Holy days, eclipses and other musings from Monday
This past Monday, April 8, was a blessing for me on multiple fronts.
The week of Quasimodogeniti
One of those ways actually involved the day before. That day, Sunday, April 7, was the Octave of Easter. Its historic Latin name is Quasimodogeniti, or “as newborn (babes),” the first words of the historic Introit, or Entrance Chant, for the Sunday following Easter. As such, it is the eighth day (Easter being the first), hence, the “octave,” or eighth. In some contexts, the whole stretch of eight days — Easter, Quasimodogeniti, and the six weekdays in between — are collectively considered the “Octave.”
Although Monday meant the Octave was now past for A.D. (Anno Domini, or Year of Our Lord; not “after death”) 2024, it was the first weekday of Quasimodogeniti. The Scripture readings for this significant day, notably the Gospel (John 20:19-31), teach so much from their context of two consecutive Sunday evenings and a brief encounter of the apostles in the interim. The first Sunday was of course the first Easter. Early that morning, Jesus rose from the dead. The stone “door” blocking the entrance to His tomb was rolled aside, not to let Him out (huge as it was, no mere stone could stop our Lord), but so that His disciples would see for themselves that His tomb was now empty, and, immeasurably more important, why it was empty — because He who was dead (not just in a swoon) was now truly alive again, same body, yet glorified.
That evening, as His disciples were beginning to come to grips with their slain Lord being alive again, they were in secure, locked quarters, fearing the religious establishment who arranged for Jesus’ death with the intention, of course, that He’d stay dead. Just as a sealed tomb could not hold Jesus in, neither locked doors nor the clandestine plan of His disciples could keep Him out. Besides showing His disciples the proof that He was now alive again, He established, right then and there, the Sacrament of Penitence, or Confession and Absolution (Lutherans recognize two Sacraments with physical elements, Baptism and the Eucharist, or Communion. Absolution is also considered a Sacrament with a slightly wider understanding of the term, but nonetheless established by Christ Himself and conveying His forgiveness, which all three Sacraments have in common).
Perhaps most widely known about that (what we now know as Sunday) evening and the next was the absence of the apostle Thomas from the first assembly, his doubting the resurrection of Christ during the week, and his presence with the group that following Sunday evening, as well as Jesus’ specific encounter with him, allaying his doubt. Yet, as Jesus said, John 20:29, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” That’s we believers of today as well!
So much to be found in one thirteen verse passage of Scripture. From the perspective of a pastor, several different sermon topics could be extracted from this selection of verses alone. And, what a rich Bible basis for the week to follow.
A special anniversary
Monday, August 8 was also a special anniversary for me, and I hope the parallel date in your life is likewise a special anniversary for you.
Forty-five years ago Monday — namely, Palm Sunday, April 8, 1979 A.D. — was the occasion of my own Confirmation and reception into the communicant membership of my home congregation (in which I’d been raised from 2 years old onward and where I’d remain in membership until ordination just shy of age 33), St. Paul Lutheran Church of Norwood Park, Illinois. Yet this date is not just an important anniversary to me because I’m a pastor. It is important to me because of my life in the church over the course of all my years, beginning with my Baptism at 40 days old at Jefferson Park English Lutheran Church of Chicago (August 29, by the way). As an active communicant, the April 8 date (and the August 29 date, too, of course) remained important to me for the 19 years between then and my ordination into the ministry as well as they do now.
Yet I tell you all this not simply to share key moments in my own life. It’s to emphasize the importance of “faith occasions” in the lives of each Christian, with the encouragement that each would know such key dates in his or her own life and remember and commemorate them, even if only with something so simple as a brief (yet heartfelt) prayer of thanks. (There have been far too many instances in the church where, in spite of clearly remembering birthdays and wedding anniversaries — good to do, yes! — the “faith occasions” such as baptismal and confirmation dates are forgotten.)
A phenomenal event
Of course, as just about all of us would remember, something special – and relatively rare – occurred this past Monday afternoon, namely, a total eclipse of the sun. While Massachusetts did not experience its totality, many parts of the United States did.
Like many of you, I viewed the eclipse through a special pair of “glasses,” making a point to be careful. From my first look at it, I couldn’t help but think of the wonders of God’s creation and what He’s done creating and sustaining it all. While such observation is of course not the basis of my faith, it is supportive of it, as Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” How evident in this, and many, ways!
God Bless You
This past Monday, April 8, was that blessing for me on multiple fronts. It is my hope and prayer that, in whatever specific contexts applied to the lives of each of you, it was likewise a blessing for you too. But even more important, it is my hope and prayer that you find yourself edified in the meaning of Easter, and the resurrection of the crucified Christ, for you and your faith.
The Rev. Paul E. Gramit is pastor of Evangelical Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton.