Devout Moslems allegedly regret the end of Ramadan, because despite the onerous fast which that month entails – far harder, I’d have thought, than anything which Catholics have to undertake – they say that ‘now the Angels won’t be amongst us until next year’.
Similarly, I don’t think there can be anyone who gets to the end of the Quarant ’Ore without a feeling of regret; not, of course, because Our Lord has gone from amongst us – never that ! – but because we have, for a short time, been given a very humble insight into the glory of Heaven, and the joy which awaits us there; and now that’s gone – until next year.
Our Jewish friends end their Passover seder with the words ‘next year in Jerusalem’ : and for some amongst us, no doubt, there will be no Quarant ’Ore next year – because by then they will either be amongst those in the heavenly Jerusalem, or at least en route there.
However, as this special time of grace, this annual opportunity to rejoice in the glory of Heaven, passes from us, let us recognize that unlike the Moslems we know that Our Blessed Lord and Saviour is with us, in His Most Holy Sacrament, at every moment, and rejoice in His love which gives us this great treasure : and let us also pray that, whether it be next year, or the year after, or whenever, we too will, one day, come to see our Blessed Lord not – as now – only as ‘reflections in a mirror’, but rather ‘face to face’ in the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem.
All my Readers have been much in my prayers during this holy time; and I pray that God may grant you many blessings, particularly during the Passiontide and Easter now which lies ahead.
Similarly, I don’t think there can be anyone who gets to the end of the Quarant ’Ore without a feeling of regret; not, of course, because Our Lord has gone from amongst us – never that ! – but because we have, for a short time, been given a very humble insight into the glory of Heaven, and the joy which awaits us there; and now that’s gone – until next year.
Our Jewish friends end their Passover seder with the words ‘next year in Jerusalem’ : and for some amongst us, no doubt, there will be no Quarant ’Ore next year – because by then they will either be amongst those in the heavenly Jerusalem, or at least en route there.
However, as this special time of grace, this annual opportunity to rejoice in the glory of Heaven, passes from us, let us recognize that unlike the Moslems we know that Our Blessed Lord and Saviour is with us, in His Most Holy Sacrament, at every moment, and rejoice in His love which gives us this great treasure : and let us also pray that, whether it be next year, or the year after, or whenever, we too will, one day, come to see our Blessed Lord not – as now – only as ‘reflections in a mirror’, but rather ‘face to face’ in the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem.
All my Readers have been much in my prayers during this holy time; and I pray that God may grant you many blessings, particularly during the Passiontide and Easter now which lies ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment