“And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve. And he went, and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised. And he sought opportunity to betray him in the absence of the multitude.” (Luke 22)
(Duccio di Buoninsegna)
“The opportunity which Judas sought is further explained by Luke, how he might betray him in the absence of the multitude; when the populace was not with Him but He was withdrawn with His disciples. And this he did, delivering Him up after supper, when He was withdrawn to the garden of Gethsemane. And from that time forward, such has been the season sought for by those that would betray the word of God in time of persecution, when the multitude of believers is not around the word of truth.” (Origen)
(Simon Bening)
“Now many shudder at the wickedness of Judas, yet do not guard against it. For whosoever despises the laws of truth and love, betrays Christ who is truth and love. Above all, when he sins not from infirmity or ignorance but after the likeness of Judas seeks opportunity, when no one is present, to change truth for a lie, virtue for crime.” (Bede)
Today, Spy Wednesday, and tomorrow, Many Thursday give us the Church a lot to consider: Judas's betrayal of our Lord and his subsequent punishment, the Last Supper, the Institution of the Priesthood and Eucharist, the Washing of the Feet, the Agony in the Garden, Christ's interrogation by the Sanhedrin, and Peter's denial. Heaven and Hell seem to fight in darkness over these next two nights. Therefor I think some lighter fare is appropriate today!
I have decided to post, for your benefit, some of the worst hymnody in Christendom, music played at my university chaplaincy on Mandy Thursday last year. The previous year I had been treated to Nos Autem, Pange Lingua, Ubi Caritas, and other memorable antiphons and motets in Oxford. Last year there was no such benefit. Only the most insipid, banal, and trite music, below the quality of a toothpaste commercial jingle, would suffice for Mandy Thursday, especially for the mandatum.
First, the notorious Gather Us In
Then came a modern rendition of the Gloria, though a piano and some sort of flute replaced the trumpets and the singing lacked the studio recording's subtlety (you read that right, modern Church music has a "studio version" and a live version!)
Then came the mandatum, when we were compelled to listen to such communitarian drivel as the Servant Song and the Taize version of Ubi Caritas, which, aside from a few words, has nothing to do with the Gregorian chant from the old rite
The offertory saw such hits as I Am the Bread of Life and One Bread, One Body
Communion was followed by the always moving Pan de Vida, which at least did not have the percussion section as this rockin' "live" rendition does
Mercifully, Pange Lingua was sung during the Blessed Sacrament procession. Phew!
