Judas Relents
At the start of the year, Pope Francis on clericalism. Celebrating Mass in Santa Marta… He cited the return of the sorrowful Judas to the Sanhedrin – and the coldness with which they received him… No good shepherds, they… Their attitude the very antithesis of the Lord’s ever forgiving… Their preoccupation with minutiae, the precepts of the law, in sharp contrast to their indifference towards the Iscariot…
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
THE HIGH PRIEST AND SOME CLOSEST TO HIM IN CONFERENCE:
CAIPHAS
Oh, what kind of man do we hold in chains!
What manner of Messiah is this?!..
Look you:
this, this pretender consorts with whores,
publicans, sinners.
One of his so-called Twelve is a tax collector,
in the pay of Rome.
Another sells him out for thirty pieces of silver –
the price of a slave.
And but now the eldest among them –
the fisherman who speaks for the others –
denies allegiance to him three times
when confronted by a mere maid servant!..
Dare anyone tell me this Jesus is the Messiah!?..
MURMURING… RHUBARB.
ENTER JUDAS, HOLDING A PURSE. THEIR OUTCRY:
AZOR
Iscariot! I do not believe – !
AMON
Judas? Here? But how? –
SADOC
The Betrayer! –
JORAM
How did he get past the Guard? –
AZOR
Someone will pay for this –
SADOC
Dearly –
CAIPHAS
Silence!..
HUBBUB DIES DOWN…
Come forward…
JUDAS MOVES TOWARDS THEM… STOPS.
Yes?.. (PAUSE) What is it?
JUDAS
I, I come to return your bribe…
AZOR
What?
SADOC
What are you – ?!..
JUDAS
I, I have sinned in betraying the blood of an innocent man…
AMON
Innocent? Huh! –
AZOR
Innocent, indeed!…
CAIAPHAS
What is that to us? It concerns you only…
JUDAS
You will take back the money you paid me.
CAIAPHAS
No, we will not!
JUDAS
But you must…
CAIAPHAS
To what purpose? ‘Alleviate your conscience?..
JUDAS
Please, I –
CAIAPHAS
No…
JUDAS
I, I beg you –
CAIAPHAS
No!..
SILENCE… PAUSE
JUDAS
Then, then I will return it from whence it came – to the Temple!
SADOC
The Temple?
JUDAS
Is it not from your coffers?
Donations of the poor,
offerings of worshippers,
the pence of the common people?..
You will find your silver on the floor of the Inner Sanctum!..
And may you all be damned – as I am!..
JUDAS HURRIES AWAY… PAUSE.
SADOC
Well… What to make of that?
AZOR
Did you note his eyes? The devil is surely in him.
AMON
Evil spirits. He is possessed.
JORAM
Why such remorse?..
CAIPHAS
No matter, that… Azor?
AZOR
Yes?
CAIAPHAS
Have a servant follow him. One you can truly trust. If Iscariot does as he so threatens, bid him gather up the coins –
AZOR
And return them to the coffers?
CAIPHAS
No. Such monies must not be put in the Treasury.
JORAM
‘Against the Law. It is the price of blood.
AMON
It would be a desecration.
SADOC
Well, then..?
CAIAPHAS
Let him come back here. We’ll think of something…
AZOR NODS/SALUTES… EXITS. PAUSE.
AMON
What to do? How go about disposing of blood money?..
SADOC
Is there a precedent by which we may be guided?..
JORAM
Eh-hh… We have long been in need of a burial place for strangers.
CAIPHAS
That’s it! The very thing!
ASSENT, APPROVAL.
AMON
The potter’s field is there for the asking!
SADOC
‘Could be ours for thirty pieces of silver!
CAIPHAS
Ah, ha! Why not? And no one need ever know!
JORAM
‘This way, there is no sacrilege!
AMON
Much less blasphemy!..
CAIPHAS
Well, then… Sadoc, you hold the purse strings. See to it… And put my seal on the bill of sale.
SADOC :
The seal of the High Priest. Amen to that…
MURMURING… ASSENT, APPROVAL.
DARKEN SET.
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