THIS DECISION I MUST MAKE
(Judas is alone in the desert, pondering over whether or not to bring in the authorities to shake things up)
JUDAS:
I have thought and I have pondered
Over this decision I must make
What I may do, I swear I do it
For Lord God and his children's sake
When J.C. first found me in the desert
I was wandering alone, scared and tired
He picked me up and set me straight
And in no time flat I was hired
We traveled along, my lord god and I
Setting things right and saving folks
Then he started getting crazed
Can't make an omelet
'Less ya break a few yolks
He sits there now with his Magdalene
His sweet lover, child of the streets
And now it's not me that he takes
And holds at night in between the sheets
He has forsaken his children
He has forsaken me
For this rare beauty, child of the streets
I have thought and I have pondered
Over this decision I must make
What I may do, I swear I do it
For Lord God and his children's sake
I will turn him over and make him understand
That is what not what he intended
And that things must be amended
And that his sheep need to be tended
(Huge tanks arrive in the background, nearly running Judas down as he runs towards Caiaphas' hideout in the desert)
LOVE WILL SHINE TRUE
(After the last supper, Magdalene watches from behind a tree as Jesus talks to his father while the apostles sleep)
Magdalene:
He believes no one will remember him
That what he says falls on deaf ears
But he has changed me from what I was
And eased away my stupid fears
Judas will betray him, another one denies
Still, I swear, to whatever god may hear
I'll always hold the truth of what he taught
And the nights spent together forever dear
I only wish I knew how to love him
How to reach those troubled parts of his soul
For he has done so many miracles for me
And I can't do a thing to make him whole
His works will live on and love with shine true
If that's the only thing that I can do
For he has saved so many lives before mine
And he will continue even after his life is through
(Jesus feels someone is watching, but Magdalene ducks behind a tree before he can notice her)
For my dear, Jesus,
I will always love you...
WHO IS TO BLAME
(In the garden, after Jesus has been taken away for trial)
Apostles:
Tell me
Who is to blame, who is to blame
Tell me..
(Judas stands apart from the others, watching them choose sides while he chooses his own. His attention finally settles on Mary Magdalene as she tries to calm everyone by rubbing oils on their shoulders)
Judas:
Everybody's pointing fingers
Got to find someone to blame
So when they ask me why
I'll point out Magdalene
J.C. was really going places
Rome would lose, our people freed
If he hadn't met you, Magdalene
If he'd only followed his own creed
(Magdalene starts over towards him with her oils but hears what he's saying and is crestfallen. She's gentle and loving, but somewhat annoyed by having to defend her reputation yet again)
Magdalene:
You believe I'm just a whore
There were times I thought that too
Still, please try to understand
My love for Christ was true
Everybody's pointing fingers
Got to find someone to blame
But before you ask me why
Tell me--
How'd the soldiers get the garden's name?
(Her words seem to strike a chord in Judas and his opinion softens of her, since he knows he's partly to blame as well)
Judas:
You believe that I've betrayed
Sold him out to keep him from you
Still, please try to understand
My love for Christ was true
(Apostles dance in circles around them, still trying to cast the blame on someone-- anyone)
Apostles:
Tell me
Who is to blame, who is to blame
Tell me..
(Magdalene and Judas finally realize that they have a lot more in common than they thought or than they even wanted to. They're filled with regret and sorrow for what they've done and for not being enough for their Christ)
Magdalene:
If I could have only loved him
In the right kind of way
Without tempting him with flesh
Maybe then he would have stayed
Judas:
If I could have only loved him
In the right kind of way
Without trying to run the show
Maybe then he would have stayed
FATHER, FORGIVE THEM
(Jesus is dying on the crucifix while he remembers two people who loved him and he realizes that they are all victims of fate, the same as him)
Jesus:
Father, forgive them
For they know not what they do
Father, forgive them
For their love for me was true
I know in their hearts
They wanted to do good
They followed my teachings
When no one else would
(Flashback to Judas, his body hanging on the limb of the tree where he hung himself)
Judas was my friend
The kind that doesn't go astray
Unless he can not think
Of any other way
He hangs there on the limb
Dying for his guilt
His bloodied body will wither
And his reputation wilt
But this was all predefined
Destiny and truth combined
Until this holy mess was made
But father, they've not strayed
Father, forgive them
For they know not what they do
Father, forgive them
For their love for me was true
(Jesus looks down, tiredly as he watches some of his disciples try to comfort Magdalene as she cries on the ground beside his crucifix)
Magdalene I can hear you
Crying out for our love
But you have to remember
We'll see each other again above
The pleasure you've given to me
Made me a human man
And now I can see
What before I could never understand
There is danger here on earth
But there is love as well
And after our work is done here
We will leave this pleasurable hell
(One last look at Jesus, as he dies on the cross for those he loved)
Father, forgive them
For they know not what they do
Father, forgive them
For their love for me was true
And they'll never understand
That I did love them too
