50 Days- Alleluia Is Our Cry!

“We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our cry,” wrote St. Augustine over 1500 years ago. Pentecost, fifty days of joyful celebration of the Resurrection of Christ ended at Pentecost.

Then the liturgy of the Christian Church returns to ‘ordinary time.’ Gone are the red vestments, the lilies adorning the altar and the red clothes of the faithful celebrating the Easter Resurrection and fifty days later, the descent of the Holy Spirit sent "by the Father in my name…will teach you everything and remind you of what I told you."

I find it all too tempting to believe the literal meaning of the return of the clergy’s green vestments and the disappearance of the splendid flowers celebrating the lengthy Easter season of joy. The ‘alleluias’ and the repeated sprinkling of holy water and the renewal of our Baptismal promises will not appear until next year.

V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

Always, each of the eight Sundays during these fifty days, I am transported back to St. Benedict’s Abbey where I first answered these questions with immense joy, gratitude and sheer relief at the truthfulness of my unadulterated YES.

So on this first Monday of ordinary time, is the world less blessed, are the spring flowers a shade or three fainter and are the miracles and wonder of this life more difficult to see? Are things back to normal? Are the gifts of the Spirit less accessible to me?

Having thought of all of these things and more during this most magnificent feast day of Pentecost, I happened to find the inaugural address of Karl Wojtyla became Pope John Paul ll now St. John Paul. And found my answer.

Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.

Those words became the theme of his entire remarkable twenty-eight year papacy. ‘Do not be afraid.’ “We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery – the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. “We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!”. We are not looking for a shallow joy but rather a joy that comes from faith, that grows through unselfish love, that respects the “fundamental duty of love of neighbour, without which it would be unbecoming to speak of Joy”. We realize that joy is demanding; it demands unselfishness; it demands a readiness to say with Mary: “Be it done unto me according to thy word”.”

And the daily readings for Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time are the words of St. James ring clearly in my heart:

….let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom…the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity…

And the Gospel reading is Mark’s account which follows the large crowd gathered around the mountain where Peter, James and John have witnessed the Transfiguration of Christ. Instantly, the crowd greets Jesus and a voice calls out asking for help for his possessed son. The man had asked the disciples to drive out the demon who possessed the boy but were unable to do so.

At Christ’s request, the boy is brought to him. A most intriguing conversation takes place between the father of the boy and Christ. Jesus asks several questions of the man who in his reply ends with this statement:

…”But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus says to him, “If you can! Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Do not be afraid!

Open wide the doors for Christ!

I do believe, help my unbelief!