Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Saturday
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 23rd April 2022
Today is Holy Saturday in all the Churches of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and in the great diaspora of exiled and émigré communities from those lands. As I write these words, I’m following on YouTube the moving Good Friday Liturgy of the Burial of Christ and the singing of the Επιτάφιος Θρήνος (Lament over the Sepulchre) from Athens. I remember with powerful nostalgia the Holy Week I spent on Mount Athos in 1968 and often long to return. Still, simply sitting at my desk and watching the long liturgical celebrations in an attitude of prayerful listening on my desktop will have to suffice. Toby lies at my feet, wondering what the strange oriental music is all about! He’s accustomed to hearing the sweeter tones of the Gregorian chants I practise in my office. He walks out if I go flat. Once visiting another monastery, where they still sing Vespers in Latin, I sat in the nave with Toby. As the choir lost pitch and went flat, Toby looked at me with agony in his eyes. We had to leave quickly and walk around the neighbouring fields to sooth his nerves.
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Our Gospel reading for today comes from Mark, (Mk 16: 9-15). The last 20 verses of Mark are not found in the earliest manuscripts and appear to be a later addition to the original text. Today the lectionary omits the last 5 verses, but what we have is a summary of post-resurrection events. First of all, the appearance to Mary Magdalene. “Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.” This summary of the appearance to Mary Magdalene and the reaction of the disciples corroborates what the other three Gospels tell us with more or less detail. However, Mark emphasises that Mary was the first person to see Jesus on the morning on his resurrection and that she deserves the title Apostle of the Apostles. Then we have the story of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus reduced to two sentences. “After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.” Whereas Luke presented us with doubt turned into belief and sadness into joy, here Mark still insists on the disbelief of the disciples, when they hear of the experience of the two.
Finally, Jesus appears to the Eleven. Judas is no longer with us, but Thomas must be, unlike in John’s account. “Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’” Although they had refused to believe the testimony of those who had seen Jesus risen from the dead, nevertheless he now sends them out to give witness of his resurrection. He himself designates his resurrection to be the Good News, the burning heart of the Gospel of salvation. I have to ask myself, what testimony do I give of the resurrection of Jesus and to whom do I give it? Is it the same with you? Are we somewhat lacking as witnesses?
