Keeping Vigil

Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Paschal Vigil
Easter Sunday

Today we continue our liturgical celebration of the Paschal Triduum - the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus - with Holy Saturday and the Paschal Vigil. Originally, I was going to reflect on some of the rich imagery that the Easter Vigil Mass offers us: the interplay of darkness and light, water and oil, silence and sound.  After all, it is one of my favorite liturgies.  But, after an experience yesterday evening, my thoughts turned elsewhere.

Friday evening, I attended services at Santa Susanna, the American parish in Rome.  Afterwards, my plan was to "stop by" the Colosseum where Pope Francis would preside at the Stations of the Cross.  I figured I'd get the book, stay for a few stations and then walk home.  I was tired and still recovering from a string of large Vatican gatherings.  But, as often happens, my plans changed and I learned a good lesson.

As I approached the Colosseum, I ran into two priests that I know.  They convinced me to join them on the other side of the Colosseum where we could see the Pope.  Long story short, I ended up not getting a booklet, and I stayed for the whole thing!  But....

...As we stood there listening to the reflections (which were written by young people from Lebanon) I was struck by the event itself.  First, thousands of people crowded around the Colosseum, and Pope Francis sat atop a hill overlooking it all.  If you came to get a glimpse of the Pope, well that was all you were going to get.  Second, judging by the conversations around me, there was a large number in the crowd who probably didn't understand the Italian that was being spoken through the speakers.  But even with both of those things, the people stayed.  They watched.  They prayed.  They silently kept vigil. 

And I think this is what Holy Saturday is all about, even if it gets lost in the coloring of eggs and preparations for tomorrow's dinner.  On Friday, we remember the stark reality that Jesus died and is laid in a dark, cold tomb.  As darkness fell over the city of Rome, we gathered together to remember these events.  We stood together, praying for our broken world.  We bore witness that the Crucifixion of Jesus means something in our lives.    I'm sure that the individuals in the the gathered crowd all had different reasons for coming.  But, the fact is, they all came together in quiet, they all paused for a few moments to reflect and try to make some sort of meaning for their lives. 

At the end, Pope Francis offered some brief remarks that seemed to sum up what I was thinking.  He simply said that there was no need for him to say much because there is only one word that matters and only one word that remains - that is the "word of the cross itself."  The cross of Jesus stands in testimony against the evil that is in the world.  The cross stands in testimony of the response of God's deep and abiding love for us.  The cross stands in testimony that death will not have the final answer. It is important that we, too, stand in testimony of these things.  Today, Saturday, we wait.  We wait silently but confidently that the cross will bring us to freedom, to forgiveness, to love.  We stand in vigil, awaiting the Day of the Lord, but our waiting is done in hope and in confidence.

Pope Francis concluded with: "We continue this Way of the Cross in all of our days.  We walk together on the Way of the Cross , we walk carrying in our heart this Word of love and forgiveness.  We walk awaiting the Resurrection of Jesus who loves us so much.  It is all love!"

Friends,  let us wait and pray together today.  Let us find a little bit of space to reflect on the great forgiveness and love that, while buried in the tomb, has never left us, and that will spring up to new life within us.  Let us find new life from death.

Blessings on your Triduum!

Ciao!