Back in 2012, Pope Benedict XVI said that a lack of sincerity in life is “the mark of the devil” as witnessed in the decision of Judas Iscariot to continue following Jesus Christ even after he had ceased to believe in him.
Pope Benedict stressed that, “The problem is that Judas did not go away, and his most serious fault was falsehood, which is the mark of the devil. This is why Jesus said to the Twelve: ‘One of you is a devil’..." See here.
So why does Francis have sympathy for the one Jesus refers to as a devil? Because he is betraying the Church himself.
Father Vincent Miceli, S.J., explains the vice of treason:
"The vice that destroys the justice and order of any society is called treason. Treason is a special, unnatural hatred of God as the author of one's being; it is also hatred of one family which gives birth and nourishment to the person; it is hatred of one's fatherland which endows it's subjects with citizenship in a social milieu that guarantees human dignity, liberty and peace. Treason is the ultimate ingratitude. Judas hated Jesus, his benevolent savior and sold him into the hands of his enemies. The betrayal of Judas created chaos in the community of the twelve...There is a satanic, despicable dimension in the character of every traitor."
Isn't this why Francis is anxious to pardon Judas and make excuses for him? Because he himself is a traitor?
Related reading here.
