+ On a “skull-shaped” hill appropriately named Golgotha (“skull” in Aramaic), Jesus breathed his last.
It wasn’t a peaceful death. Far from it .
It was violent and hate-filled, and drenched with jealousy and arrogant pride — and now there is silence.
But this silence is, sadly, the silence of the grave.
Entombed in a cave-like spot sealed with a huge stone, Jesus “rests” in death — the ultimate “sleep”; those who had followed him grieve and fear and also are not at peace.
Far from it.
Appropriately, our churches are stripped bare. Tabernacles are empty.
Appropriately, our churches look like tombs; there is no sign of glory, no sign of decoration or beauty.
Sadness is in the air.
No Mass — no celebration — no acknowledging the presence of him who is our daily reason to gather, and through him to experience life and to be fed and nurtured.
+ They say that you cannot possibly truly appreciate light unless you have known darkness.
If this is so, then perhaps resurrection would never really have meaning without death and entombment.
And the glory and joy of resurrection, perhaps, would necessitate crucifixion (the killing mob); or some other senseless and loveless, but love-filled death (the loving Lord).
Empty becomes filled. Death becomes alive. Sin is conquered by grace. Mortal become Immortal.
+ It might seem crazy to say or to make this connection, but Mame Dennis in the famous “Auntie Mame” film dramatically shouts out her motto: “Live! Live! Live!“
And further, she specifies with her own commentary: “Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.”
Something tells me, perhaps, that the glory we are about to celebrate in literally a few hours is life in abundance.
In fact, we call it eternal life.
We cannot, must not “starve” to death.
No! The opposite must be so.
We must celebrate and receive and rejoice in Life! Life! Life! — eternal life!
We must be ready to say no!
To sin our alleluias again and again and again!
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
