SPY WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK (known as Holy and Great Wednesday in the East)
am: Ps 55
pm: 74
Lam 2:1-9
2 Cor 1:23-2:11
John 12:1-8
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY:This day in Holy Week recalls the agreement that Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, made with the Jewish leaders who were members of the ruling order called the Sanhedrin. He promised to identify Jesus so that he could be arrested in return for 30 pieces of silver. The sign would be a kiss. This is recorded in Luke 22:1-6. When Jesus reveals Judas as the one who would betray Him, the fate of Jesus was at hand. Jesus orders Judas to be quick about what he intends to do. Then Judas goes out into the loneliness of the night, aware that Jesus knows of his infidelity. The name, “Spy Wednesday” seems to have its origin in the Celtic Church and reflects the untrustworthiness of this poor soul.
On the afternoon or evening of Great and Holy Wednesday, the Sacrament or Mystery of Holy Unction is conducted in Orthodox parishes. The Sacrament of Holy Unction is offered for the healing of soul and body and for forgiveness of sins. At the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Sacrament, the body is anointed with oil, and the grace of God, which heals infirmities of soul and body, is called down upon each person. The Sacrament is performed by a gathering of priests, ideally seven in number; however, it can be performed by a lesser number and even by a single priest.
MEDITATION OF THE DAY: It is curious that the critic of one of the sisters of Bethany is none other than Judas Iscariot. Despite this faux care for the poor, St. John’s Gospel makes clear that Judas is about to sell Jesus out for a fraction of the amount of the oil in question. Judas, he explains, “said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.”
What kind of person did Jesus call to be his disciple? A sinner of course! The same type he calls today in us. However, we often think of Judas as being the worse of the worst and as such unforgivable. Perhaps on this day when the church calls the faithful to communal penance services and in cases of the serious sin, the rites of reconciliation, we are not clear about what forgiveness is not. It is not condoning an inappropriate action or atrocious crime committed by ourselves or another. Rather, it acknowledges misdeeds and injustice, but overrides vengeance and retribution with grace and mercy, so much so that we want what is for the good and welfare of the malefactor. If God in the person of Jesus could endure the choice of evil, (because he is waiting for Judas and for us to turn to the Goodness of Grace); can we in our own journey do anything other than be patient and endure the lesser choices of others? This is a disposition to allow others the gift of Grace that God has given to us.
In recent times there has been a movement to “rescue” Judas identity often suggesting his acts were motivated because he was disappointed after the Triumphal Entry that Jesus had not “taken the kingdom,” he became disaffected. Some have even suggested that he believed very strongly in Jesus’ divine credentials and thought that he was “forcing his hand” by setting up his arrest, since surely Jesus would at last unveil his full power to resist his capture. Early Gnostic sources in the so-called Gospel of Judas, suggest that Judas had actually been directed by Jesus to betray him in order to “free” his spiritual, divine Self from his mortal body. None of the gospel texts, however, explicitly make any of these suggestions. The only motivations given are either concerns about and desire for money or the fact that the power of Satan had come upon him.
PRAYER OF THE DAY:Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “Even the heretics appear to have Christ, for none of them denies the name of Christ. Yet, anyone who does not confess all that pertains to Christ does in fact deny Christ”. — St. Ambrose of Milan
Holy Week Discipline– Today is the day we remember Judas betraying the Lord. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for all your sins by participating in a communal penance service being held in your community and consider the possibility. If that is not likely or possible, make a list of people you have sinned against and take the step to be reconciled to them as set forth in Scripture and the liturgical norms.