Did Jesus forgive Judas for Betraying him?
—Jilam, Sweden
Dear Friend,
A disciple who was reprimanded by Paramhansa Yogananda once asked, “Will you forgive me, Sir?” The Master replied, “What else can I do?” In that loving spirit, certainly Jesus forgave Judas and included him in his statement on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
A Master is ever kind and eager to help a disciple if the devotee is willing to receive his forgiveness. Part of the disciple’s willingness is demonstrated by correcting the error in his own behavior or thoughts that invited his guru’s displeasure.
In this regard, Yoganandaji told his disciples, when a similar question was posed to him, that Judas expiated his karma in the early 20th century while living in India as a disciple of Ramakrishna, to whom he had been sent for this task, and that he (Yogananda) had met him.
A true Guru is a perfect instrument of God and wants nothing less than soul freedom for his disciples. He is ever loving. Judas had to have been a very high soul from past lives to have been one of Jesus’s trusted and close disciples. He opened his consciousness to evil and made a grievous error for which he no doubt suffered greatly, but such suffering was not wished upon him by Jesus. It was the karmic law.
Jesus was ever his guru and as such, continued to help him to his final liberation.
