Easter Sunday
Bishop’s Corner
I write this on a rainy Tuesday in Holy Week, reflecting on the splendid Palm Sunday we had, and hoping for another Easter Triduum with which to glorify God. At St. Gertrude, we are nothing if we do not glorify God. We do this out of love for Our Lord, joined to some sad sense that there are few, very few, Magdalen souls left in this selfish world of ours. How can we do enough? Who would think it too much?
So, thank you for helping us purchase that “pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price” (a year’s earnings.) Thank you for washing Jesus’ feet with us, for your tears, for breaking the neck of the alabaster vessel to get the last few drops, for wiping up, for filling the house with the odor of the ointment.
In some sense we are all Magdalen souls here at St. Gertrude, sinners who know it, and don’t mind the criticism of Simon the leper or of the apostles; and later, their incredulity. We’re busy weeping for our sins, stalking out a choice spot at His feet, and loving Him. We’re looking for Him, and loving Him still. That’s how we managed the money to buy yet more spices early in the morning, and to find our way to the garden. There are always obstacles, true. We were wondering about that heavy stone at the sepulchre, but an angel saw to it.
Thus passes another Holy Week, the heart of our St. Gertrude life, which leads us to the blinding white gold of another Easter. May your Easter be blessed, and you know the Magdalen blessings of personal devotion poured out beyond price, all out of love.
You other ones, who merely read these words, or watched with wondering love the webcasts, or dressed up and “came to see the end” at Easter; know you too have it in you to be a Magdalen. Your sins qualify you, your hungry heart sends you our way to look with us for the Master. Money for the ointment, courage to conquer human respect? You’ll know what to do these next forty days of Easter. Mary Immaculate comes on its Octave Day to show us the way, all through the month of May. But Magdalen’s spices linger, fragrant, around the tomb.
I meant to say a word before my renvoi about the donkey, and the children, and the choir, and the ceremonies and the church all graced with green palm against purple for last Sunday’s triumphant homage to the King who goes to die for us, to win us this Sunday’s victory. Wasn’t it beautiful? I am so grateful for your generous participation in Palm Sunday, and all of Holy Week. It was especially gratifying to see the good attendance for the High Mass, long as it was, and to see so many little ones walk with the donkey who made the long journey from Kentucky to be with us. Thank you all for the glory you give to God.
A blessed Easter to you!
-Bishop Dolan