The third day of The Paschal Triduum is also the first day of the 50 days of Easter. As the Paschal Triduum is three parts: Death, Burial and Resurrection so the season of Easter is a three part event: Resurrection, Ascension and Imparting of the Holy Spirit. But the season of Easter (while we may think of it coming with a bang) starts unassuming and “quietly” with people waking up to an empty tomb. It generates questions, concerns, fears and frustration… (the empty tomb convinces and converts no one). And the resurrected Jesus is mistaken for a gardner, a stranger and an impostor (by Mary, the emmaus pilgrims and Thomas respectively). But ultimately over a long period - the people closest to Jesus “wake up” to the fact that “He is not here (in the tomb) He has been raised.”

The Lord is risen.
He is risen, indeed. Alleluia.

Epistle: Colossians 3.1-7

Gospel: John 20. 1-18

Psalm: Psalm 120

Prayer: Almighty God, through your only Son Jesus Christ you have conquered death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: by your grace put good desires into our minds and, in your mercy, help us to bring them to their fulfillment, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Those closest to Jesus were confused during this final week of his life (not able or wanting to come to terms with the finality of Jesus’ language during this week) and even one would be used by evil to deliver him to death; but one disciple would bring him a moment of joy during this extremely difficult week. It was not one of the usual suspects - Peter, James or John - or any of the other “Twelve.” It was Mary of Bethany (according to John) that brought a years worth of quality perfume and anointed Jesus in the midst of his time at an evening dinner. She just lavished him; anointed him with sweet smelling perfume as an act of devotion and an act of surrender to cast her lot with Jesus’ mission (not to be overlooked she also probably just spent a good deal of her inheritance on Jesus). This act a moment of beauty and extravagance, a moment of clarity and a moment of confirmation in the midst of Jesus’ week was one that seemed to be profound in the Messiah’s estimation - as he declared, “wherever the Gospel is preached in the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered.” (Mt. 26.13)

Epistle: Hebrews 9.16-28

Gospel: Matthew 26.14-25

Psalm: 22 and 26

Prayer: from Psalm 22:

I will proclaim your name to my brethren: in the midst of the assembly I will praise you; “You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not spurned nor disdained the wretched man in his misery Nor did he turn his face away from him, but when he cried out to him, he heard him.” So by your gift will I utter praise in the vast assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the Lord shall praise him: “May your hearts be ever merry!” All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; All the families of the nations shall bow down before him. For dominion is the Lord’s and he rules the nations. To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; Before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. And to him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown.

Unexpected. We get jaded. We have heard it all. Few things surprise and startle us anymore - we get real time feedback of every tragedy and every news worthy story - we hear it as it unfolds; and over time nothing really shocks us. Forecasts of everything from the future stock price to the weather prepares us for anything. We woke up to a covering of snow this morning and just 60 or so years ago - before doppler radar and computer weather modeling - it would have been “unexpected.” Israel expected a king - a king like David and they expected a prophet - a prophet like Moses; but the Son of God? God in the flesh sent by the Father above? How? God is one. Unexpected, to say the least. It is all coming to a head on this Tuesday of Holy Week as Jesus makes his words more clear, bolder and as he confronts the religious leaders, sealing his fate.

Old Testament: Isaiah 49.1-6

New Testament: John 12.37-50

Psalm: 22 & 25

Prayer: We cast our prayers at the feet of Christ our saviour, who has redeemed us by his death and resurrection:

Almighty and ever-living God, make us celebrate the Lord’s passion worthily
and thereby deserve pardon for our sins.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

An extremely busy and active week unfolds for Jesus as he approaches the pinnacle of his purpose for coming to live among us. One of the Psalm’s that is rehearsed on every Monday of Lent (an old tradition) is Psalm 23 and I can’t help but think how comforting that song of David might have been to Jesus as he progressed through this week. I also am challenged to think, “Are our churches places like David describes in that Psalm?” My experience unfortunately has been to find the Church competing with the culture around it to gain peoples attention with full calendars and endless activity. Maybe being distinct from our culture and offering a haven of quiet and a refuge of rest is what our stressed and adrenaline-addicted world needs.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 63.1-19

New Testament Reading: John 12.20-36

Psalm: 22, 23, & 24

Prayer: Please, Lord, guide my mind with your truth.
Strengthen my life by the example of Jesus.
Help me to be with Jesus in this week
as he demonstrates again his total love for me.
He died so that I would no longer be separated from you.
Help me to feel how close you are and to live in union with you.

note: Artwork by Michael D. Obrien

Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem for His last passover and it is quite an event. Jesus enters as King of Peace (riding astride a Donkey in contrast to conquering kings who would enter on a horse of war). Entering the City of Peace (Jerusalem) as a King who is bringing peace. In the midst of anything but a calm and tranquil entrance - Jesus comes to bring peace - the Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. Shalom is a state of wholeness, completeness to be at peace with all things - God, self, others and creation. This certainly wasn’t grasped - in the midst of the shouting and singing this Sunday morning - don’t miss the King of Peace - allow Him again to enter your world bringing wholeness.

NT Readings: Mark 11.1-26; Philippians 2.5-11

Psalm: Psalm 22

Prayer: Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards mankind sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature and to suffer death upon the cross so that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility, grant that we may both follow the example of his patience and also have our part in his resurrection, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I do believe that, “not all time is created equal.” Value is increased dependent on our understanding and approach to time. My wedding day will always be a sacred day; as will be the day my daughter was born and - well you see where this is going. Next week begins Holy Week - commemorating the last week of Jesus life. I have found great value in setting aside a little extra time for reading, prayer and meditation to observe this monumental time in the life of Jesus which has marked human history for all time and eternity.

It would be great if we went from the season of winter to spring all in one day. But here in my neck of the woods - winter always wants to hold on and spring can be fickle too. So mornings can still be in the 20’s and by late afternoon the temps can reach the 70’s. It would be nice if one day the cold stopped and it was 68 degrees till summer. But it doesn’t happen like that - there is always a bit of a reminder of the pain and starkness of winter as Spring arrives.

Holy Week is a bittersweet week with themes of death and dying and pain mixed with hope, love and promise of the new. Yet too many churches fail to observe the days between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday and miss the sacred and holy steps that fell between Monday and Saturday. They go from the loud shouts and bombast of Palm Sunday to the glory of Jesus’ victory over death the next weekend - with no context for what took place in between. Don’t go from Hosanna to Alleluia without any understanding of the feelings, words, actions and relationships that moved Jesus from the streets of Jerusalem to the road to Emmaus.

Join me next week as I share a very brief devotional thought along with readings and prayers for each day of Holy Week here at Perigrinatio.

Peace!

The Reading for Today: Sun - Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 & John 20:1-18 & Luke 24:1-12

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy
He has given us a new birth
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead
and to an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
It is reserved in heaven for you,
who because of your faith in God
are being protected by His power
until the salvation
that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
–From New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book

All is quiet.

Jesus lays in the tomb.

The King of the Universe is lying cold in a dark, sealed tomb. All is on hold. We await. In silence.

Art work by Fr. Michael Obrien

The Reading for Today: Psalm 22 & John 18:1-19:42 (read it slowly & devotionally)

Why “good”? In German this Friday before Easter is “Mourning Friday” - it is a day of facing the reality of the suffering and pain Jesus endured and the way of the cross before all those who follow in His way. This day is also referred to as Holy Friday and Great Friday. But why good? It seems to be peculiar to the English language and may have found it’s root in being called God’s Friday and over time just as “God be with you” was distilled to goodbye - God’s Friday evolved to Good Friday. Or maybe in English it was always “good friday” referring to the pious retrospect we have and confess as our Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace. All that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be. [Short answer to why good? - Don’t know for sure.]

Prayer for Good Friday:

Holy Father,

Amen.

Artwork by Father Michael Obrien “Crucifixion”

The Reading for Today: Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 & John 13:1-17 & 31-35

Where did that word, “maundy” come from? Well the word comes from middle english - mandé, from the Latin mandatum - which is the first word in our text from John - “A new command I give unto you…” so the maundy of Maundy Thursday - is the mandate or new command.

He commanded us to love - then He loved.

A Prayer for Maundy Thursday:

Dear Savior,

Amen.