The Beginning of the Celebration of Our Lord's Paschal Mystery

This post is from years ago but it hits me where I live even now. Some of the liturgy quoted may not relate to this year because it is older, but it is all close enough.

... we gather together to herald with the whole Church
the beginning of the celebration
of our Lord's Paschal Mystery,
that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection.

Palm Sunday, Commemoration of the Lord's Entrance Into Jerusalem

In his commentary on this portion of the Mass last year, our priest pointed out that the Triduum is one extended liturgy.

For the first time I understood why we read the entire passion and crucifixion during Palm Sunday's liturgy. It is to give us a preview of what we are to be meditating on during this week. It is to give us a chance to enter fully into that journey Jesus is taking which culminates with his Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. It is to give us the chance to accompany him not just as a spectator, but as a friend.

Let us put aside our differences. It changes nothing. It is fruitless self preoccupation. It distracts and divides us at a time when we should be focusing on Jesus. I thought of those squabbles when I heard this part of the gospel:

His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.

Let us "Stop, no more of this" as we concentrate on what matters most now.

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

This year, our priest had a three sentence homily and it hit the nail on the head. When talking to his spiritual advisor about troubles and trials, he was told, "You are having these problems because you are avoiding the Cross."

Aren't we all? For my own part, I faced a severe internal struggle last week. Then God in his goodness made me understand that I was causing my own turmoil because I was trying to squirm out of the Cross.

Ah yes.

At that point I gave up wanting my way. And I was able, with St. Josemaria Escriva, to say, "Is that what you want? Then I want it too." that I regained peace and calm. I still had to face the Cross, but it was not so big a cross as the one I was creating for myself.

This is why I need Lent every year. I forget this lesson so easily. And life is so much simpler when I live without avoiding the Cross. Let's face it ... I'd face that Cross anyway. But when I do it squirming and turning away it is so much more difficult than when I slip my hand in God's and follow my Savior's example.

Let us walk with him this week.

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry,
Folio 173v - The Entry into Jerusalem the Musée Condé, Chantilly.

October

October, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

Tilling and sowing are being carried out by the peasants, in the shadow of the Louvre - Charles V's royal palace in Paris.

University of Chicago

September

September, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

Probably the most famous of the calendar images. The grapes are being harvested by the peasants and carried into the beautifully detailed Chateau de Saumur.

University of Chicago

August

August, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The month of hawking; the nobles, carrying falcons, are going hunting while in the background peasants are harvesting and swimming in the river. Behind them is the Chateau d'Etampes.

University of Chicago

July

July, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

More of the harvest; the sheep are being shorn and the hay is being reaped. The chateau behind them is that which formerly stood on the Clain at Poitiers. University of Chicago

June

June, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

Harvest time - the peasants are moving the meadow in unison, with the Hotel de Nesle, the Duc's Parisian residence, in the background.

University of Chicago

Psalm 37 — Fret Not Because of Evildoers

If, when evil and lawless people are opposing the lowly, and you wish to admonish the latter not to pay attention or to be provoked to envy—since such evildoers will speedily be destroyed—say to yourself and to the others Psalm 37.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This is a very long psalm telling us to not worry about the evildoers who are prospering. We've been hearing this our whole lives, haven't we? From the time we've been little there always seems to be someone who's getting away with things and never getting caught. Often they are celebrated and praised. And it drives us crazy. The psalmist says that God sees all and justice will be done. If we struggle with that, then we're not the first and we're not alone. That gives us the opportunity to increase our true trust in God, which may be one of the reasons that God allows the evildoers to flourish.

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 66v - Psalm 37 (Vulgate) / 38 (Hebrew Bible)

A ton of the Church fathers have commented on this one and we'll dip into a few of them below. All are from Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture).

37:7 Wait Patiently for the Lord

God is in Control. Theodoret of Cyr. Even if you see one choosing wickedness and not deviating from his purpose but being borne downstream, do not be worried and concerned that no one is in control of the world. Commentary on the Psalms.

Remember God's Promise. St. Augustine. Did you believe in Christ? Yes? Then why did you believe. What did he promise you? If Christ promised you happiness in this world, then go ahead and complain against him; complain when you see the unbeliever happy. But what sort of happiness did he, in fact, promise you? Nothing else but happiness when the dead rise again. And what did he promise you in this life? Only what he went through himself; yes, I tell you, he promised you a share in his own experience. Do you disdain it, you, a servant and a disciple? Do you disdain what your master and teacher went through? Do you not recall his own words: "A servant is not greater than his master, nor a disciple above his teacher"? (Mt 10:24; Jn 13:16) for your sake he bore painful scourging, insults, the cross and death itself. And how much of this did he deserve, he a just man? And what did you, a sinner, not deserve? Keep a steady eye, and do not let it be deflected by wrath. Expositions of the Psalms.

37:12 The Wicked Plot

Conviction. Cassiodorus. When the wicked person sees the just person cultivating good manners, he believes that he himself is being particularly indicted. He gnashes his teeth and rages in mind. He at once tries to take the very life of him whose manners he cannot corrupt. Explanation of the Psalms.

37:15 Their Bows Broken

They Hurt Themselves St. Augustine. What do you think: does the scoundrel's wickedness harm you without harming himself? Of course not. How is it possible that the malice which springs form his ill will and hatred and lashes out to do you harm should not devastate him within before making its attempt outwardly on you? Hostility rides roughshod over your body; iniquity rots his soul. Whatever he launches against you recoils on him. His persecution purifies you but leaves him guilty. Who comes off worse then? ... Clearly, then, all who persecute the just are more severely damaged and more gravely wounded themselves, because in their case it is the soul itself that is laid waste. Expositions of the Psalms.

An index of psalm posts is here.

November

November, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The autumn acorn harvest, with a peasant knocking down throwing sticks to knock down the acorns on which his pigs are feeding.

University of Chicago

May

May, Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The May jaunt, a pageant celebrating the "joli mois de Mai" in which one had to wear green garments known as livree de mai. The riders are young noblemen and women, with princes and princesses being visible. In the background is a chateau thought to be the Palais de la Cite in Paris.

University of Chicago

April

April, Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The arrival of spring, hope and new life - the grass is green and a newly betrothed couple are exchanging rings in the foreground, accompanied by friends and family. The chateau is another one of the Duc's, that of Dourdan.

University of Chicago

March

March, Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The year's first farm work, sowing and ploughing and suchlike. The chateau in the background is that of Lusignan, one of the Duc's favourites.

University of Chicago

February

February, Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

Winter in a peasant village. The inhabitants of a farm are shown warming themselves by the fire, while in the background daily life - cutting wood, taking cattle to the market - goes on as normal.

University of Chicago

January

January, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The month of giving New Years' gifts (a custom which seems to have died out now). Jean de Berry himself can be seen on the right, wearing the brilliant blue robe.

University of Chicago

December

December, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

In the forest of Vincennes, fabled for its game, a wild-boar hunt has caught a boar which is being torn apart by the boarhounds. In the background is the Chateau de Vincennes, long a residence of French royalty.

University of Chicago

Psalm 13 — Waiting on the Lord

Though the plot of the enemies lasts a very long time, do not lose heart, as though God had forgotten you, but call on the Lord, singing Psalm 13.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

These days it is easy to lose heart and feel as if nothing will ever change. We're a year into the Covid-19 pandemic with contentious political division and everyone arguing ferociously at the drop of a hat.

I especially think of this line from verse 2: "How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?"

I like how the psalmist thanks God at the end, before his prayer has been answered. Such is his trust.

Psalm 13 in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

13:5. Trusting in God's Steadfast Love

A Hope-Filled Soul. St. John Chrysostom: Do you see a hope-filled soul? He asked, and before receiving he gives thanks as though having received, sings praise to God and achieves all that had been anticipated. Commentary on the Psalms

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

Clearly, though, the psalmist has been suffering a long time and feels as if God has abandoned him. This commenter looks at the result of the Babylonian Exile on the Jewish people who felt abandoned by God. I mean to say when your temple has been destroyed and your people dragged to slavery, it is safe to say you feel as if God wasn't around. The change to their thinking about suffering and redemption is transformative. Surely it also paved the way for their ability to recognize Christ's redemptive sacrifice. Also — I never knew why it was called "the Holocaust." Astounding

The Absence of God

Throughout the centuries since, the convention arose of understanding the continuing suffering of Diaspora Judaism as redemptive, vicarious suffering by the faithful remnant for the sins of the whole community. This draws on Isaiah's four Servant Songs (Isa. 42:1-6[9], 49:1-6; 50:4-11; 52: 13-53:12), in which Yahweh's servant (variously identified as Israel, a faithful remnant, the prophet, or some future servant/messiah) suffers innocently for the sins of the people.

In this regard, the acute and tragic suffering of the European Jewish community under the Nazi program of exploitation and extermination during World War II has come to be called "the Holocaust," a reference to the completely burned sin offering offered yearly on the Day of Atonement for the sins of the nation. In this way the suffering and death of six and a half million Jews and their survivors has been interpreted as vicarious and redemptive sacrifice by the innocent for the sins of the world. This reinterpretation of the suffering of the faithful follows the lead of Job and Ecclesiastes in affirming that the absence of God is not a sign of his lack of power or concern. Nor is God's delay in coming a necessary indication of the wickedness of those who suffer in the interim. God is still God and worth of worship and allegiance despite the inability of humans to comprehend human suffering fully.

Psalms Volume 1 (NIV Application Commentary)

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.