Holy Wednesday

An Eastern Catholic friend passed this excerpt from a hymn along to me that was sung yesterday. It presents a nice juxtaposition between Judas and Mary of Bethany in their reactions to Jesus:

As the sinful woman was bringing her offering of myrrh, the disciple [Judas] was scheming with lawless men. She rejoiced in pouring out her precious gift; he lost no time in selling off the Precious One. She recognized the Master; from the same Master he separated himself. She was set free, but Judas was enslaved to the enemy. How dreadful was his rashness! How great was her repentance! Savior, You suffered for our sakes: grant us also repentance, and save us!

O, the wretchedness of Judas! He watched as the harlot was kissing your feet, all the while with guile thinking about the kiss of betrayal! As she untied her tresses, he was being tied up in anger, bringing rancid wickedness instead of fragrant ointment, for envy knows not how to prefer its advantage. O, the wickedness of Judas! From this deliver our souls, O God! The harlot spread out her hair to You, O Master. Judas spread out his hand to lawless men--she in order to receive forgiveness, he in order to receive some silver. And so we cry out to You, for You were sold for us and yet set us free. O Lord, glory to You!

Though I have transgressed more than the harlot, Good One, I have not offered You a flood of tears, but praying in silence I fall down before You. With love, I embrace Your most pure feet. As Master, grant me remission of sins, when I cry to You, O Savior: Deliver me from the filth of my evil deeds!

Lord, O Lord, when the woman who had fallen into many sins perceived Your Divinity, she assumed the role of a myrrh-bearing woman, and lamenting, brought ointments to anoint You before Your burial. 'Woe is me,' she cried, 'for I live in the night of licentiousness, shrouded in the dark and moonless love affair with sin. Accept the fountain of my tears, as You gathered the waters of the sea into clouds. Bow down Your ear to the sighing of my heart, as You bowed the heavens in Your ineffable condescension. I shall cover Your unstained feet with kisses, and wipe them dry again with the locks of my hair, those feet whose steps' sound echoed in Eve's ears at twilight in Paradise, whereupon she hid herself in fear! Who can measure the multitude of my sins, or the depths of Your judgments, O Savior of my soul? Do not despise Your servant in your immeasurable mercy!

The harlot mingled her costly ointment with her tears, and she poured it out on your immaculate feet and kissed them profusely. Immediately You justified her. You suffered for our sakes; forgive us also, and save us!