Spy Wednesday - Judas, Gets His Close-up.

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as

Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa
Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa

[Lady Gaga - Verse 1]
When he comes to me, I am ready
I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me

Lady Gaga's Judas

I been to three County Fairs and eight hog-call contests, but Lady Gaga still amazes me. She's the twist that wears meat and sings. Back in the day there was Johnny Ray, Tiny Tim, Nervous Norvis, and other goofballs who got attention and cut some records.

I am totally unsophisticated where icons are concerned. Judas as a sexually ambiguous object of affection? Hey, Lady, whatever floats your pork chop. You got our attention; now what? . . . where was I?

Oh, yeah, Judas.

Jesus of Nazareth came from the Tribe of Judah - the first Judah, I think, sold his brother Joseph into slavery for some silver. Out of the loins, I love that OT expression, of Judah came Old King David and then the House and Family of David(see Genesis 37-38, and also Psalm 68:2-29 and Acts 1:13-20).


The betrayed and the betrayers are family and ain't that the way. It seems that at some point in our lives we play Judas at some level. We disappoint our loved ones more than we actually betray them. Some of us fall short of our duties and some of us believe that we are crucified by others. Get off the Cross!

The trick is to recognize that we all screw up, fall short, disappoint and then try and actually do something about it. If we get active, we avoid despair. Despair is as bad as it gets. Today is Spy Wednesday to us Fish Eaters. Today is Judas' big moment in the liturgical year. He rats out his cousin for silver and then hangs himself in despair.

A pal of mine sent me a link to a great site called FishEaters.com. There is a great treatment of Judas especially the Dante Inferno Canto XXXIV that presents the torment of betrayers and Judas in Particular. He is being devoured eternally by a three-headed bat.

Out of six eyes he wept and his three chins
dripped tears and drooled blood-red saliva.
With his teeth, just like a hackle
pounding flax, he champed a sinner
in each mouth, tormenting three at once.
For the one in front the gnawing was a trifle
to the clawing, for from time to time
his back was left with not a shred of skin.
'That soul up there who bears the greatest pain,'
said the master, 'is Judas Iscariot, who has
his head within and outside flails his legs.
'As for the other two, whose heads are dangling down,
Brutus is hanging from the swarthy snout --
see how he writhes and utters not a word! --
'and from the other, Cassius, so large of limb.
But night is rising in the sky. It is time
for us to leave, for we have seen it all.'

Dude! Awesome! Three-headed Bat! Had poor old drug-addled pater familias Ozzie Ozbourne paid attention in class back in the early sixties, he might have preempted Lady Gaga with whole Judas Bat shtick! Bloody 'ell!

Despair is the tree-headed bat. Christ gave us Hope. Hope gets us out of bed and in the game.