“Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps…”
It is slightly strange being in London this weekend, in a kind of parallel universe – it’s a barbecue bank holiday weekend, and each night the bars and restaurants of Balham are overflowing onto the warm streets with people enjoying themselves. It’s the perfect weekend for barbecues, drinking and lounging around on the common.
But for us, something different is taking place. And, if we keep our sights on it, will lead us to a deeper, truer experience this weekend.
Thursday night was the perfect night to go out and it seemed this was exactly what the whole world was doing. But for us, the mysteries of our salvation were beginning to unfold in the Liturgy, and our true meaning and real peace was to be found spending time with the Lord in prayer. Yesterday, Good Friday, the smell of barbecues hung heavy over Balham all day long. But we were to be found in a bare, packed church, close to the Lord at the moments of his Death. And today is a day of even more waiting… Waiting with Our Lady for the joy that will surely come this evening…
I am thinking a lot of our candidates who know that before this day closes, they will be received into the Church, strengthened by the sacraments, and having been fed with our Lord’s Body and Blood for the first time….
“The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness, the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.”
From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday.
