Come to the Cross - Weekday Homily Video

As we come closer to the heart of Holy Week, the tone shifts. It gets heavier. We feel the weight of what’s coming. The Gospel of Matthew brings us face to face with something uncomfortable: betrayal. And not just any betrayal—Judas, one of the Twelve. Someone who walked with Jesus, ate with Him, listened to Him preach, saw Him heal, witnessed His love … and still chose to walk away.

It’s a story we know well. But I want to share another story with you today. It’s about a boy named Aaron Lustiger—and how his moment of mockery turned into a moment of grace.

It was summer in France, 1939. School was out, the sun was high, and a bunch of boys were running around town looking for something to do. As boys often do, they dared each other into some mischief. The dare? One of them had to go into the Catholic church and make a fake confession—just go in, make up a bunch of ridiculous sins, and see what the priest would do.

Now, most of the boys were Catholic and were too afraid to do it. But one of them, a Jewish boy named Aaron Lustiger, said, “I’m not afraid of some priest. I’ll do it.” So he marched into the church, into the confessional, and told the priest a wild list of sins. But the priest wasn’t born yesterday. He knew it was all made up.

So, instead of getting mad, the priest gave Aaron a very strange penance. He said, “I want you to go up to the big crucifix in the church, and say three times: 'Jesus, you died for me … and I don’t care a bit.'”

Easy, right?

Aaron walked up to the cross, looked at the figure of Jesus hanging there, and said boldly: “Jesus, you died for me … and I don’t care a bit!”

He smirked. He said it again, this time a little quieter: “Jesus, you died for me … and I don’t give a damn.”

The Merciful Love of Christ

But then, something happened. He looked up at the cross again. And the third time, he couldn't get the words out. His voice caught. His heart cracked. He saw not just a statue, but a man … broken, bleeding, pierced … and somehow, loving.

And Aaron wept. Right there in that church, he was overwhelmed by the love of a man he didn’t even believe in. But he knew—it was real.

A year later, Aaron asked to be baptized. He took the name Jean-Marie Lustiger. He became a priest. And years later, he became Cardinal Archbishop of Paris. A Jew who became one of the most prominent Catholic leaders in France—all because he looked at the cross and didn’t walk away.

Choosing to Walk Away

Now think of Judas. He walked with Jesus, just like the other disciples. He had every chance to know the truth, to turn back, to change his mind. But when he realized what he’d done—he didn’t come to the cross. He walked away. And that’s the difference.

You see, friends, we all have a little Judas in us. We’ve all had moments where we’ve said, in one way or another: “Jesus, I know you died for me … but I don’t care right now.” Maybe not with words, but with our actions. Our decisions. Our silence.

But the good news is: it’s not too late to turn back. If there’s a Judas in you—recognize it. Don’t let it define you.

Jesus Waits for Us

That priest gave young Aaron a gift: he sent him to the cross. And when Aaron went, even in defiance, Jesus met him there. That same crucified Jesus is waiting for us, too.

He’s not looking to condemn you. He’s not interested in punishing you. He’s not giving up on you. He’s waiting. Waiting for you to look at him and realize: “This love is for me.”

So as we move into these sacred days, let’s be honest with ourselves. If we’ve betrayed Jesus—if we’ve put other things before Him, if we’ve stayed silent when we should’ve spoken up, if we’ve walked away—come back. Come to the cross. Look at His face. And let your heart be changed, like Aaron’s was.

Don’t let Judas have the final word in your story. Let Jesus have it.

• Today’s Readings

• Father Pinto's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page. 

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