"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” The empty tomb, of course, was quite startling to Jesus’ followers. We have to remember that, despite all they had been taught, they still did not fully comprehend what Jesus had prophesied concerning His resurrection on the third day. They were still, in a very real sense, a work in progress. Ultimately, however, their faith and ours is not based on the phenomenon of the empty tomb. Instead. Our Christian faith is rooted in the numerous post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to His followers. The Risen Lord was actually seen by Mary of Magdala. He was seen by the apostles who were hiding in the locked room. Thomas was invited to actually touch Him. He also appeared to the two men walking along the road to Emmaus, and broke bread with them. Remember, no normal person would have willingly sacrificed all they had, including their very lives, to carry on the cult of a dead man. No normal person would have ever been willing to forego a family; a personal career; a more comfortable life style and even undergo persecution and a martyr’s death for the sake of a dead man they once admired and followed. In fact, it would be quite reasonable to imagine that in the face of Jesus’ crucifixion, they would have been distraught, beaten down and ready to run off in different directions. So why did they not go back to their former ways of life as fishermen or laborers or tax collectors. Because they saw and believed! We, the believers of today, base our faith on the eye-witness testimony of these Apostles and other followers who witnessed not only the empty tomb, but, most importantly, the Risen Christ. Saint Paul made a critical point when he wrote, “If Christ is not risen from the dead, our preaching is empty, your faith is worthless and we are the most wretched of people.”

     Having just completed Holy Week, it might surprise some of you to know that the last three days of Holy Week, the Triduum, were considered as one. It might be even more surprising to note that today and the next six weeks are also considered as one, as Easter.

    Today, in fact every Sunday, we gather to celebrate the glory of the Risen Christ. The cross of unspeakable suffering and death has now been transformed into the triumphant cross. It is our constant reminder of Christ’s great love for us and of His total victory over sin and death and His promise to, one day, lift up all of His faithful ones from the darkness of the grave into His own wonderful light.

     In his writings, Saint Paul so eloquently describes to us Jesus’ loving obedience to death on the cross. He hinted at what we celebrate today for “…when He was made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.” Because of Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father’s will, “God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every other 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 the Father.”

     Through our baptism, we have all shared in the suffering and death of Christ and were transformed into sons and daughters of God. As Christians, it is our firm belief that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we who are also sons and daughters of God, will one day be raised from our graves and experience the newness of life promised by Christ to all who believe in Him, are obedient to His teaching and faithfully take up the cross and follow in His footsteps.

     Today, we gather as an Easter people to celebrate our belief not just in an empty tomb, but rather, in the Risen Jesus who is Lord and Savior. Because we have been blessed with the gift of faith, we not only believe but boldly proclaim to our community and to the whole world our Easter proclamation:

 “Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia!” “We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection until You come again"

     “If anyone should say to you, “Why are you doing this? reply, ‘The Master has need of it …’

     ….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.” The Church has named this Holy Week. It is holy because of what we pause to recall, the unfolding of God’s plan for our salvation. The whole purpose of Holy Week, therefore, is the remembrance of Christ’s passion and death which led up to the glory of His Resurrection. For Catholics, this is, indeed, the most Holy as well as unique week of the entire Church year. Our week begins with the gracious invitation to re-enter the Holy City with Jesus and share in the Pascal Mystery of His suffering, dying and rising from the dead. To accomplish this end, Jesus instructs all “the Master has need of it.” As we hold the blessed palm branch, may we see it as our ticket or pass to enter all the events, which Jesus experienced, and which we will remember and celebrate this week. This week is Holy, because we will respond through our prayers, fasting and abstinence and, in a special way, our participation in the ritual of walking with Jesus, dining with Him at the supper, and being with Him on Calvary and, later on, in the quiet of His tomb. Each event, every moment is directed by the Lord at the will of His Father. The chalice will not pass Him by. He will indeed drink of it. He requires us to respond to His saving actions and not simply remember. We are not to be detached observers….we are to try our best to be caught up into the joy and rapture of the Sacred Mysteries, which bring us ever closer to salvation. As we now begin this Holy Week, let us commit ourselves to do our best to immerse ourselves in the Triduum for two reasons. “The Master has need of it,” and because we have need of Him. The sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and the institution of the holy priesthood, all have a special significance for us this Holy Week. We ask all to join in prayer for the Church and for our Parish. The Master has need of you. “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

LENTEN REGULATIONS FOR CATHOLICS

     Time for us to prayerfully consider our spiritual preparations for the season of Lent is upon us.  The Lenten Season begins with Ash Wednesday, this year [2021] that is February 17th.

ABSTINENCE forbids the eating of meat. Abstinence obliges from the 14th birthday throughout one’s life.    All Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.

FASTING prescribes that only one full meal be taken a day. Two smaller meals may be taken to maintain strength, but these taken together should not equal another full meal.  Fasting obliges from the 18th to the 59th birthday.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the two days of Fast AND Abstinence from meat.

     There is a serious obligation for Catholics to observe these penitential practices in a substantial way. Those whose work or health would be impaired are excused from fast and abstinence. Individual conscience should decide proper cause for excuse.

     Lent, in a very special way, points out that we are pilgrims.  For seven weeks we walk with Christ, in response to His invitation, “Let us go up to Jerusalem.” The penances, the fasting and all the other aspects of Lent are the hardships of the journey.

    Via Delorosa – Way of Sorrows

     Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to a tree? Were you there when they laid him in a tomb? Please try and make this traditional and very beautiful form of worship a part of your Lenten practice.

(Streamed recordings.)