Passiontide

The shadow of the cross is looming large. We have journeyed over the last 5 weeks of Lent with prayer and fasting. The time of our Redemption is almost at hand. The night is dark.  The restless voices of hatred and violence begin to clamor loudly to silence Love Himself. We stand in Passiontide.

Passiontide is traditionally the last two weeks of Lent, i.e. the 5th Week and Holy Week. By now,the Roman Church has joined the Anglican Church in veiling images and covering crosses.  The Church adorns herself with the veil of mourning. The Sarum Rite began to wear crimson red vestments to mark this period marked with the drops of His Blood. We begin to see the Beloved embrace His Passion to free us from our sins and save us. We draw near to the Great Holy Week.

Today, the gauntlet is thrown. Lazarus dies and is buried. We know that Jesus raises him 6 days before the Passover, which would be this Saturday, "Lazarus Saturday." Lazarus laid in the tomb 4 days. In fact, on the Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent, the Orthodox Church sings:

TODAY LAZARUS IS BURIED
AND HIS SISTERS SING IN LAMENTATION.
BUT IN YOUR DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE,
YOU HAVE PREDICTED WHAT SHOULD COME TO PASS:
LAZARUS IS SLEEPING, YOU PROPHESIED TO YOUR DISCIPLES,
BUT NOW I GO TO RAISE UP HIM WHOM I CREATED!
THEREFORE WE ALL CRY TO YOU: GLORY TO YOUR MIGHTY POWER!

This act of rising Lazarus not only stirs His enemies to silence Him, but foreshadows His Resurrection.

And so, we begin.  These days leading up to Our Lord's Passion, Death and Resurrection are mighty with power, grace and love. Stay near to Him.

"Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
AllAmen" - Church of England, Passiontide Collect