The Paschal Mystery: Devotions for Lent & Easter

By Joseph Stanley

More than two billion people in the world claim some sort of relationship to Christianity. Despite the wide diversity represented in the New Testament literature and the wide diversity of practice, there is a basic gospel and proclamation that even ante-dates the written texts of the New Testament. As Paul expresses it I handed on to you, as of first importance, what I in turn had received that Christ died for our sins. in accordance with the scriptures and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim, and so you have come to believe. (1 Cor 15:1-4, 11).
This book provides the basic texts (with references to parallel texts) of this basic message together with reflections and prayers. In addition, there are reflections taken from the Fathers of the Church, which provide material for reflection and new insights into the Paschal Mystery. May those who read this book, praying and meditating on its message, be empowered to return to the simplicity of the original message - the gospel received the gospel handed over the gospel which you received and in which you stand, as will generations of Christians to come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 22, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449705015

Joseph Stanley

THE AUTHOR who writes under the pseudonym is a very highly qualified individual in civil law, philosophy, Buddhism and Christianity. He has wide experience of teaching in various parts of the world at University level. His thoughts recorded in this book will certainly provoke deep and searching reflection in the reader.

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Copyright © 2011 Joseph Stanley

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Citations from: New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-0500-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-0501-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010943172

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 3/16/2011

Contents

INTRODUCTION

JOURNEYING WITH THE CHRIST, WHO DIED, ROSE AND WILL COME AGAIN DURING LENT & EASTER

Martin Luther, How to Contemplate Christ’s Holy Sufferings²

THE REVISED STATIONS OF THE CROSS

OPENING REFLECTION AND PRAYER.

1. The Last Supper

2. In the Garden of Gethsemane.

3. Jesus before the Sanhedrin

4. Jesus before Pontius Pilate.

5. Jesus is whipped and crowned with thorns.

6. Jesus carries his cross.

7. Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry the cross.

8. The Women of Jerusalem.

9. Jesus stripped of his garments is nailed to the cross

10. The other criminal.

11. Mary and John stand by the Cross of Jesus

12. Jesus dies on the cross.

13. The Burial of Jesus in a New Tomb

14. The Resurrection

THE STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION

INTRODUCTION:

1. Jesus rises from the dead

2. The Disciples find the tomb Empty

3. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

4. Jesus walks with the Disciples to Emmaus

5. Jesus Reveals Himself in the Breaking of the Bread

6. Jesus appears to the disciples

7. Jesus Confers on the Disciples the Power to Forgive Sins

8. Jesus Confirms Thomas in Faith

9. Jesus Appears to the Disciples on the Shore of Lake Galilee

10. Jesus Confers Primacy on Peter

11. Jesus Entrusts His Disciples With A Universal Mission

12. Jesus Ascends into Heaven

13. Mary and the Disciples Await the Coming of the Holy Spirit

14. Jesus sends the Spirit Promised by the Father to His Disciples

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS

INTRODUCTION

JOURNEYING WITH THE CHRIST, WHO DIED, ROSE AND WILL COME AGAIN DURING LENT & EASTER

Vatican II has not eliminated popular devotions. Moreover, the Council has suggested that These devotions should be so drawn up that they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some fashion derived from it, and lead the people to it, since the liturgy by its very nature far surpasses any of them. (SC 13). That sentiment has been further strengthened and developed by the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines (published in Italian 2002; English 2003). In this light, we need to look at the revised Stations of the Cross, which The Congregation for Sacred Worship approved in 1987. The Stations of the Cross together with the Stations of the Resurrection were published in the Official Vatican Prayer Book for the Jubilee Year 2000. What is the significance of this revision?

Right up until Vatican II, the Bible was looked on as a book for non-Catholic Christians, while Catholics were nourished on the Bible communicated to them in sermons and in the middle ages, through the Biblical scenes in painting and sculpture. Vatican II encouraged easy access to the Bible for all Christians. As a basis for the renewal of its own life and mission, the Church discovered the Paschal Mystery – the inseparable link between the Passion, Death, Resurrection and Glorification of Jesus. It is in the light of these two perspectives that the revised Stations of the Cross and the Stations of the Resurrection are now available. This is the same perspective of the renewal envisaged by Vatican II. It is in that perspective and spirit that these two forms of popular devotion need to be practiced. None of us, when recalling the mysteries of our salvation, can afford to consider ourselves uninvolved bystanders. We have been complicit in the betrayal of Jesus because we wanted to be like God; we sinned. But, we are also partakers in the victory of Christ’s resurrection. By baptism, we have passed from the death of sin to share the new life of his resurrection. The constant call to commitment by faith and repentance to what the Paschal Mystery signifies is fostered in us through these and other devotional practices in the Church.

In presenting these stations, I offer a scripture text and a brief commentary in contemporary language, together with a selection of prayers both of free composition and from the liturgy. In addition, I also have a few short reflections from the Fathers of the Church. These are taken from the Golden Chain (Catena Aurea) of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). In this work St. Thomas gathers sayings from several ancient ecclesiastical writers,¹ ranging from the 3rd century to the 11th century.

Why do I suggest that we of the 21st century read reflections that are so ancient? For several reasons. First, most of the writings of the Fathers grew in an effort to provide answers to live issues. Today, we have more troubling issues than we can handle successfully. Secondly, the reflections of the Fathers grew out of their experience of the Scriptures. We recall the medieval distich: The literal sense (of scripture) tells us what happened; the allegorical sense what we must believe; the moral sense, what we must do, the anagogical sense, where we are headed. Thirdly, the Fathers understood the church as communion. There were heresies, sects, schisms, quarrels, cheating and many other negative factors. However, the point is that the Fathers wrote without causing rupture. The magic word was communion, not authority.

Therefore, in presenting personal reflections, side by side with texts of the Fathers, I would suggest that we reflect on the central proclamation of our faith – Christ has died, Christ is risen – Christ will come again:

• As a search of the whole person for the living God

• That living God, who spoke and continues to speak to us in such varied accents, has spoken his definitive word in Christ and particularly, in his Paschal Mystery.

• That is why, even though at this point, there are problems and serious issues, we, as those who have been called by that definitive word and opted to follow him, will always have to find the means to opt for the we of communion – united in that ideal situation of sharing the teaching, prayer and the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42).

Martin Luther, How to Contemplate Christ’s Holy Sufferings2

I. THE FALSE VIEWS OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS

1. In the first place, some reflect upon the sufferings of Christ in a way that they become angry at the Jews, sing and lament about poor Judas, and are then satisfied; just like by habit they complain of other persons, and condemn and spend their time with their enemies. Such an exercise may truly be called a meditation not on the sufferings of Christ, but on the wickedness of Judas and the Jews.

2. In the second place, others have pointed out the different benefits and fruits springing from a consideration of Christ’s Passion. Here the saying ascribed to Albertus is misleading, that to think once superficially on the sufferings of Christ is better than to fast a whole year or to pray the Psalter every day, etc. The people thus blindly follow him and act contrary to the true fruits of Christ’s Passion; for they seek therein their own selfish interests. Therefore, they decorate themselves with pictures and booklets, with letters and crucifixes, and some go so far as to imagine that they thus protect themselves against the perils of water, of fire, and of the sword, and all other dangers. In this way, the suffering of Christ is to work in them an absence of suffering, which is contrary to its nature and character.

3. A third class so sympathize with Christ as to weep and lament for him because he was so innocent, like the women who followed Christ from Jerusalem, whom he rebuked, in that they should better weep for themselves and for their children. Such are they who run far away in the midst of the Passion season, and are greatly benefitted by the departure of Christ from Bethany and by the pains and sorrows of the Virgin Mary, but they never get farther. Hence they postpone the Passion many hours, and God only knows whether it is devised more for sleeping than for watching. And among these fanatics are those who taught what great blessings come from the holy mass, and in their simple way they think it is enough if they attend mass. Nevertheless, the mass was not instituted for the sake of its own worthiness, but to prove us, especially for the purpose of meditating upon the sufferings of Christ. … For what help is it to you, that God is God, if he is not God to you? What benefit is it that eating and drinking are in themselves healthful and good, if they are not healthful for you, and there is fear that we never grow better by reason of our many masses, if we fail to seek the true fruit in them?

II. THE TRUE VIEW OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.

4. Fourthly, they meditate on the Passion of Christ aright, who so view Christ that they become terror-stricken in heart at the sight, and their conscience at once sinks in despair. This terror-stricken feeling should spring forth, so that you see the severe wrath and the unchangeable earnestness of God in regard to sin and sinners, in that he was unwilling that his only and dearly beloved Son should set sinners free unless he paid the costly ransom for them as is mentioned in Is 53, 8: For the transgression of my people was he stricken. What happens to the sinner, when the dear child is thus stricken? An earnestness must be present that is inexpressible and unbearable, which a person so immeasurably great goes to meet, and suffers and dies for it; and if you reflect upon it real deeply, that God’s Son, the eternal wisdom of the Father, himself suffers, you will indeed be terror-stricken; and the more you reflect the deeper will be the impression.

5. Fifthly, that you deeply believe and never doubt the least, that you are the one who thus martyred Christ. For your sins most surely did it. Thus St. Peter struck and terrified the Jews as with a thunderbolt in Acts 2, 36-37, when he spoke to them all in common: Him have ye crucified, so that three thousand were terror-stricken the same day and tremblingly cried to the apostles: 0 beloved brethren what shall we do? Therefore, when you view the nails piercing through his hands, firmly believing it is your work. Do you behold his crown of thorns, believe the thorns are your wicked thoughts, etc.

6. Sixthly, now see, where one thorn pierces Christ, there more than a thousand thorns should pierce you, yea, eternally should they thus and even more painfully pierce you. Where one nail is driven through his hands and feet, you should eternally suffer such and even more painful nails; as will be also visited upon those who let Christ’s sufferings be lost and fruitless as far as they are concerned. For this earnest mirror, Christ, will neither lie nor mock; whatever he says must be fully realized.

7. Seventhly, St. Bernard was so terror-stricken by Christ’s sufferings that he said: I imagined I was secure and I knew nothing of the eternal judgment passed upon me in heaven, until I saw the eternal Son of God took mercy upon me, stepped forward and offered himself on my behalf in the same judgment. Ah, it does not become me still to play and remain secure when such earnestness is behind those sufferings. Hence he commanded the women: Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. Lk 23, 28; and gives in the 31st verse the