Come to the altar, surrender

  

Niccolo Frangipane ~ Ecce Homo (Behold the man), 1574

 

"Holy Week is the time of our great Passover:

the passage from darkness to light, from sadness to joy, from time

to eternity, from death to life.  And so we are drawn to the Cross

and the Cross is offered to us, in this and in every Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the place and the means and the price of our Passover

for the Eucharist is the Church held in the embrace of the Cross.

 

If you are weary, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross. If you are fearful and isolated, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross. If you are bitter, or bruised, or fragmented, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross. If you hunger and thirst for holiness, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross. If you would ascend with Christ to the Father, if you would make of your life a fragrant offering, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross. If you would leave behind the darkness of the cold tomb, if you would know the joy of resurrection, come to the altar, surrender to the embrace of the Cross.

Together let us surrender to the mystery of the Cross.  Together let us

receive from the altar the mystery of the Cross, and so enter into the

silence and into the song of the great and glorious Pasch of the Lord.

In a week's time, having passed over from death to life, from the

seven days of measured time into the mystic Eighth day, we will

hail the festival day of Him who triumphs over hell and holds the

stars of heaven in His hand (cf. Salve, Festa Dies, Easter Processional Hymn)."

Dom Mark Daniel Kirby

Prior Silverstream Priory, Ireland 

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