Path to Redemption Reflections on the Divine Office During the Triduum

7/29/2019 Path to Redemption Reflections on the Divine Office During the Triduum

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a t h

Redemption

Reflections on the Divine Office

during the Triduum


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Preface

T hrough the liturgy, the Church is able to enter more ully intothe mysteries o Christs passion, death, and resurrection. In away, the liturgy becomes a path on which we come to experience theruits o our redemption (prayer or benediction).

In her wisdom, the Church has organized the Divine Of ce, orthe Liturgy o the Hours, to accompany the movements o Christs

redeeming acts. Tis is especially clear during the Sacred Paschalriduum where we enter into those acts most proximate to oursalvation. Aside rom the Mass o the Lords Supper, the Celebrationo the Passion o the Lord, the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night,and the Easter Sunday Mass itsel, the Divine Of ce lls out themoments and events through which Christ went as He journeyedon the path o our redemption.

Tese brie reections are meant to help us understand what ishappening in the Divine Of ce during these most holy days and toaid us so that we might enter into those very events and more ullyappropriate the saving grace o Christ. While some o the Of cesare not prayed i one attends the main liturgical events o the day, thereections here are designed to double as helpul spiritual insights tohelp us punctuate our time with reections on what action Christ isdoing in these moments.

Tanks should be given to Fr. Andrew Hoer, O.P., or assistingin the preparation o this text with his many helpul thoughts.

May the suering, death, and resurrection o the Lord bringgrace into our lives so as to bring about our redemption.

Br. Peter Martyr Joseph Yungwirth, O.P.Palm Sunday o the Passion o the Lord, 2012

Priory o the Immaculate ConceptionWashington, DC


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Thursday Lords Supper

[HOLY THURS D AY ]

Vespers Christs Acceptance o Death

F or our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death (antiphon inplace o the responsory). Christ accepts His death. He acceptsto give Himsel completely in order that we might be saved. oreethe poor rom the grip o the powerul(ant. 2), He accepts that His own

lie will be the price to ransom man rom the hands o the enemy.Tus, Christ pregures His sacrice on the Cross with the

Passover sacrice. In this sacrice, Christ is both the eternal HighPriest (collect) and the true victim oered to us and or us (c.

Magnifcat ant.). Unlike the sacrices o the Old Covenant, thissacrice is no longer a type or an image. It is indeed the sacriceoered to sanctiy the peopleso that we might continually oer God a

sacrifce o praise(reading).As the Lord was obedient unto death, may He grant us the grace

to enter into this sacrice, that we, like the saints, may winvictoryover death through the blood o the Lamb (ant. 3).


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4 Thursday of the Lords Supper

Compline

Adoration in the Garden

For those who go to the Mass o the Lords Supper, this Of ceis particularly striking. For them, this would be the rst Of ce

celebrated. It is striking because the Of ce itsel is stripped downto its barebones just like the altar. Tere are no introductory verses,there is no antiphon to accompany the Gospel canticle, and thereare no antiphons to the Blessed Virgin Mary or to Holy FatherDominic at the end o the Of ce . Te Of ce or the next ew days

will be sung more quietly. We just have the essentials.Here, we nd ourselves in the garden with Christ. We are present

to Him in adoration, trying to stay awake just like Peter, James, andJohn were. Even in the darkness o Gethsemane, we are able to gazeupon the Lord ace to ace(reading). Here, we need no light rom lampsor the sun, or the Lord Godis our light (reading). In act, He is theLight o Lightsshining in the darkness and driving the clouds o night

away(hymn).Seeing Christ, we sing to Him o the Father, He will ree you

rom the snare o the owler who seeks to destroy you; he will conceal youwith his pinions and under his wings you will fnd reuge (Psalm 91).

Te Father then responds to us, Since he clings to me in love, I will reehim; protect him or he knows my name. When he calls I shall answer: Iam with you. I will save him in distress and give him glory (Psalm 91).

All this because Christ was obedient, accepting even death (antiphonin place o the responsory).


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Friday Passion Lord

[GO OD FRID AY ]

InvitatoryRedemption through the Blood o Christ

C ome, let us worship Christ, the Son o God, who redeemed us withhis blood(ant.). Tese words are the rst words we speak thisday. Tey lead us to contemplate the death o Christ, and at the sametime, to remember that through His death, we have been redeemed.

May the Lord grant us that grace not to grow stubborn, asourathers did, but rather to remain aithul and listen to the voice o theLord this day as we sing to the Lordand approach him with praise andthanksgiving(Psalm 95).

Matins

Accusation o the Innocent One

T he princes conspired together against the Lord and his Anointed(ant. 1) in an eort to takehis lie by violence(ant. 3). Yet, theirconspiracy cannot harm God nor His chosen Messiah. Rather, Godhas set upHis king, on Zion, His holy mountain (Psalm 2), and Hehas made haste and come to Christs help(Psalm 38). No matter what


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6 Friday of t he Passion of the Lord

charge is leveled against Christ, He is innocent, and God is there tostrengthen Him.

Even in this alse accusation, Christ does not complain. Rather,

hesurrenders himsel to death...to give his people lie(rst responsory).He knows that His blood is the true blood that will keep the angelo death rom men. Just as the lambs blood was sprinkled on thedoorway during the time o Israels slavery in Egypt, so too willChrists blood ow rom His side to wash all men clean (secondreading). For i the blood o the sacricial lamb in Egypt could savemen rom death, how much more will the blood o Christ, who through

the eternal spirit oered himsel up unblemished to God, cleanse ourconsciences rom dead works to worship the living God(rst reading)!

May Christ, who was innocent, grant us, who are guilty, thegrace o penitence or our sins and thanksgiving or our redemption.

Lauds

Condemnation o the Savior

G od did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to suer or oursake(ant. 1). Christ is condemned to death a death whichwill become clear to all,oreven those who have not been told shallsee(reading). He will be displayed high on the cross, and over hisheadwill hang their accusation: Jesus o Nazareth, King o the Jews

(Benedictusant.).Like the lamb led to the slaughter, Christ accepts this death

becauseor our sakeHe was obedient, accepting even death, death on across(antiphon in place o the responsory). In a unique Dominicanliturgical element, the Preces, we are led to more ully understandthis obedient death: Lie dies upon the tree; hell and death, mourning,are robbed o their prey. You who willed to be ettered and have set

us ree rom the bonds o death (Dominican preces in place o theintercessions). And amidst the surrounding repitions oLord, havemercy...Christ, have mercy...Have mercy, Lord, Christs death on thecross will become even more palpable.

Tis cross will become the means by which Christ will showHis love or us as He pours out his own blood or us to wash away our


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7Friday of t he Passion of the Lord

sins(ant. 2). It will become the tool by which He will ashion oursalvation and through which He will bring joy to the world(ant. 3).

Tus, on this day, above all days, we look to the cross and praise

God saying: We worship your cross, O Lord, and we praise and gloriyyour holy resurrection, or the wood o the cross has brought joy to theworld(ant. 3).

As the Paschal Lamb was led to the slaughter on Calvary, mayHe even now lead us to Calvary to partake o His Blood that we maybe washed clean o our sins.

Daytime Prayer

Crucifxion

O n this day, the three daytime Of ces strictly ollow thechronology o events. At erce, Christ is nailed to the Cross.At Sext, darkness covers the land. At None, Christ cries out or the

last time. Yet, each o these hours goes deeper than just remindingo us what happened at those times. Tey also lead us to the Crossitsel so that we might participate in its ruits.

At erce, we look at Christ being nailed to the Cross. We seeJesus who has in him no stately bearing...no appearance that wouldattract us to him (reading). I we look with the worlds eyes, we seea man spurned and avoided by men, a man o suering, accustomed to

infrmity, one o those rom whom men hide their aces(reading). Yet,looking upon Him in aith, we see the Christ, who byHis crosshasredeemed the world(versicle). It is that man, the God-man, whom we

worship and praise (c. versicle).

At Sext, we continue to gaze on Christ even as we thinko himas stricken, as onesmitten by God and a icted because he was pierced

or our oenses, crushed or our sins, and upon him was the chastisementthat makes us whole (reading). It is through this death, His payingthe ransom or our salvation, that we are saved. By his stripes we werehealed(reading). And so we call out to him like the converted Dismas,Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom (versicle).

Lastly, at None, we see that the Lord laid upon him the guilt o usalleven though it is we who havegone stray like sheep, each ollowing


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8 Friday of t he Passion of the Lord

his own way(reading). Christ, the Innocent Lamb, suers or us, theguilty sheep. Even though we have ollowed our own ways, He leadsus on the true path, a path which ultimately leads us to beplunged...

into darkness, like the dead, long orgotten (versicle). It is through thisdarkness that we must ollow the Light o Lights.

May Christ, who died or us and was raised rom the dead, grantus the grace to die with Him and thus be born unto eternal lie.

Vespers

Death and Redemption

T here is a dramatic shit during this Of ce. We begin byaccompanying Christs last moments so that we might lookwelland seeHis suerings(ant. 1). For His soul is in anguish, Hisheart is in torment (ant. 2). Yet, even as the enemy pursuesHis soul(Psalm 143), He remains aithul and calls upon the Lord, For yournames sake, Lord, save my lie; in your justice save my soul rom distress(Psalm 143).

It is here, ater reaching the climax o His dialogue with the

Father, that Christ oers up His last breath and consummates Hissacrice, It is accomplished (ant. 3). At this moment o death on thesummit o Calvary, the liturgy now directs us to turn inward tointeriorly examine ourselves who have ollowed Him on the way tothe Cross.

We are led to remember that Christ suered orus and letus anexample, to haveusollow in his ootsteps, and that he delivered himsel


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9Friday of t he Passion of the Lord

up to the One who judges justly, all or our sake (reading). For it is byhis wounds that we are healed(reading). And so, we are remindedthat when we were his enemies, God reconciled us to himsel by the death

o his Son (Magnifcatant.).As Christ reconciled us to the Father through His death on the

Cross, may He now continue to intercede or us and give us thegrace to imitate His sacricial love in all that we do.

Compline

Burial o Christ

T his night leads us to the tomb. Ater Christs body is prepared,He is laid in a new tomb, nally having a place to rest Hishead. As He is taken down rom the cross, He is lovingly held byHis mother and His beloved disciples who bearHim upon their handslestHe strikeHis oot against a stone(Psalm 91). Tey then anointHis body and prepare it or burial. Finally, ater the tumultuouspast two days, Christ no longer ears the terror o the night...nor the

plague that prowls in the darkness nor the scourge that lays waste atnoon (Psalm 91). Tis last earthly blessing, the love o a mother andriends, comes to Christ who was obedient, accepting even death, deathon a cross(antiphon in place o the responsory).

As Christs soul leaves His body, it is as i He is crying out, Lord,

now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been ulflled (Nuncdimittis).

Just as Christ was nally granted rest, may the all-powerul Lordgrant us a restul night and peaceul death (blessing).


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hOLY sATURDAY

Invitatory

Journey to Hell

C ome, let us worship Christ, who or our sake suered death and wasburied(ant.). With these words, we ollow Christ, even aterHis death. Tey lead us down with His soul to hell where He hasgone to lead orth the just who died beore Him. Tus, we begin theday continuing to accompany Him as we sing: Come, then, let us bow

downandworshipour God, who is God even in the nether world(Psalm 95). Let us bend the knee beore the Lord, our maker. For he isour God and we are his people, the ock he shepherds(Psalm 95).

As Christ rested ater His death, may He also lead us to enterinto His rest(Psalm 95).

Matins

Te Buried Christ and the Spoiling o Hell

I n peace, I will lie down and sleep(ant. 1). My body shall rest in hope(ant. 2). Tese words accompany our journey to the nether worldwith Christ as the King o glory entersthrough the ancient portalsohell (ant. 3). Oddly enough, Christ, who has just undergone a most


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11Holy Saturday

gruesome and painul death now rests in peaceand in hope. What astriking contrast on the morning ater the most violent day man hasever known. Yet, here we are. Te world is in silence awaiting its

Savior (second reading) who now rests in peaceand in hope.All o the sudden, a strange sound breaks through the silence.

Tose gates, those ancient doorso hell are thrown open (Psalm 24)as Christ breaks through the gates o death and destroys the barricadeso hell(second responsory). His voice rings out, calling anew to the

just: oday, i you should hearmyvoice, harden not your hearts (rstreading). Te Lordapproaches them bearing the cross, the weapon that

had won him the victoryand cries out, Awake, O sleeper, and rise romthe dead, andI will give you lightI now by my own authority commandall who are held in bondage to come orth, all who are in darkness to beenlightened, all who are sleeping to ariseRise, let us leave this placeTe bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling

places are preparedTe kingdom o heaven has been prepared or yourom all eternity (second reading).

May Christs words, heard in the silence o this day, guide us, likethe just, into the eternal dwelling placeso the Lord.

Lauds

Te Souls o the Just Crying or the Lord

In response to Christs plea o salvation, the souls o the just replywith a cry o repentance, Come, let us return to the Lord, or it is

he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind ourwounds (reading). Tey cry to Him, Save us, O Savior o the world.On the cross you redeemed us by the shedding o your blood; we cry out

or your help, O God(Benedictusant.). You who came to suer or us...You who said in prophecy, O death, where are your plagues?, Christ,

have mercy. Have mercy, Lord (Dominican preces in place o theintercessions).

We rejoice in the Lordand y to you or reuge (Psalm 64).From the jaws o hell, Lord, rescueour souls (ant. 2), you who hold thekeys o death and o hell(ant. 3). Once we doubted and thought, othe gates o the nether world I shall be consigned or the rest o my years.


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12 Holy Saturday

But, now, we cry out or your help your help, O Lord, I am in straits;be my surety (Isaiah 38)! Foryou have preservedour livesrom the pito destruction, and so wegive you thanksand will declare to our sons, O

God, your aithulness(Isaiah 38). Even rom the depths o hell, weshall sing to stringed instruments(Isaiah 38).

Just as God came to lead orth His people rom the depths, mayHe also rescue us rom our sins, leading us to sing out, Praise Godin his holy placePraise him or his powerul deeds, praise his surpassing

greatness(Psalm 150).

Daytime Prayer

Te Lord Saves His People

Having just proclaimed their repentance and acknowledgedtheir sins, the souls o the just trust that Christ will orgive

their sins and cleansethem rom every wrong(erce reading). Christ,in turn, does bring about their salvation and saves their souls romhell (c. Sext ant.). And so they cry out in thanksgiving, O Lord,

we cried to you or help, and you, our God, have healedus (Psalm 30).You listened and had pity; you came to our help (Psalm 30). Somewondered, Can dust give you praise or proclaim your truth? oday, theanswer is nally, Yes! So our souls sing psalms to you unceasingly. OLordour God,we will thank you or ever(Psalm 30).

As Christ draws closer to the glory o the resurrection, may Hedraw our hearts ever closer to the great moment o our redemption.


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13Holy Saturday

Vespers

Stirrings o the Resurrection

Death, you shall die in me; hell, you shall be destroyed by me(ant. 1).Tese are Christs words as He prepares or His resurrection

so that He can bring about His new creation a creation that He,through whom all things were created, will carry out on the new dayo creation, the third day: Destroy this temple, says the Lord, and inthree days I will rebuild it(ant. 3). Deaths own death is imminent orChrist will soon rise rom the dead just as Jonah came orth rom the

belly o the whaleater the third day (ant. 2).Trough His resurrection, Christ will destroy death, and at the

same time, He will maniest Gods glory. For in the deeat o death,the Son o Man has been glorifed and God has been glorifed in him(Magnifcatant.). Tereore God raised him on high and gave him thename above all other names(antiphon in place o the responsory).

In this destruction o death and the subsequent glorication oChrist, we too are able to ollow. Just as Christ led orth the justrom the bondage o death, so too does He lead us orth rom ourbondage o sin: Realize that you were delivered rom the utile way olie your athers handed on to you, not by any diminishable sum o silveror gold, but by Christs blood beyond all priceIt is through him that youare believers in God, the God who raised him rom the dead and gave him

glory(reading).

May Christs redeeming actions ree us rom bondage so that wetoo may be remade on the day o the new creation.

Compline

A Light Shining in the Darkness

In the midst o the darkness o hell we need no light rom lamps orthe sun, or the Lord God shall giveus lightandweshall see orever

(reading). With Christ, God will reveal to the nations...the glory oHis people Israel (Nunc dimittis). God will show us how the wickedare repaidas we see His saving power(Psalm 91). For we, who havesaid, Lord, my reuge! and have made the Most High our dwelling,


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14 Holy Saturday

will dwell in the shelter o the Most High andabide in the shade o theAlmighty(Psalm 91).

Soon, very soon, Christ who was obedient, accepting even death,

death on a crosswill be raised...on high andgiven the name above allother names(antiphon in place o the responsory).


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MatinsRemembrance o Salvation History

T hroughout this Holy Night in which we await the impendingresurrection, we are reminded o the history o our salvation asare the patriarchs, prophets, and kings o old.

Te rst man comes rst beore the New Man. At the oundation

o the world, God created man in his image; in the image o God hecreated him; male and emale he created themand he oundthem very

good(rst reading). Yet, Adam sinned, and his descendents borehis sin through the ages. Nevertheless, in His merciul love, Godestablished a covenant with him and his ospring.

Abraham, then, comes orth to meet Christ, reminding himseland the just o the covenant which God had established because o

Abrahams aithulness in being willing to sacrice his son Isaac (c.second reading). Christs presence reminds Abraham and all the resto the just, how the true sacrice o a Son has now been oered, andthat God still is aithul to the covenant.

eASTER sUNDAY rESURRECTION

Lord


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Moses comes beore the Lord. His presence reminds all o thejust o Gods abundant love or His people. Even ater they hadbroken their part o the covenant, God continued to bless them by

leading them out o slavery in Egypt (c. third reading). Now, Godis preparing to draw them out o their current slavery and lead themto the true Promised Land orever.

Te prophet Isaiah comes orth, and the people are reminded otheir sinulness or worshiping alse gods. Yet, just as God orgavethem once beore, so too does He now orgive them (c. ourthreading). And just as he once reestablished His covenant with them,

so too now does He reestablish His covenant or ever. So, Christtells them, Come to me heedully, listen, that you may have lie. I willrenew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefts assured to David(th reading).

Ten, Baruch approaches Christ, and all remember how he hadtold them to ollow the way toward wisdom and live in prudence,ollowing the commandments o God. His presence reminds them

o how they are to ollow God even now, urn, O Jacob, and receiveher: walk by her light toward splendor (sixth reading). So, they turntheir gaze back toward Christ, the Light shining in the darkness.

Finally, Ezekiel comes orth rom the shadows, and his presencereminds the people o Gods tender compassion even ater theyhad allen away. He repeats those words which He once uttered on

behal o the Word, Tus says the Lord God: Not or your sakes do I act,house o Israel, but or the sake o my holy nameI will sprinkle cleanwater upon you to cleanse you rom all your impurities, and rom all youridols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spiritwithin you, taking rom your bodies your stony hearts and giving younatural heartsyou shall be my people, and I will be your God (seventhreading).

Having been reminded o the goodness and the aithulness othe Lord, they wait in patience or the gates o hell to be thrownopen and the glory o God to be ully maniested. So, too, do we

wait.

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection


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17Easter Sunday of the Resurrection

Invitatory

Te Lord is Risen!

The Lord is risen, alleluia(ant.)! Tis day brings a joyous beginningto the Of ce. Ater the Holy Night, in which Christ was

victorious over sin and death, we begin the new day o creation withthe words o victory the Lord is risen, alleluia(ant.)!

On this day, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rockwho saves us. Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving andsing joyul songs to the Lord(Psalm 95). Let us remember that just as

he made the seaand the dry land, so too is He the maker o the newcreation (Psalm 95).

May the Lord lead us to comeand bow down and worship andbend the knee beoreHim(Psalm 95).

Lauds

Rising rom the Dead

T

his is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia

(antiphon in place o the responsory). A new day indeeddawns, and the dawn rom on high breaks upon usand shines on thosewho dwelt in darkness and the shadow o death as they are led into theway o peace(Benedictus). For the splendor o Christ risen rom the deadhas shone on the people redeemed by his blood (ant. 1). He leads orthhis people into lie, andgives their mortal nature the git o holiness(intercessions). Tis day, then, is the ulllment o the oath God


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18 Easter Sunday of the Resurrection

swore to our ather Abraham: to set us ree rom our enemies, or God hasraised up or us a mighty savior(Benedictus).

Te Lordonce again takes delight in his people (Psalm 149). He

once again crowns the poor with salvation (Psalm 149). Tus, theaithul rejoice in their glory, shout or joy and take their rest (Psalm149). Teysing a new song to the Lord,rejoice in their maker, andexult in their king(Psalm 149).

May God ll our hearts with the grace to sing a hymn o praise tothe Lord our God(ant. 2) or He is risen as he promised, alleluia(ant. 2)!

Daytime Prayer

Savoring the Resurrection

S o oten in lie, we are rushed. Rushed to go places, meet people,do things. Our ast paced world oten dictates to us the speedat which we need to operate so that we might truly be eective in

our work. On the other hand, the Churchs liturgy allows us to slowdown and savor each instant. It allows us the chance to take a breakand really enter into the moments in which our salvation was truly

won.

Rather than moving straight rom the empty tomb to theappearance o Christ to the disciples, the Church gives us the chanceto reect on the power o the event that just occurred. Te tomb was

ound empty. Tus, something mysterious has happened. Formerly,death, in a certain sense, was the end, but now, in a very real sense, itis a new beginning. A beginning to eternal lie.

So we are brought back to Christ to reect on the act that Christhasindeed risen orm the dead, andthat He will never die again (erceant.). We are led to remember that He wasreallyhanded over to death

or our sins, and that ater death, he was raised to lie to justiy us(Sextant.). Furthermore, reection on these things naturally leads us toan increased love or our Savior and to seek the things that are above(None ant.).

On this daywhich was made by the Lord, may He grant us thegrace to rejoice andbegladbecause He has truly brought us salvation(Psalm 118).


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19Easter Sunday of the Resurrection

Vespers

Te Lord Appears to His Disciples

The great moment o the ullness o the resurrection is nallymade known. Christ appears or the rst time to His aithul

who waited or Him these past three days when He had gone intothe depths o the earth. Te Light in the darkness o hell that the

just had enjoyed is now shared with those who see Him anew orthe rst time.

Earlier this day, the women came to see the Lords tomb, but they

ound it empty (ant. 1). Yet, angels appeared and instructed themto Come and see the place where the Lord was buried (ant. 2). Teycould only think that something strange was taking place. Teremust have been a trembling o their hearts like the trembling o theearth beore the Lord, beore the presence o the God o Jacob (Psalm114). So they turned to return to the disciples to share with themthese strange tidings. At that moment, with their hearts open to

the mystery, Christ appeared! Magdalene ell to His eet, and Heinstructed her, Do not be araid. Go and tell my brothers to set out

or Galilee; there they will see me (ant. 3). So the women returned,and Mary inormed the disciples o Christs resurrection. And now,nally, He maniests Himsel to all o them: On the evening o the frstday o the week, the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors;suddenly, Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you, alleluia

(Magnifcatant.).Just as Christ revealed Himsel to the disciples and oered them

His peace, may He likewise grant us a share in this same peace.


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Documents

Path to Redemption Reflections on the Divine Office During the Triduum