A CELTIC HOLY WEEK--BLESSED EASTER TO ONE AND ALL!!

 

EASTER SUNDAY 2009

                 "IN THIS FATEFUL HOUR,

       I PLACE ALL HEAVEN WITH ITS POWER..."

I. The Difference Between Easter And Christmas

A. Whenever we celebrate Christmas, we feel all warm and peaceful. It is a time for family and friends. No so Easter. If Christmas is a gentle reminder to the world that the Prince of Peace has come, Easter is a slap in the face to a world that thinks it can live without God. Full of light and fire, Hallelujahs and Hosannas, Easter shouts to all Creation: He’s alive and well; the Savior reigns.

B. Even our liturgy says this strongly. Last night, we lit the Easter fire, outside in the darkness, to tell people that He Is Risen! Let me tell you where the origin of that Easter fire comes from. It will be a story particularly important to our parishes.

II. Patrick And the Easter Fire

A. Patrick had been a slave in Ireland as a young man, but escaped. Despite his slavery, he always loved the Irish and one night in a dream he saw a vast woodland and voices were calling for him amidst the trees: "Come to us, O holy Patrick, come to us and walk among us." That is how he knew he had to go back and try to win that land for Christ. So he found himself ordained and made a Bishop and given the task of converting the Irish.

B. Patrick sailed the fierce seas and landed on the rugged shores of Ireland with the Cross of Christ in his hand and the Gospel of Jesus in his mouth. He told of Christ's love and the light he brings to our hearts. Many believed, and the Druids, those witches and warlocks who ran the pagan religion of that land, grew afraid. They remembered he ancient prophecy, and whispered it among themselves:

When comes the one from the raging sea,

Who gathers the people from shore to shore,

Who builds an altar in the light of the sun,

Then shall the Druids be no more.

C. That is what they said. Those followers of the dark powers threatened Patrick's life and plotted on how they could destroy him. Now, Patrick knew that if he was to convert the island, he first had to convert the leaders. What if he could convert the High King himself? At Tara, the seat of the High King, there was going to be a rare assembly of all the kings of the land, including the High King himself. Patrick said, "I will go to Tara; I will go and with the help of Christ change the hearts of the rulers."

D. And so it happened. Patrick journeyed long and far, and came at last to a hill not far from the Hill of Tara; Patrick arrived on Holy Saturday night, on Easter Eve. The saint prepared to celebrate Easter. Now, he knew that Easter was the most important holy day for Christians and it would be the best time to catch the High King’s attention, but how to do it? He came up with a spectacular idea–an Easter fire, and big one at that. And so the saint and his companions gathered huge amounts of wood and lit the first Easter fire--a huge bonfire which, as everyone knows today, stands for Christ our Light. It blazed into the night sky.

E. Now, not far away at Tara, the High King and his Queen, the lesser kings and their queens, the minstrels, the warriors, and, of course, the Druids, were feasting, and they saw the fire. It was law that when the kings gathered for meeting no one was to light any fire throughout the land until the High King first set flame to the Sacred Fire. Someone had broken the law and the High King was furious. "What fool has dared do this outrage?! he shouted.

F. And the Druids hissed, "It is the One of the prophecy, and unless Patrick's fire is put out this night, that fire will never more be extinguished in Ireland. It will outshine the fires we light, and he who lit it will conquer us all!"

G. Filled with rage, the High King leapt to his feet and cried, "Bring me my bow of burning gold; bring me my arrows forged in fire; bring me my spear, its power unfurled; bring me my chariot and steeds who never tire." And so the High King, led his army to the hill where Patrick and his companions were celebrating Easter. "Who are you?" demanded the High king. "And tell me why I should not slay you where you stand--tell me who you are!"

H. And Patrick stood in front of the Easter fire blazing in the dark. Patrick stood, dressed in white robes, in front of the Easter fire blazing in the dark. Patrick stood with cross in hand before the High King of all Ireland, and the two of them stood before the Easter fire blazing in the dark, and Patrick spoke:

I am the one from the raging sea;

I gather the people from shore to shore;

I shall build Christ's altar in the light of the sun'

Hear me, O King, the powers of darkness are no more!"

That is what Patrick said. And the High King grew pale for he knew that this was the Patrick of the Prophecy, and he stammered, "At dawn, you and your companions must come to Tara and tell me of this Christ you bring to our island."

I. And the High King withdrew, but the Druids plotted, "We will kill this Patrick as he walks to Tara: we will ambush him in the mist that comes with the dawn." And the Druids lay in wait, their long knives ready; they lay in wait for Patrick along the forest path to Tara. And at dawn on Easter morning, Patrick and his companions began the walk to Tara. But the saint sensed danger, smelled the evil of the Druids lying in wait, ready to kill him on the forest path. He raised his head to where the sun was soon to rise and he began to sing a hymn of protection. And this is what he sang:

In this fateful hour,

I place all heaven with its power,

And the sun with its brightness,

And the snow with its whiteness,

And the fire with all the strength it hath,

And the lightning with its rapid wrath,

And the winds with their swiftness along the path,

And the sea with its deepness,

And the rocks with their steepness,

And the earth with its starkness,

All these I place,

By God Almighty's help and grace,

Between myself and the powers of darkness!"

I. The world was hushed; time stood still, a great silence descended over the land. And along the forest floor, a mist rose up, white as the pure snow, and hid Patrick and his followers. And all the evil Druids saw through the mist were figures that looked like a stag leading several deer. And under this disguise, protected by God, Patrick reached Tara on Easter Sunday and changed the world. For the people, including the Druids, embraced the story of Christ and accepted his teachings, and gave us the Easter fire which burns each year in the form of this Candle to remind us that He Is Risen!

III. The Power of Easter

A. Now you might think it was the miracles of Patrick that converted those people, but it was not. It was the reality behind the message of the Easter fire, namely, that God had died and risen, and that death itself was turned back and could not longer be the final answer. This was so persuasive to a people who faced death from war, disease and violence every single day. But it wasn’t just that news; it was how the news was transmitted. The news of Christ’s resurrection was not like some news flash on TV. The news was an actual experience of the risen Lord. Those pagan Irish experienced God. How? After Patrick wowed them with those great visuals–he baptized them and gave them Eucharist–the two sacraments we especially celebrate today. That means they got God, and they felt him, and talked with him, and knew this new God was with them in the person of Jesus Christ, the God who walked the earth.

B. And as fantastic as my story was, it’s the same story that is here for each of us. The empty tomb, the first Easter fire, today’s celebration of the Eucharist, all these stories exist to bring home the reality we face today: that in our experience of this liturgy, we get to meet the risen Lord–he is here, and death, and suffering, and grief can no longer ultimately triumph over our lives.

C. Easter works because it is real. And if in your heart you cannot feel the presence of Christ the risen Lord, do not despair. He is here, even in the darkness of our hearts. All he asks is a little faith, just a little, like he asked of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John and Doubting Thomas. Give him a little faith this Easter; open you hearts, and let the fire of Jesus Christ fill your lives. He is real. He is alive. He is with each of us now. Christ is Risen! Christ is Truly Risen!

Comments

[Mela]

Very interesting post and a really wonderful photo! Thanks!

[Michael Wirth]

It was a glorious and profoundly moving Easter Vigil.

The Chrism Mass was something I will never forget the rest of my life.

The entire Triduum was a great gift, but the Vigil Mass was the ultimate!

It seemed the Holy Spirit filled that place almost like the upper room. One could indeed 'feel the brush of Angel's wings and see glory on each face'.

Thank you Msgr. for being a priest - for loving Christ and giving yourself to us in His service.

Your great love for Him and His Church inspires us and makes us want to love and serve Him more and more.

I enjoyed the way you closed the Homily - "Easter works because it is real."

We need constant reminders of what ultimate reality 'really' is. You provide those reminders in many ways.

May the Lord give you rest and refreshment in the days to come.

In Jesus & Mary,
Mike

(I wanted to share my thoughts with you - no need to post unless you want to of course!)

****Thanks Michael for the great thoughts! It really was a great Triduum. I love this time of year; it brings to mind how great it is to be Catholic and able to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. He is truly Risen!