From the Tomb

Tags

Catholic, Easter, Triduum

I did not grow up Catholic.

In fact, I did not grow up much of anything at all. My parents were Baptists; my Mother an American Baptist (yes, that really is a denomination), my Father a ‘good old boy’ Southern Baptist. In fact, as it turns out, dear old Dad came from a line of Baptist Preachers in both Virginia and later North Carolina. Both of my parents were basically non-practicing by the time I was old enough to notice, so I grew up un-churched except for the occasional Wedding, mostly of Catholic friends – mystical and strange affairs with lots of standing and sitting down and prayers and more sitting, standing… you get the picture.

But the High Holy Days of Christmas and Easter would have me looking for meaning every year and I eventually found my way into the Catholic Church after decades of trying this and that, squeaking in as JP II closed the Doors of Jubilee in 2001.

I first experienced the Triduum while already on the Road to Rome, a Confirmand in RCIA, the culmination of a several year journey and thousands of questions. I admittedly drove my long suffering Priest, Fr Allan McDonald, Diocese of Savannah, crazy with my non-ending struggles.

Go ahead and ask him if you think I am exaggerating; he has a wonderful blog, Southern Orders, and would be more than happy to fill you in on all of the ‘pain and suffering’ I caused him on my journey (nice plug for you, Fr Allan – you owe me)! http://www.southernorderspage.blogspot.com/

But in I came, Lumen Gentium in hand, at the Easter Vigil in the oldest Catholic Church in Georgia, the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, celebrating that ancient mystery centuries old; the culmination of our Faith in Christ as Catholics.

Angels rejoiced, Fr Allan heaved huge sighs of relief. St Peter welcomed a fellow sinner and my Patron Saints, Patrick & Columba, held me up while shaking to the very core of my being I spoke the words of Faith; “I believe in the one, holy catholic and apostolic church…”

And my life was forever changed. 

I cannot describe fully what it means to be Catholic with its Rites thousands of years old still carried on into the present. A Family Reunion where Traditions that matter have been protected and preserved for the future, like that special potato salad recipe, handed on throughout the generations despite many who would love to say ‘out with the old and in with the new’. For the first time in my life I understood why going to Church mattered, that true fellowship in Christ was corporate and not individual for a reason and that understanding where I came from was as important as where I was going.

I was home. Finally.

Last night the Triduum began with the Institution of the Lords Supper and the washing of the disciples feet; a reminder to us all that Christ took upon himself the form of a servant, bending down on His knees to honor and invite those to the Feast of His Body and all that was still to come.

After Mass, the Altar is traditionally stripped of its linen, the burial cloth of Christ. Adornments are covered, the Blessed Sacrament is reposed and the Tabernacle door left open – a reminder that Jesus will be going to the Garden soon and then into the very gates of Hell; the unblemished lamb, blood and wine mingled as the Angel of Death passes by the doorways of our lives. On Good Friday, the Way of the Cross is observed throughout the world – that Via Dolorosa of the Soul – “Behold, I make all things new”

We keep Vigil with Him, however poorly. Peter denies, John weeps. Mary is there until the bitter end – she does not leave her Son throughout it all. Finally, “I thirst”.  The veil is rent, the ground quakes, people fall to their knees and the words of salvation are spoken for us all – “It is Finished”…

Easter has become all about Bunnies and Egg Hunts and the flowers of Spring. In fact, if one Googles ‘Easter’ images, you have to scroll quite far down until anything ‘religious’ even appears.

As a person who spent decades looking for truth amidst baskets of candy, I sometimes wonder why those of us who call ourselves Christians would allow such frivolity to take primacy in our lives this week of all weeks. People who for decades told me I needed to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior prancing about in bunny outfits and painting eggs – pagan customs, all. I know that sounds harsh and I don’t mean it to be, I really don’t. But I cant help thinking – as a person who searched and searched for meaning in life and who is still on a life journey – how these Traditions build our Faith in Christ when our children know more about the ‘Easter Bunny’ than they do about the Road to Calvary.

Tomorrow evening an amazing Basketball Game will be played – the Battle of the Trees. It will be an epic game; maybe not as epic as ND vs UK, but..!

The game begins shortly after 8pm. Just as the Easter Fires of the Great Easter Vigil will be lit…

I admit that I struggled about this; after all I AM Catholic and there are many Masses I could go to and still watch that game! Easter Sunday Mass is certainly an option and I am sure my cousins in Kentucky will be in attendance then – no blame, no shame!

But the Easter Vigil is not just ‘another Mass’ for me. It is also the Anniversary of my Birth in Christ, the night I put on the Garments of Salvation, the night I lit the Candle of my Baptism in Christ, the night I renounced the devil and all of his evil works, the night I was Confirmed as a Child of God, the night I received Jesus in the Eucharist.

The Easter Vigil is the night I returned home from the prodigal journey of my life, never wishing again for the ‘good old days’ of chaos, the night I rose from the tomb of death into life, through the eternal sacrifice of Christ on my behalf.

On this night, I am the sinner both on His right and His left. I am Peter in the public square and also in the garden, sword drawn. I am Mary, watching her bloodied and battered son die a sinners death on a criminal’s cross.

Tomorrow night will find me at the Easter Vigil. The most Holy Night of the Year for Christians world over, the anniversary of my death of self and the defining moment of my life in Christ. I will wait with Him for the sun to rise upon the empty tomb and in doing so, renew my vows to Him.

“To whom shall I go? You have the words of Eternal Life”…

“Oh truly blessed night, worthy alone to know the time and hour when Christ rose from the Underworld! The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners”

Blessed Triduum, Blessed Easter! ALLELUIA!