Pharisees and Sadducees, with whom he had established an
intercourse, had constantly urged him on to treason by flattering him.
He was sick of the fatiguing, wandering, and persecuted life which the
Apostles led. For several months past he had continually stolen from
the alms which were consigned to his care, and his avarice, grudging
the expenses incurred by Magdalen when she poured the precious ointment
on the feet of our Lord, incited him to the commission of the greatest
of crimes. He had always hoped that Jesus would establish a temporal
kingdom, and bestow upon him some brilliant and lucrative post in it,
but finding himself disappointed, he turned his thoughts to amassing a
fortune. He saw that sufferings and persecutions were on the increase
for our Lord and his followers, and he sought to make friends with the
powerful enemies of our Saviour before the time of danger, for the saw
that Jesus did not become a king, whereas the actual dignity and power
of the High Priest, and of all who were attached to his service, made a
very strong impression upon his mind.

He began to enter by degrees into a close connection with their
agents, who were constantly flattering him, and assuring him in strong
terms that, in any case, an end would speedily be put to the career of
our Divine Lord. He listened more and more eagerly to the criminal
suggestions of his corrupt heart, and he had done nothing during the
last few days but go backwards and forwards in order to induce the
chief priests to come to some agreement. But they were unwilling to act
at once, and treated him with contempt. They said that sufficient time
would not intervene before the festival day, and that there would be a
tumult among the people. The Sanhedrin alone listened to his proposals
with some degree of attention. After Judas had sacrilegiously received
the Blessed Sacrament, Satan took entire possession of him, and he went
off at once to complete his crime. He in the first place sought those
persons who had hitherto flattered and entered into agreements with
him, and who still received him with pretended friendship. Some others
joined the party, and among the number Annas and Caiphas, but the
latter treated him with considerable pride and scorn. All these enemies
of Christ were extremely undecided and far from feeling any confidence
of success, because they mistrusted Judas.

I saw the empire of Hell divided against itself; Satan desired the
crime of the