The sharpest contrast

THAT’S what happens during the Easter Triduum, starting

with the evening Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday through Good

Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday when we celebrate the blessed

resurrection of Christ.

            It may look like four days, but it’s actually just

three—thus the word, Triduum—because the evening Mass of Holy Thursday

is liturgically part not only of the following day, Good Friday, but

also of the whole set of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which somehow

are considered as just one organic celebration.

            In fact, the evening Mass of the Last Supper of Christ on

Holy Thursday, when the sacrament of Holy Eucharist was instituted,

somehow captures, summarizes and perpetuates the events of Good Friday

to Easter Sunday, that is, the passion, death and resurrection of

Christ our Savior, our re-creator.

            Now that we are approaching the celebration of the

International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu in January next year, it

might be good to remind ourselves of this distinctive character of the

sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It’s to bring to the present the most

important event that took place in the past, that is, Christ’s

passion, death and resurrection, that consummate Christ’s redemptive

work for us.

            Anyway, it’s in this Easter Triduum that we experience the

sharpest, severest contrast that we can ever have, for in it we see

the very worst form of evil and malice, the killing of God in Christ,

and the most sublime form of goodness, love and mercy of God by way of

the resurrection of Christ.

            The extremes and the ultimate of good and evil are played

out liturgically on these days. It’s on this occasion that we can

plumb the depths of our sin and malice as well as climb the heights of

God’s love for us, returning and enriching our lost dignity as his

image and likeness, and reclaiming us as his most beloved children.

            It is hoped, of course, that we draw the appropriate

sentiments and resolutions from this celebration so that we can

correspond properly to both the reality of our sinfulness and God’s

endless love and mercy.

            We should try our best to avoid sin, since even the

slightest form of sin can already reprise Christ’s passion and death.

Yes, even if the worst evil has already taken place, that is, the

killing of God in Christ, that evil continues to take place everytime

we commit sin.

            We have to learn how to handle our weaknesses and the many

temptations around. We have to learn and master the art of spiritual

combat, having the appropriate motives, developing the appropriate

skills, and using the appropriate means.

            And when one way or another we manage to fall, since

falling into sin is also a mystery beyond our comprehension, let’s be

quick to ask for forgiveness and to atone and repair for whatever

damage our mistakes and sins may cause. This should be an ongoing

affair.

            Let’s keep alive our spirit of penance, regularly making

an examination of conscience so we can monitor the status of our

spiritual life, and frequently going to confession, that wonderful

tribunal of divine justice and mercy where our sins are readily

forgiven, our weaknesses and other spiritual and moral ailments healed

or at least contained.

            Let’s be quick to take up the proper plans and resolutions

to cope with the dangers that our soul will meet in this life.

            Let’s follow Christ more closely, making our own his very

sentiments of love and mercy for all of us. That is to say, that we,

like Christ, should be willing to bear the sinfulness of all of us,

all the way to the Cross. Christ himself said so: “If anyone has the

mind to follow me, he has to deny himself, carry the cross and follow

me.” (Mk 8,34)

            This is always possible and doable, if we only hurdle the

most fundamental choice we have to make and to stick to it, that is,

to choose God over us. We choose God when we put all our mind and

heart into God’s word, ways and will. Our problem is that many times,

we choose our words, ways and will instead.

            That’s why we are always reminded to die to ourselves to

be able to rise with Christ, precisely the very message of the Easter

Triduum, echoing the words of St. Paul: “If we die with Christ, we

also will rise with him.”

            Let’s hope that from this sharpest contrast we see during

this Easter Triduum, we emerge stronger with God’s grace and our

all-out effort.