Holy Wednesday

• Holy Wednesday (mp3 format)
While The Sinful Woman Brought Oil Of Myrrh The Disciple Came To An Agreement With The Transgressors
Comparing And Personalizing Judas And The Woman Of Bethany
Holy-Wednesday-Matins
2011-04-19
SYNOPSIS:Six minutes after Holy Wednesday Matins about the comparison between Judas and the woman from Bethany who anointed the Lord. It is important to personalize the actions of these two people, and the service texts give a good example of how to acquire this critical spiritual skill:

While the sinful woman brought oil of myrrh, /
the disciple came to an agreement with the transgressors. /
She rejoiced to pour out what was very precious, /
he made haste to sell the One who is above all price. /
She acknowledged Christ as Lord, /
he severed himself from the Master. /
She was set free, but Judas became the slave of the enemy. /
Grievous was his lack of love! /
Great was her repentance! /
Grant such repentance also unto me, //
O Savior who hast suffered for our sake, and save us.
(Praises, Holy Wednesday Matins, Tone 1)

The harlot drew near Thee, O Thou who lovest mankind, /
and poured out on Thy feet the oil of myrrh with her tears; /
and at Thy command she was delivered from the foul smell of her evil deeds. /
But the ungrateful disciple, though he breathed Thy grace, /
rejected it and defiled himself in filth, /
selling Thee from love of money. //
Glory be to Thy compassion, O Christ.
(Sessional Hymn after the 3rd Kathisma, Holy Wednesday Matins, Tone 3, Troparion melody)

• Holy Wednesday (mp3 format)
I Have Transgressed More Than The Harlot O Loving Lord
Cultivating The Proper Attitude To Have Regarding Our Sins And Weak Repentance
Holy-Wednesday-Matins
2011-04-20
SYNOPSIS:Homily after Holy Wednesday Presanctified Liturgy discussion how the services give us a primer in how to regard our sins and weak repentance. The comparison of Judas and the woman of Bethany is very useful to teach us, and especially the Kontakion at matins which teaches us the essence of Christian honesty, repentance and hope:

I have transgressed more than the harlot, O loving Lord, /
yet never have I offered Thee my flowing tears. /
But in silence I fall down before Thee /
and with love I kiss Thy most pure feet, /
beseeching Thee as Master to grant me remission of sins; /
and I cry to Thee, O Savior: //
Deliver me from the filth of my works.
(Kontakion, Tone 4, Holy Wednesday Matins)

• Holy Wednesday (mp3 format)
Great Wednesday Matins
For They Loved The Praise Of Men More Than The Praise Of God
John 12-17-50
2014-04-15
SYNOPSIS:The Gospel for Holy Wednesday Matins is about the plotting of the leaders to kill Jesus, and His prediction of His immanent crucifixion and His talking about Himself and what true belief in Him entails. The Leaders and people did not understand, and many who did were afraid to speak out. Their cowardice and self-interest is a terrible lesson for us. A coward and selfish man cannot be saved.
• Holy Wednesday (mp3 format)
Great Wednesday Presanctified
Judas And The Woman Who Annointed Jesus Compared Gratitude Vs Self Interest
Matthew 26-6-16
2016-04-14
SYNOPSIS:The services on Holy Wednesday focus on the contrast between Judas and the woman who anointed Jesus - as she was doing her act of love and gratitude that our Lord said would be remembered forever as a memorial to her, Judas was plotting against the Lord. The startling words of the Gospel should penetrate our soul like a sudden, loud noise: "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" Observe the power of gratitude to save and of self-interest to annihilate the soul! Those who are sinners and cannot stop sinning, you will only get better if you allow God to energize you through the conduit of your gratitude and love!