We all know that Judas was the apostle who betrayed Jesus and identified Him to be arrested and ultimately crucified. All four Gospels say that, and historically there is no real argument that Judas was not the betrayer. What we don't know, and really can't know, is why Judas did what he did. What causes someone who has been with Jesus for years, and seen all of Jesus' miracles, and gone out and performed miracles himself, to decide to turn his teacher and leader over to those who planned to kill him? I say we can't know the answer to this question because the Gospels don't give us enough data to come up with a conclusion. Two of the Gospels (Luke and John) talk about the devil entering Judas, but that just moves the question back a step-- why Judas? Why was he susceptible to the devil? In Mark's Gospel Judas is offered money to betray Jesus, but it isn't clear that money was the driver. We read today that Judas kep the money for the followers of Christ, and helped himself to some of it, so he wasn't honest. But why would that cause him to betray Jesus? Wouldn't he want to keep the money train rolling? But we do have one data point from today's Gospel (Jn 12: 1- 11) that might give us a clue to Judas' motivation. When Mary annoints the feet of Jesus with costly oil, Judas' reaction isn't to praise her generosity. It is to criticize her for not selling the oil and giving the money to the poor, an action which would have given Judas a chance to take a portion of the funds himself. So one interpretation of the events is to say that Judas was fundamentally in the business of being Jesus' disciple for his own gain. It was a way to be the keeper of the funds, dip into the common pot from time to time, and do well. Of course, to maintain the facade Judas had to say and do the right things, but it was just a facade-- a means to an end, and the end was not union with God, but earthly success. So, the argument would go, when Judas realized that the Jewish leaders were going to kill Jesus, he knew his gig was up, and he switched sides. Perhaps. Or perhaps Judas's problem was deeper. Let's take him at face value. Let's say he really was interested in giving money to ther poor, and was really offended that the oil was "wasted" on Jesus and not sold and the money given to the poor. That's what he says, after all. But if that's the case, Judas has fallen into the situation of getting the order of the two Great Commandments wrong. He has put loving neighbor brefore loving God. Important, foundational, crucial as loving our neighbor is, if that love doesn't grow from and isn't animated by a love of God, then it easily becomes a human undertaking and can get subverted. Loving God has to come first. That seems to be the point of Jesus' comment that we will always have the poor with us, and can always love them, but that, in the short time left while Jesus is on earth, loving Him needs to come first. If we have the order reversed, then it is easy to fall into the trap that the Jewish leaders fell into and decide that sacrificing one person-- even if it is the Son of God-- is worth doing if the result is to save the lives of the entire nation. If we credit Judas's assertions about the need to care for the poor, maybe Judas fell into that same trap. Maybe Judas concluded that it would be best for the poor if Jesus died, since that would prevent a series of Roman actions that would hit hardest at the poorest in the society. Of course, we don't know. But maybe the story of Judas might remind us of the importance of keeping things in perspective in the spiritual life. Love and care for those around us in need-- for sure, and vigorously. But love God first.