching chairs, altars, and confessionals ... and believe they are fully familiar with it, for they say, 'The second commandment is to love one's neighbor as oneself." But few-few spiritual teachers in relation to the many spiritually ignorant bring people to consider something essential to the commandment of love. And it is this. The statement 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself is made without specifying whether the neighbor is good, evil, submissive or unruly, loving or hateful. No, "You shall love your neighbor' is affirmed. Entirely. Good or evil. With joyful or painful love. But always your neighbor
as a whole.
This love for the entirety of one's neighbor demands a spirit of highly perfected mercy, meekness, and humility. For it is hard—hard, indeed—to be able to love certain neighbors! One must be very, very well grounded in charity to be able to do so. But here, too, you do not lack a model. Here is your model: I am, Jesus! Imitate Me, and you will be perfect as I want you to be for your eternal joy.
The horrendous, shadowy figure of Judas that I have so amply displayed in the Work is not without a purpose. I certainly did not take pleasure in describing that tangle of hellish snakes! But I revealed it to you because, in doing so, I also revealed the way spiritual teachers and all Christians as well must act to wards the many Judases peopling the earth, whom none can fail to encounter during their mortal day.
To spiritual teachers and all others I say, 'Imitate Me in this perfect love, and you will possess a love like that of Jesus, your Teacher.” (
The Notebooks: 1945-1950, pp. 394-397)
