Stay and Watch With Me

Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter Sunday

"Last Supper" by Sieger Koder

Tonight we enter into the most sacred time of the our Church year, the Paschal Triduum.  In it, we remember the central mysteries of our faith - the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.  Our liturgies contain some of the most beautiful rituals and traditions.  Tonight is no different.  We wash feet.  We celebrate the Lord's Supper with renewed vigor.  We process through the church while chanting an ancient hymn.

"The Washing of the Feet" by Sieger Koder

At the end, we strip the sanctuary of all things.  The altar is left uncovered.  The candles are extinguished.  The tabernacle is empty.  The joy that began the evening with the singing of the Gloria and the ringing of bells now leaves us in silence, nakedness, darkness.   In an instant, we are transported from a festive meal with friends to the solitude and fear of the Garden of Gethsemane.  And we hear the urgent plea of Jesus, "Won't you stay and watch with me?"

"Hour of Darkness" by Sieger Koder

We are invited this evening to spend some moments in silent prayer before the altar of repose where the Blessed Sacrament will be kept during this most dark night.  We hear in the Gospels that Peter, James and John couldn't stay awake with Jesus in the Garden.  Three times Jesus came to them, and three times Jesus found them asleep.  Could they not stay and watch with Jesus?  Can we stay and watch?  We also hear in the Gospels that Jesus was tormented, that he was full of anguish.  German theologian Karl Rahner suggests that part of Jesus' distress and sorrow came from our sins that he would carry with the cross.  In the Garden, Jesus knew our sins for which he would die.  For us, Jesus stayed awake.  For us, Jesus watched.  For us, Jesus prayed.  For us, Jesus died.  Can't we stay awake and watch with him for just a little while?

Our Marianist charism offers us an image that I think can help us to stay and watch.  It is the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.  While the Visitation and Garden of Gethsemane are two totally different situations, we hear that Mary went in haste to her older and pregnant cousin.  All the while, Mary's life had just been turned upside down with the news that she was pregnant.  But, in that moment, Mary went, and we are told she stayed for three months.  Mary had preoccupations and preparations to make, but she went, she stayed with Elizabeth.  Mary was present in her cousin's time of need, and she carried Jesus to her.  Our Marianist Vow of Stability calls us to do the same - to be present with our brothers and sisters in need, no matter our own preoccupations.  Stability invites us to offer our support and comfort, even in the darkest moments.  Like Mary who stayed and watched, Marianist Stability calls us to the do the same - tonight to stay and watch with Christ, in his suffering, our suffering.

"Magnificat" by Sieger Koder

In Rome, there is a tradition of visiting several churches on Holy Thursday night and spending a few moments in prayer there.  While this isn't so easy to do in many places, there's a church on about every corner in the city of Rome.  But, however we can do it - in your own church, in a corner of your house, in the silence of your heart - let's spend some time watching and praying.  Let's take the lead of Mary.  Let's be with Jesus in his agony, knowing that he did it all for us.

 

 A video with the Taize song "Stay with Me"

 
Blessed Triduum, my friends.

Ciao!