Monday, February 25, 2008

Looking Forward: Sundays and Holy Days in March

Taken from the March issue of Tidings, the parish newsletter of Immanuel.
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Looking Forward: Sundays and Holy Days in March

March 2: Laetare - The Fourth Sunday in Lent takes its name, Laetare, from the first word of the Introit in Latin: "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her." As we draw closer to the awe-full deeds of salvation wrought by our Lord, we Christians—citizens of "the Jerusalem above" (Epistle, Gal. 4.26)—even at this solemn time rejoice at the Savior's work. During the season of fasting (Lent), our weakness has been exposed. We have stumbled. Fallen. So like that "great multitude" (Gospel, John 6.2) of old, we look to Jesus, who alone can feed us with the Bread of Life.

March 9: Judica - "Judge me (Judica me), O God," "Vindicate me ... and defend my cause against an ungodly people" (Introit). On this day, the "Sunday of the Passion," we speak words which we dare not utter regarding ourselves. If God should judge us, we would be damned. There is only One whose work needed vindication—Jesus, whose death was unjust, yet atoned for all our injustices (sins). Beginning with this Sunday, the crosses are veiled and the Gloria Patri disappears from the liturgy. We are on the final portion of the journey to the cross, and the signs of our joy are hidden from our eyes and ears, as we see how blind and deaf sin has made us.

March 16:
Palmarum - The Palm Sunday Divine Service begins outside, hearing the Gospel of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The mood of the liturgy abruptly shifts, as we hear the entire Passion according to St. Matthew. There, we hear that the crowd which lauded Jesus on Sunday as a conquering king called for His blood on Friday. Having sung our "hosannas" to Jesus, will we likewise betray Him? Holy Week has begun.

March 20: Holy Thursday - Sometimes called "Maundy Thursday" (probably from the Latin mandatum, "commandment," based on the words of Jesus in today's Gospel, John 13: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another"), this Divine Service focuses on the Sacrament of the Altar, which Jesus instituted "on the night when He was betrayed." The service concludes with the Stripping of the Altar, in preparation for the solemn observance of Good Friday.

March 21: Good Friday - One cannot understand Easter without this day. Not a "funeral for Jesus," this Divine Service features a series of "Reproaches," as we hear that it was our disobedience and unfaithfulness that necessitated Christ's suffering. The Passion of St. John is read, and the body and blood of Jesus is distributed, for on this day, of all days, it is meet and right that we receive the benefit of the cross: communion with Jesus, the forgiveness of our sins.

March 22: The Great Vigil of Easter - A service unlike any other in the entire year, the liturgy begins with the blessing of the Paschal Candle and a journey into the darkened church. Our Lord, who spent this great Sabbath in a darkened tomb, awoke "very early in the morning on the first day of the week." Awaiting the celebration of His joyous resurrection, we hear again the narrative of salvation history - Creation, flood, deliverance from Pharoah's bondage, the valley of the dry bones - all leading up to our Lord Jesus, who fulfilled everything for us. In this liturgy we make special remembrance of our Baptism, and hear the first Gospel of Easter. Christ is risen!

March 23: The Resurrection of Our Lord - This day is the Feast of Feasts, and no adornment is out of place: the chanting of the Creed, a sequence hymn ("Christians, to the Paschal Victim, offer your thankful praises..."). Christ is risen, death's sting is removed, sin is forgiven, the devil is routed. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

March 30: Quasimodo Geniti - The funniest of all the funny Latin names, Quasimodo Geniti is the Latin beginning to the Introit, from 1 Peter: "Like new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the Word." By baptism into Jesus' death and resurrection, we are newly-born. Through drinking in the Word, we will grow as God's children. Today's Gospel recounts the events of Easter evening and the following Sunday, when Jesus appeared to the Disciples and showed His wounds to unbelieving Thomas.

Want to learn more about the traditional church year? Visit http://historiclectionary.com today!

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