God Enters Into Our Darkness

Bishop Robert Barron reflects on the Gospel reading from Matthew on Palm Sunday, focusing on Judas's remorse after betraying Jesus. He explores the theological question of Judas's salvation, contrasting the traditional view of Judas in hell with an alternative perspective symbolized by a carving in the Basilica of Vézelay, which depicts Jesus saving Judas. Barron emphasizes that the Church has never definitively stated Judas is in hell and highlights the radicality of God's mercy, suggesting that even those who have wandered furthest away may still find hope. He supports this idea with references to Pope John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s stance on suicide, illustrating God's relentless pursuit of sinners with a story of a suicidal man saved by a vision of the Sacred Heart.