The “A word”
From the Vicar
Attention! The following message from the Vicar is embargoed until Sunday 17th April. Reading it early may put you at risk of saying the ‘A word’ during Passiontide. You have been warned…
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!!
Our 40 days of fasting move to 50 days of feasting as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death and our invitation to join in His eternal life. Alleluia indeed! During the great Triduum (3-days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday evening’s Easter Vigil) we have remembered and re-told Christ’s journey of love, sacrifice, suffering, death, and resurrection. We have been reminded of the depth of Jesus’ love, the natural outcome of our desire for power and control, and the ultimate defeat of darkness with the dawn of a new day. Alleluia!
One of the books that I regularly dip into for holy days is “Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book” (Not, as the title suggests written by Augustine, but rather by the Order of the Holy Cross in 1947, and revised in 2014). They suggest that to balance the stations of the cross, we would do well to celebrate some stations of the resurrection. And so, inserted into our pewsheet this week, is a guide to key moments between resurrection and Pentecost, with the text of an accompanying hymn (Puer Nobis tune would work well). [See below.] Can I commend it to you. Perhaps you might want to replace a Lenten discipline with a resurrection rhythm and read and meditate on a few passages per week until Pentecost (5th June).
Stations of the Resurrection
“Descent into Hell” by Ukrainian Artist Ivanka Demchuk - http://ivannademchuk.wixsite.com/artist
1 – The Earthquake (Mt 28:2-4)
The risen Christ in glory bright
has banished death’s eternal night,
and having harrowed hell with might
brings forth the sleeping saints to light.
2 – At the tomb (Mk 16:1-8)
Entombed within the stone of late,
securely sealed, where soldiers wait,
now shining in triumphant state,
Christ rises victor from death’s gate.
3 – Peter and the Beloved disciple go to the tomb (Jn 20:2-10)
The light dawns now, the shadows clear,
and yet their hearts are held in fear.
The empty tomb before them lies,
and still they mourn their Lord so dear.
4 – Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Lord (Jn 20:11-18)
Hell’s chains are loosed and demons fled;
captivity is captive led;
the angel crowned with light has said,
the Christ is risen from the dead!
5 – On the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-25)
Along the road the stranger came
who asked and listen’d to them mourn,
and hope and calm were soon reborn,
the scripture’s witness he did claim.
6 – In the breaking of the bread (Lk 24:28-32)
O Risen Lord, be with us still
and open thou our blinded eyes.
Break thou the bread, our hearts to fill
that joy throughout the world may rise.
7 – The Upper Room (Jn 20:19-23)
That night the Lord among them stood,
who bore our sins upon the Rood,
“Peace be with you,” he spoke the word;
and so their hearts with joy were stirred.
8 – Thomas (Jn 20:24-29)
How great a love was yours to take
our human woes for humans’ sake,
and pangs and cruel death to bear
to ransom us from death’s despair.
9 – Jesus appears by the sea (Jn 21:1-14)
Eternal Christ, let praises ring,
Salvation through your blood we sing
by you the death of death was wrought
and grace to human life was brought.
10 – Jesus and Peter (Jn 21:15-17)
To you the whole creation now
must in its ordered nature bow:
all things on earth, in sky, and sea,
and to the farthest galaxy.
11 – Jesus Commissions the Disciples (Mt 28:16-20)
And now th’ eleven stand once more,
upon the mountain of the Lord.
He sends them forth to bear the Word,
that through the world his grace be poured.
12 – The ascension (Acts 1:6-11)
Jesus, the king of gentleness,
do thou thyself our hearts possess
that we may give thee all our days
the tribute of our grateful praise.
13 – Mary and the disciples remain in prayer (Acts 1:12-14)
Joy filled the blessed mother’s heart
when she beheld her risen son
and with th’ disciples she remained
in prayer and fellowship divine.
14 – The day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-14)
O come, Creator Spirit, come
and make within our souls your home.
Come with your grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which you have made.
So make our great Creator known,
teach us th’ eternal Christ to own,
while we with all the saints above,
acknowledge You, the bond of love.
O Lord of all, with us abide
in this our joyful Eastertide;
from every weapon death can wield
thine own redeemed forever shield.
All praise be thine, O risen Lord,
from death to endless life restored;
all praise to God the Father be
and Holy Ghost eternally.
Sources
Image: “Descent into Hell” by Ukrainian Artist Ivanka Demchuk - http://ivannademchuk.wixsite.com/artist
originally found at http://osbm.info/upokoivsia-v-bozi-prepodobnyy-brat-yos/
Text: David Cobb ed., “Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book.” (Forward Movement, Chicago), 2014.
This edition compiled by Rev’d Canon Ben Truman, Anglican Parish of Opawa-St Martins, 2022.
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