I was very
much struck by the words “in unison,” in the Entrance Antiphon for today,
because I believe there is a special significance these simple two words hold
in relation to the rest of the antiphon, to the Octave, and even to the entire
Christian Life. The central focus for this week is both the Resurrection of Christ and the Neophytes, those members of the Church who were baptized at the Easter Vigil and now share the new life of the Risen Christ with us. In other words, they are in union with us, through the Resurrection.
On the Cross, when Christ's heart was pierced by the soldiers lance, blood and water flowed forth (John 19:34), and this has traditionally been seen as the beginning of the Church. For, just as Eve, the bride of Adam, was born from His side, so Jesus, the new Adam, has given birth to the Church, His Bride, from His most sacred side. And it is through Baptism, also symbolized by the water flowing forth from the side, that we have been born into the Church, the Body of Christ.
It would be negligent, however, not to also consider the Antiphon for the Sprinkling Rite, which the Church uses throughout the Easter season, the Vidi Aquam. The antiphon runs:
"I saw water flowing from the right side of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom that water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia.
This antiphon, which comes from the Prophet Ezekiel's vision of water flowing forth from the Temple (Ezekiel 47:1-12). But it finds its fulfillment in Christ, Who is the true Temple (John 2:19-21), had water flowing forth from His side, which not only cleanses the world, but gives new life to those who drink from it. Yet, as we noted a few days ago, it also pours grace into our hearts, instilling in us the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Nevertheless, as Baptism brings us into the Body of Christ, it also makes us one, for the Body of Christ is one, as St. Paul says to the Corinthians:
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)."
Who cannot help but wonder at the marvels of the human body; all of the different parts work together in such a unique way to preserve life. And so it is with the Body of Christ, all by their own callings and vocations contribute to the building up of the Church throughout the world, and thus to the ultimate glorification and praise of God.
This, then, is what our Entrance Antiphon for today refers to. As the Church is built up throughout the world, the Resurrection of Christ is proclaimed, and consequently, His "conquering hand." For the Gospel, preached to all the ends of the earth is the good news that Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death and brought us salvation! Nonetheless, as St. Paul also notes, it is not worldly wisdom that builds up the Body of Christ, but the Spirit of God, for he says:
"When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)."
Through Baptism, we were baptized into the Cross of Christ; may we always live beneath the shadow of that Cross, for it is the sign that conquers the world! Only by embracing our crosses can we come to the Resurrection of Life, and only if we come to that resurrection can we build up the Body of Christ throughout the world!
In this Easter Season, let us continue to contemplate the Cross, not as the object whereby Christ died, but as the object of victory and salvation! Once the Spirit has led us to penetrate this wisdom of the Cross, then, we will be given wisdom to speak and eloquent tongues to proclaim the good news of the Risen Lord!
On the Cross, when Christ's heart was pierced by the soldiers lance, blood and water flowed forth (John 19:34), and this has traditionally been seen as the beginning of the Church. For, just as Eve, the bride of Adam, was born from His side, so Jesus, the new Adam, has given birth to the Church, His Bride, from His most sacred side. And it is through Baptism, also symbolized by the water flowing forth from the side, that we have been born into the Church, the Body of Christ.
It would be negligent, however, not to also consider the Antiphon for the Sprinkling Rite, which the Church uses throughout the Easter season, the Vidi Aquam. The antiphon runs:
"I saw water flowing from the right side of the temple, alleluia; and all to whom that water came were saved, and they shall say, alleluia, alleluia.
This antiphon, which comes from the Prophet Ezekiel's vision of water flowing forth from the Temple (Ezekiel 47:1-12). But it finds its fulfillment in Christ, Who is the true Temple (John 2:19-21), had water flowing forth from His side, which not only cleanses the world, but gives new life to those who drink from it. Yet, as we noted a few days ago, it also pours grace into our hearts, instilling in us the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Nevertheless, as Baptism brings us into the Body of Christ, it also makes us one, for the Body of Christ is one, as St. Paul says to the Corinthians:
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)."
Who cannot help but wonder at the marvels of the human body; all of the different parts work together in such a unique way to preserve life. And so it is with the Body of Christ, all by their own callings and vocations contribute to the building up of the Church throughout the world, and thus to the ultimate glorification and praise of God.
This, then, is what our Entrance Antiphon for today refers to. As the Church is built up throughout the world, the Resurrection of Christ is proclaimed, and consequently, His "conquering hand." For the Gospel, preached to all the ends of the earth is the good news that Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death and brought us salvation! Nonetheless, as St. Paul also notes, it is not worldly wisdom that builds up the Body of Christ, but the Spirit of God, for he says:
"When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)."
Through Baptism, we were baptized into the Cross of Christ; may we always live beneath the shadow of that Cross, for it is the sign that conquers the world! Only by embracing our crosses can we come to the Resurrection of Life, and only if we come to that resurrection can we build up the Body of Christ throughout the world!
In this Easter Season, let us continue to contemplate the Cross, not as the object whereby Christ died, but as the object of victory and salvation! Once the Spirit has led us to penetrate this wisdom of the Cross, then, we will be given wisdom to speak and eloquent tongues to proclaim the good news of the Risen Lord!
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