Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.
Synaxarion
On great and holy Wednesday, as the most divine fathers ordained, we commemorate the harlot who anointed the Lord’s feet with fragrant ointment, since this occurred shortly before the saving Passion.
Verses
With ointment the woman anointed the body
Of Christ, in advance of the aloes of Nikodemos.
St. Theophilus, fool for Christ of Kiev
“It was strange to see,” witnesses have said, “how the Blessed One heard the confessions of the people who came to him. He did not ask for their sins as spiritual fathers usually do, but having placed his saintly hands on the head of the person confessing and looking up to heaven, he himself listed all the secret and known sins. At this, not only did the penitent shed tears of emotion, but from fear and shame, even the hair of his head would stand up on end.”
The life of, Fool-for-Christ’s sake, blessed Hieroschemamonk, Feofil (Theophilus). Chapter 6.
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St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
Repentance is all-powerful, as instituted by the all-powerful God. There is no sin that can withstand the face of repentance. It is a gift given to fallen human nature;… All-powerful repentance saved whole cities and kingdoms, and revoked sentences already pronounced by God Thus the populous city of Nineveh, condemned by God’s prophet to destruction, averted it with its sincere repentance—and in vain did the prophet wait outside Nineveh for its devastation, the fulfillment of his own prophecy! The impious King of Israel Ahab, the worshipper of idols, the persecutor and murderer of those who worshipped the true God, had his punishment was already appointed and announced by the great Elias; but Ahab became contrite and shed tears—while abiding in his impiety, by the way. This short-lived contrition, these tiny tears had their effect: Hast thou seen how Ahab has been pricked to the heart before me? The Lord said to Elias. I will not bring on the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring on the evil (3 Kings 22:29).
All Holy Scripture, all of Church history is filled with numberless examples that prove the mighty power of repentance.
A certain robber, relates Palladius in the Lausac History, was caught red-handed in a crime and brought to Arsenait, a city in the Thebaid. After many tortures he was sentenced to be beheaded. When he went with the soldiers outside the city to the place of his crime, about six fields out of town, a certain monk followed him, wishing to see his execution. When he saw the monk following behind, the robber said to him, “Abba! Don’t you have any handiwork to do in your cell?” The monk answered, “I do.” The robber said, “Then why aren’t you sitting in your cell and weeping over your sins?” The monk replied, “Brother! I am very lazy; my soul has no contrition, and that is why I have come to watch how you die. Perhaps this spectacle will help me come to contrition.” Then the robber said, “Abba! Go sit in your cell for God’s sake, and bless and glorify the Savior Christ. From the time He became incarnate and died for us sinners, man no longer dies.”
Here is another just as touching and edifying story. “Near a certain city there lived a recluse who had the gift of clairvoyance from God. In that city there was a famous harlot. One day the recluse saw a bright trail leading from the women’s monastery near the city unto heaven, and a soul was walking along it with great joy, led by angels, and nearing the heavenly gates. He sent his disciple to the convent to learn who had died there. When the disciple returned he brought the news that no one had died in the convent, but that a famous harlot who had come from the city had died suddenly before the gates of the monastery. Completely perplexed, the recluse began praying to God that He would explain this vision to him. God answered the holy elder, “Surely did you see the soul of a woman, a former harlot, ascending to heaven. She had resolved firmly to repent and change her life, and she had come to the convent with the resolute intention of staying in it. That she died before the gates of the convent without having been able yet to fulfill her intention was according to God’s plan. But God accepted her intention as if she had actually fulfilled it.”
In these two stories we can see experientially the fulfillment of the Gospel promise. And the Gospel itself gives us so many such examples!…
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
Translation by Nun Cornelia (Rees)
O Christ God, who were anointed with the spiritual ointment, free us from the influent passions and have mercy on us, as our only holy and benevolent Lord.
Lauds.
Idiomelon. Mode 1.
When the harlot became aware that You, the Son of the Virgin, were God, she began to weep as one who had done things deserving tears, and imploring You she said, “Undo my debt, I pray You, as I undo my braids. Love me who am kissing You, though rightly I am hated; and alongside the publicans I will proclaim You, Benefactor who loves humanity.”
The harlot mingled the very costly fragrant oil with her tears, and she poured it out on Your immaculate feet and kissed them profusely. You immediately justified her. To us, also, grant forgiveness, O Lord who suffered for us, and save us
When the sinful woman offered the fragrant oil, then the disciple made his agreement with the transgressors of the Law. She rejoiced in pouring out the costly oil, and he lost no time in selling off the priceless One. She acknowledged the Master, and he was becoming estranged from the Master. She was emancipated, while Judas became a slave of the enemy. How dreadful was his rashness! How great was her repentance! Grant me this repentance, O Savior who suffered for us, and save us.
From Triodion
Glory. Mode 2.
The sinful woman ran to purchase ointment, costly ointment, to anoint her Benefactor; and to the perfumer she cried out, “Give me the ointment, so that I in turn may anoint the One who wiped away all my sins.”
Aposticha from Triodion
Mode pl. 2. Idiomelon.
The harlot let out her hair for You the Master; Judas put out his hand to the transgressors of the Law. She, in order to receive forgiveness, and he to receive the silver. And so we cry out to You who were sold and who set us free: O Lord, glory to You!
That woman, who was spurned because of her way of life, for which she had earned ill repute as a harlot, came to You with the fragrant oil in hand, and she cried out, “Please, do not throw me out for being a harlot, O Savior, born of the Virgin. Please, do not dismiss my tears and weeping, O Master, the joy of the Angels. You did not reject me when I was sinning, so now accept me as I am repenting, O Lord, because of Your great mercy.”
Glory. Both now. Mode pl. 4.
Hymn of St. Kassiane
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 fragrant oils to anoint You before Your burial. “Woe is me,” she says. “Night for me is a frenzy without restraint, very dark and moonless, a sinful love-affair. Accept the fountains of my tears, You who draw out from the clouds the water of the sea. Take pity on me, and incline to the sighing of my heart, You who bowed the heavens by Your ineffable self-emptying. I shall cover Your unstained feet with kisses, and wipe them dry again with the locks of my hair; those feet, whose sound at twilight in Paradise echoed in Eve’s ears, and she hid in fear. Who can reckon the multitude of my sins, or fathom the depths of Your judgments, O my life-saving Savior? Do not despise me, Your servant, since without measure is Your mercy.”
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