"For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again, in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end."Every time we pray the Creed, we profess our faith in Jesus Christ and his saving deeds for us. These few sentences summarize the whole truth of our redemption. Their words have become so familiar that they trip off the tongue almost without thought. We have learned them by heart, so to speak. But the final weeks of Lent and the week after Easter give us a special time to ponder the meaning of these words deeply and really get to know them through and through, truly to learn them by heart.
To start, we will read texts primarily from the gospels that open the heart of Jesus to us and help us fathom the tremendous love revealed through the events of Holy Week. We will follow Christ from Palm Sunday through his last meal with his apostles, his arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion, until he is finally laid in the tomb. This long, thoughtful look at the person and character of Jesus is meant to stir in our hearts an awesome wonder, like that so beautifully expressed in the hymn's exclamation,
What wondrous love is this That caused the Lord of bliss To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!As you read the accounts taken from the final days and hours of Jesus' life, let them speak to you of his intimate, personal love for you.
Then we enter with joy into the celebration of Christ's resurrection. The meaning of life and death has been transformed for us forever with the mystery of Easter. As the Church sings in the great proclamation at the Easter Vigil, the night-watch of the resurrection,
"This is the night when Christians everywhere, washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement, are restored to grace and grow together in holiness. This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave. Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead! Of this night Scripture says: 'The night will be as clear as day: it will become my light, my joy.' The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, bring mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride. Night truly blessed, when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!"The texts chosen for our meditation during Easter week expand on this sense of joy and give us opportunity to prayerfully respond in our own personal way to the realities we are celebrating. Place yourself alongside Mary and the women as they visit the tomb, walk the road to Emmaus with the grieving disciples, and emphasize with Thomas in his incredulity. Discover how each of these appearances of the risen Lord speaks to you, making the truths we recite in the Creed truly alive in your heart.
It is worth saying again for emphasis: These are texts for meditation. You will probably learn no new facts from your reading. But the scenes they describe and the truths they bear are ones to burn into your heart. Ponder and pray your way through them, for they are the account of how God chose to give you eternal union with him.
Jeanne Kun