The Church's Year of Grace. Volume III. Easter to Pentecost

316 Pages·16.078 MB·English

by  Pius Parsch

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The Church
YEAR OF GRACE
by
DR. PIUS PARSCH
TRANSLATED BY
Reverend William G. Heidt, O.S.B.
Reverend Rudolph Kraus
3
Volume
Easter to Pentecost
THE LITURGICAL PRESS
ST. JOHN’S ABBEY COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA
NIHIL OBSTAT
Joannes Eidenschink, O.S.B., J.C.D.
Censor Deputatus
IMPRIMI POTEST
Balduinus Dworschak, O.S.B.
Abbas
Sancti Ioannis Baptistae
IMPRIMATUR
Petrus W. Bartholome, D.D.
Episcopus
Sancti Clodoaldi
Theology Library Die26septembris’1953
SCHOOL OE THEOLOGY
AT CLAREMONT
California
Copyright 1954
The Order of St. Benedict, Inc.
Collegeville, Minnesota
The Proper of the Season
THE SOLEMN FEAST OF EASTER
This is the day the*‘Lord has made,
let us be glad and rejoice in it!
We have scaled the mountain, and victory is ours! The goal
toward which we strove during forty anxious days, the goal al­
ready oudined for us at the beginning of Advent, has finally
been achieved. Light now triumphs over darkness, and a divine
Sun beams Its warm, clear light into the kingdom of God’s elect.
Throughout Advent as in a night we yearned for the Light.
At Christmas the Light came suddenly into the world, pierced
the darkness with Its rays and illumined God’s holy City (the
Church) by Its glory. This was the glad message of the Christmas
season. But even in the midst of Christmas joy a discordant
strain was heard, one that grew continually louder and louder,
“The Light shines in the darkness; and the darkness grasped
it not.” Already during the octave of Christmas we heard the
cry of suffering, a cry that has never since been absent.
On Septuagesima Sunday the passion theme became dominant,
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displacing all other approaches to the mystery. With the first
Sunday of Lent the divine David entered the arena to do battle
with the giant Goliath. The whole Lenten season may well be
regarded as a battle — the battle of Light against darkness.
Historically it was the battle of Christ with the Jews; at present
it is His battle in the souls of those destined for grace and glory
(baptism and penance motif). True, the Light was crushed out
temporarily as Jesus died on Calvary; but just as Its beams un­
expectedly pierced the gloom on Christmas night, so now after
the tribulations of Holy Week, the Easter Sun rises to shine
forever.
Today is Easter, the Feast of feasts, the climax to the Church’s
year of grace. It is a solemnity which the faithful formerly ex­
tended over a period of three days, while the neophytes (newly
baptized), robed in their white baptismal garments, celebrated
it for an entire week'? Hence, a proper Mass for each day. Never
is Mother Church’s joy more unrestrained, more jubilant and
loud.
The liturgy ‘of Easter-day, which colors the entire octave,
stresses a) the resurrection of Christ, b) baptism. Actually, the
second complements the first, while the first is the symbol and
cause of the second. Through baptism Christ’s resurrection is
repeated in the members of His mystical Body. Define baptism as
the resurrection of Jesus in a human soul.
As one deepens his appreciation of the liturgy, he realizes more
and more that the Masses of Easter week are among the finest,
the most stirring and dramatic in the entire Missal. Two themes
are basic — first, the events connected with the resurrection ; and
secondly, the stational churches. It would be helpful to regard
these Masses as a grand Easter drama in which we were the
players; the more actively we entered into our roles the better
we would understand the mysteryfQThe liturgy follows the his­
torical sequence in part; in part, its own genius and inspiration.
There are always good reasons for the setting and the score.
The drama begins at an early hour on Easter morn (the vigil
service). Like Mary Magdalen and the holy women we come to
THE SOLEMN FEAST OF EASTER 3
the sepulcher he daybreak {quae lucescit). We feel the earth--
quake, we see the angel removing the stone, we observe the
guards fleeing. To us the angel announces the Easter tidings and
bids us bring the glad message to Christ’s disciples (the rest of
the faithful). The divine drama continues on Easter morning
“when the sun has risen, orto jam sole.” Again we play the part
of the women and hear the angel’s consoling words, “You shall
see Him, as He told you.” With this assurance we return to our
homes. . f> i >
During the following days we are privileged to witness six
apparitions of our risen Savior. On Monday we play the part
of the disciples from Emmaus who recognized Him in the break-,
ing of bread; on Tuesday we are the apostles and the disciples
who “touched” the Lord and ate with Him on the first Easter
evening (so far the apparitions are arranged chronologically).
Jesus appears to us on Wednesday as we re-enact the scene on
the shores of Genesareth when He invited the seven apostles to
a meal (fish and bread). The Gospel says expressly of this event,
“This is now the third time that Jesus manifested Himself to
His disciples.” It should be noted that these three apparitions
(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) are immediately associated with
a meal (think of the Eucharist).
Thursday finds us in the role of Mary Magdalen who with love
and longing sought and found her Savior. Because of holy Mass
we too can say, “I have seen the Lord.” On Friday, with the mul­
titude of disciples, we see the Lord on the mountain (i.e., the
altar) in His farewell appearance. His last words to the white-
robed neophytes are most consoling, “I am with you all days... .”
On Saturday the Easter drama comes to a close for the newly
baptized. Instead of another apparition account, the Gospel con­
tains an allusion to the robes of baptism. Before our eyes Peter
and John race to the sepulcher; historically this incident occurred
at the beginning of the week, but it finds a place here because of
the symbolism of the station church (St. John Lateran) and the
linens in the tomb (baptismal robes). On the octave day a sixth
apparition is described: “After eight days, His disciples were
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again-inside, and Thomas with them.” Following the apostle’s
example each of us should stretch forth his hand to touch the
Lord. With this the Easter Mass-drama ends.
Not only do the various apparitions of the risen Christ influ­
ence the textual composition of the Masses, but the patron saints
of the stational churches likewise enter deeply into their message.
For in these saints Christ’s resurrection re-occurred in persons
like ourselves. On Easter eve we assemble in the basilica of the
Most Holy Redeemer in order to “rise with Christ”; for a patron
and sponsor the newly baptized have St. John the Baptist.
In the morning the station church is St. Mary Major. This fact
seems to have no relation to the text apart from the similarity of
names in the Gospel — Magdalen’s first name was Mary. The
liturgy, however, wants us to celebrate Easter as did the Mother
of Jesus, with a joyful heart. The composition of the Regina
Caeli has been associated with today’s stational church (accord­
ing to legend angels first sang the anthem at the consecration of
St. Mary Major).
Monday we celebrate Easter at the basilica of St. Peter. In the
Mass formulary there are several direct references and allusions
to the prince of the apostles. During the Epistle “Peter stands in
the midst of the people” and addresses them. The Gospel tells us
that Jesus “appeared to Simon,” a passage that is repeated in
the Communion verse (do not overlook the personal application
during the sacrificial banquet).
For Tuesday’s liturgy we gather around St. Paul. What tre­
mendous significance the Easter mystery had for him! Since
there is no mention of Christ appearing to Paul in the Gospels, a
passage was chosen that describes an apparition to the Eleven —
Paul was associated in spirit with the apostolic college. The first
sentence of the Epistle places him in our midst, “Paul stood up
and spoke.” Consequently we hear the Lesson from his own lips.
Of him in a special manner our Lord’s words hold true, “Among
all the nations remission of sins should be preached in His name.”
On Wednesday the newly baptized assemble with their spon­
sor, St. Lawrence. For him Easter was the day when he died on
THE SOLEMN FEAST OF EASTER 5
the gridiron ; hence the Gospel of the fish broiled on the live
coals. On Thursday we gather in the Church of the Twelve
> Apostles. From them we have received the faith. On Friday oui
thoughts spontaneously revert to the events on Golgotha eight
days ago ; the station is, therefore, at St. Mary’s of the Martyrs.
On Saturday we return to the church of baptism to put aside our
white baptismal robes.
The stational observance of Easter week must be classed as
one of the most venerable monuments of Roman Christianity.
How inspiring and edifying it is to watch the white-robed newly
baptized march from one station to another in triumphal pro-
• cession. I would not hesitate to say that at no time in the entire
liturgical year does the Mass liturgy exemplify a greater unity
of theme, a greater profundity of thought, or more immediate
spiritual usefulness than during Easter week.
Surrexit Dominus
ve - re , Al-le - •
EASTER WEEK
EASTER SUNDAY
Station at St. Mary Major
The Lamb — the Lion
1. Easter Matins. “The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.” With
these words the invitatory proclaims Easter’s joyful message to
redeemed mankind.
Matins today are short, the shortest of the year, a good example
of the day’s liturgy which throughout is classic for its cryptic
beauty and brevity. Man lacks the ability to express adequately
emotion that is truly great and profound; therefore, since words
cannot do justice to the mystery, the liturgy follows a course of
absolute simplicity. The customary hymns are absent, the psalms
are not especially chosen for the occasion, etc. We are almost dis­
appointed by the austere plainness of the festal office.
There is but one nocturn to Matins because the greater part
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SUNDAY 7
of the night was devoted to the ceremonies of Easter eve; it con­
sists of the first three psalms of the Psalter. At first thought we
certainly would expect psalms having a special relation to the
mystery. Apparently the reasons for the order given are: 1. the
Church wants to show that at Easter we start our life over again.
We are new men with a fresh beginning. 2. So great is our joy,
so overpowering the mystery, that the Church does not need to
resort to artificial means to stimulate pious emotions. For this
reason the hymns are omitted, and therefore too it should suffice
to take the first three psalms as in the Bible. 3. These first three
psalms represent the entire Psalter; the Church’s sublime mes­
sage is: All the psalms praise the risen Christ.
The readings at Matins are from a sermon preached by St.
Gregory on Easter Sunday in the basilica of St. Mary Major (an
important liturgical station). “You have heard, dearly beloved
brethren, how the holy women who had followed the Lord came
to the sepulcher with sweet spices. They had loved Him in life,
now they would serve Him with all care and tenderness in death.
But these things happened in order to signify certain acts that
must be done in holy Church. And thus it becomes necessary to
hear what once happened so that we may know what we must
now do by way of imitation.
“Therefore, when we who believe in the Lord who died for
us come and seek Him, bearing the perfume of personal virtues
joined to a reputation for good works, we do indeed come to His
sepulcher bringing sweet spices. But those women who came
with sweet spices, saw angels. This should make it immediately
obvious that the citizens of heaven may be readily seen by such
who go forth with the perfume of good acts and holy desires to
seek the Lord.
“Moreover, we would do well to determine why it was that
the angel was sitting on the right side. What indeed is signified
by the left hand, if not this present life? and what by the right
hand, if not eternal life? Accordingly we read in the Canticle of
Canticles: His left hand is under my head and with His right
hand He embraces me (Cant. 2:6). Therefore, since our Re­