Bridegroom Services -- Comparison Hymns

Date: 15 April 2009 02:22:09

Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is he whom He shall find watching; but unworthy is he whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, not to be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death, and be shut out from the Kingdom. But rouse yourself crying: "Holy, Holy, Holy are You Our God, through the prayers of Theotokos have mercy on us." Bridegroom Services Troparion The Bridegroom Services are at an end for another year; Pascha, the Feast of Feasts!, draws near. Tonight we will have the Sacrament of Holy Unction, as a reminder of the need for both healing of body and soul. I am sad to say 'Farewell' to the Bridegroom Services for another year; they are some of my favourite services due to the hymnography. They are long, and tiring even [Orthodox services, not generally known for their brevity, become longer during Great Lent and Holy Week]; but they are blessed services to attend. Some of my favourite hymns occur during these services; I particularly like the way events and persons are contrasted in much hymography: here is a selection from the Bridegroom Services. The impious Judas, with avarice in mind, plots against the Teacher, deliberating and meditating the betrayal; he falls from the light and receives the darkness; he agrees to the terms, and sells the priceless one ... I have come to minister to the impoverished Adam, whose form I fashioned, and now willingly have assumed the same ... While the sinful woman was offering the myrrh, the disciple was making terms with the lawless; she rejoiced in emptying out that which was precious; he hastened to sell Him, Who was above all price. She acknowledged the Master; he severed himself from the Master. She was set free; and Judas became a slave to the enemy. Monstrous was his callousness! Great was her repentance! ... O misery of Judas! He saw the harlot kissing the feet, and with guile he meditated the kiss of betrayal. She unloosed her tresses, and he bound himself with fury, bringing instead of myrrh, his foul wickedness ... The sweeping fire fed with endless fuel, withdrew in fear before the spotless souls and bodies of the Holy Children; and as the ceaseless flame diminished, the singing of an everlasting hymn was chanted: "Praise the Lord all His works, and exalt Him to all ages." The serpent finding the Egyptian woman as a second Eve, hastened through words of flattery to cause the downfall of Joseph; but he, leaving his garment, fled from sin; and being naked, felt unashamed, even as the first-created before the disobedience ... The harlot spread out her hair before the Master; Judas spread out his hands to the lawless men; the one to receive forgiveness, the other to receive the silver. ... accept the fountain of my tears, O You who gathered the waters of the sea into the clouds. Bow down Your ear to the sighing of my heart, O You Who bowed the heavens in Your ineffable condescension. Once Eve heard Your footsteps in Paradise in the cool of the day, and in fear she ran and hid herself; but now I will tenderly embrace those pure feet and wipe them with the hair of my head... The final quote above is from the Hymn of Kassiani, which I posted about last year, and which has had two comments written in the last month -- my thanks for the first commentor for correcting my false knowledge, and the second commentor as well for his or her wonderful reflections on this hymn. If you are still reading my blabberings, my sincerest thanks. A blessed continued journey through Holy Week to all!