“As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry His cross.”
On the way to Golgotha, or Mount Calvary, Jesus was so weakened by a lack of sleep the night before, the brutal scourging at the pillar, and the crowning with thorns that He kept falling under the heavy weight of His cross. Thus, the Romans soldiers, to ensure that Jesus got to the place of execution, called Simon of Cyrene forth from the crowd to assist Jesus in carrying His cross. Simon of Cyrene was indeed a historical person, but on a spiritual level, he is a challenge to Christians of every time and era to be willing to help others carry the crosses of daily life. True mercy and charity demand this of those who claim to know and love Jesus Christ. Simon of Cyrene may also remind us that what he did for Jesus, our Lord in turn does for us. Jesus fell beneath the weight of the cross, so that He may support all who fall and lift them up when they fall down. May this Holy Week challenge us to live the mercy and compassion of Simon of Cyrene, but also to accept these same gifts from our Lord, especially at the two great fonts of mercy: the altar and the confessional.
The Lesser Known Virtues, Patience
As we enter into the beauty of Holy Week, we encounter Jesus at His best: the great love that He offered by way of His Cross (“No greater love is there than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends); the abundant mercy He extended to those who put Him to death (“Father forgive them, they know not what they do”); and His incredible patience (“He was led like a lamb before the shearer and opened not His mouth). This last virtue, patience, is one we often overlook, but how necessary it is for growth in the spiritual life and ultimately, for salvation. Many souls lose their way in life because they lack patience.
The virtue of patience enables a Christian to bear physical and moral sufferings without sadness of spirit or dejection of heart. Patience is one of the most necessary Christian virtues because the trials and sufferings we must inevitably suffer in this life require the assistance of some virtue to keep us strong and firm lest we yield to discouragement and sorrow. This is where patience enters in; it helps us to always conform our will to the will of God, wherein is our true and lasting peace.
To grow in patience, we must accept the following means to dispose ourselves to this virtue, which enters into our souls by way of the Holy Spirit’s gift of fortitude. First, we must daily meditate and pray about God’s will for our life and seek to conform ourselves to His holy will. To grow in patience, we must believe with the utmost conviction that God knows what is best for our life, at times even when this means trials and sufferings that come our way. It is truly amazing how patient the martyrs were during their trials as they faced their deaths. All accounts speak of their great patience and serenity of spirit. This was because they embraced God’s will, even when it meant death. They patiently endured their cruel and shameful deaths, because God’s will was unfolding and with it, the promise of eternal glory in heaven.
Second, we must daily reflect upon the sufferings of Jesus and Mary, incomparable models of patience, and sincerely desire to imitate them. Many Christians claim to be disciples of Jesus and servants of Mary, but the sincerity of these claims crumbles in the face of trials. When afflictions come their way, how often they give into sadness and melancholy. Did Jesus or Mary ever allow trials to destroy their peace? Never. Prayerfully mediate upon the Seven Sorrows of Mary or the Passion and Death of Jesus and you will see that never once did they utter words of complaint. Rather, they patiently went about fulfilling God’s plan of salvation. We are also part of that plan, and by imitating the patience of our Lord and His Mother, how much more could God do through us in bringing souls the joy of the Gospel.
Third, we must daily meditate upon the eternity of happiness that awaits us in heaven, which we wait for by patiently suffering the exile called life on earth. When we face daily setbacks or trials, we must simply say in prayer, “This will pass”, because indeed it will. All the sorrow, all the pain, all the lost peace we endure because we just can’t let go of the false notion that true happiness can be found on earth. Our true homeland is heaven, and patience reminds us that sufferings will pass, but the fruit of having sanctified our suffering by embracing it and using it for God’s glory will never pass.
During this upcoming Holy Week, pray for patience from Him who was perfect patience, especially on His holy cross. Be aware that asking for patience from Jesus will not be easy, for it is normally given through the furnace of affliction. Yet, when we are purified, hope and joy remain. Embrace the process of patience, because you will love the final product.
The Beauty of Holy Week
As Catholics, we are awed by the beauty and symbolism of the Holy Week liturgies, yet sometimes we wonder what is the meaning or significance of the symbolism within these liturgies. We will address this in today’s bulletin, as we enter into Holy Week and its sacred celebrations.
Holy Thursday, The Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Maundatum (washing of feet): This ritual has its origin in John 15:1-5, where Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as a reminder of their need to be humble if they wished to serve and speak in His name. The Maundatum became a liturgical rite in the seventh century, when it was incorporated into the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Its purpose was to manifest the charity and love that should motivate those who will participate in the Lord’s Supper. Therefore the singing or chanting of Ubi Caritas (Where love and charity are, God is present) has become a tradition during the Maundatum.
Transfer of the Holy Eucharist: Upon completion of the Rite of Holy Communion, the priest processes with the Blessed Sacrament through the church to the altar of reposition. Thereupon, the altar cloths are removed from the altar and if possible, the crucifix is removed from the sanctuary or covered with a red cloth. The purpose of this rite is to prepare Catholics for the emptiness and desolation of Good Friday. Furthermore, the Church in the High Middle Ages incorporated this rite into the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to serve as a reminder that the stark and empty church is a reflection of the emptiness of one’s soul without the lifegiving graces of the Holy Eucharist.
Good Friday, The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
The Veneration of the Cross: This tradition had its origin in Jerusalem in the third century, when all the faithful of the city went to Golgotha on Good Friday morning. There, the bishop held the relic of the true Cross, while the faithful and catechumens filed past in veneration. In time, other churches imitated this pious custom, either with their own relic of the true Cross or with a simple wooden cross. When the practice spread to Rome, the tradition began in which the cross was veiled in red cloth, slowly exposing it with the sung antiphon, “Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the Savior of the World”, to which the people responded, “Come, let us worship.” The red cloth and its unveiling symbolized the belief that the crimson blood of Jesus Christ, shed upon the Cross, unveiled God’s great love for sinful humanity.
The Improperia (The Reproaches): This ancient hymn is sung during or after the veneration of the cross. It enumerates the benefits God had heaped upon His chosen people, the Jewish (Hebrew) people, and reproaches them for their ingratitude and sinful rebellion. In the Improperia, Jesus Christ speaks not only to the Jews, but to all of us, for in many ways, we also have rejected Him and His blessings for our lives as well. The words of the hymn cannot leave us unmoved, yet in some phrases, the joy of Easter, gained for us by the Cross, already shines through.
Communion Service: The last part of the Good Friday liturgy is the Communion Service. Historically, as a sign of mourning, there is no Mass (Eucharistic celebration) on Good Friday. Yet, on this day, Christians receive Holy Communion so as to recall the Lord’s passion and death. Holy Communion reminds us that Jesus Christ triumphed over sin and death on the Cross. By the Cross, He merited the Resurrection for Himself and for us. As a pledge of our resurrection, and thus as a foretaste of the Easter mystery, we eat His life-giving body on Good Friday.
Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil
The Blessing of the New Fire: This introductory rite is a preparation for the Easter Vigil, rather than a part of it. The fire is a symbol for Jesus Christ, who proclaimed Himself as the Light of the world. On Easter morning, He rose, resplendent as the dawning sun, thereby conquering forever the dark night of sin.
The Blessing of the Paschal Candle: The Paschal Candle, lit from the new fire, is carried into the dark church, symbolizing that the light of Christ dispels all darkness; it is a vivid dramatization of the Resurrection. The candle is marked by a Cross, five grains of incense, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, and numbers for the current year: the Cross symbolizes Jesus’ sacrifice; the incense marks His five holy wounds; the numbers of the current year reminds us that all time belongs to Him (He is to be praised throughout the ages); and the Alpha and Omega (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) remind us that Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of salvation history. The Paschal Candle leads the procession into the church and all present receive the Easter light from the Paschal Candle. This signifies that we all participate in the glory of the Resurrection; we are thereby made children of the light.
The Exsultet: The hymn is chanted when the Paschal Candle reaches the sanctuary. The Exsultet has for its theme the victory of the King over death, sin, and hell. It speaks of the Jewish Passover as a mere prelude to the true Passover . . . the Lord’s passage from death to life. We partake of this passage; His passage becomes ours through the sacred mysteries of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. Christ is risen from the dead and we are risen with Him to new life.
The Sacraments of Initiation and/or the Renewal of Baptismal Promises: Whether the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism and Confirmation) are celebrated or not, the Easter Vigil provides for the renewal of Baptismal promises. The whole Lenten observance is intended to lead us up to this moment and to prepare us for a genuine and sincere renewal of our Baptismal commitment. Like the other rites of the night, it is a symbolic yet real resurrection with Christ to a new life of grace.
Sacerdos et Cadburia Pascha Ova: This ancient and solemn rite, often translated as The Priest and Cadbury Easter Eggs, concludes the Easter Vigil. In this moving rite, the parish priest receives all of the Cadbury Easter Eggs from the Easter baskets of the children of the parish. It is the highlight of the entire liturgical year for the faithful parish priest!