When you walk into a Church from Passion Sunday moving forward to Easter you quickly notice what is missing. Around us all of the statues, images of our Lord and saints, and crucifix are all veiled. This year we have made an exception for the statue of Saint Joseph on this Sunday for his feast day was this past Friday and we remain in the Year of Saint Joseph.
This practice comes to us from the closing verse of our Gospel: “They took up stones therefore to cast at Him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.”
So too as Jesus hid Himself do we veil these images. As we move into Holy Week the events which lead to our Lord’s Passion are quickly approaching. Through the cross we have been set free from sin and death. Sadly, despite this truth we continue to find ways to put barriers in the way between us and the Lord. Therefore, these veiled images should bring about a great longing within us that what has been taken away from our sight may one day be restored.
As the veil came to be torn in the Temple, so too through our Lord’s sacrifice are we able to be reunited with Heaven. If it were not for Christ and His cross we would be unable to anticipate this great reality. What has been taken away from our sight are all Heavenly things. So often we take our sight off of Heaven as we place our trust in the ways of the world. These days are important for us to enter fully into because our life should constantly be lived in preparation of this Kingdom which is to come.
Christ went to hide Himself because it was not yet the time for His Passion. This time was set aside to prepare for what He would soon undergo. Likewise, Holy Week is a most sacred time in the life of the church. Next Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday where we will joyfully welcome Christ into the holy city of Jerusalem and then are shouts of joy will turn to anger as we should out, “Crucify him!” Then on Holy Thursday we will set our sight upon the priesthood and the Eucharist as Christ gathers with His apostles at the Last Supper. On Good Friday we will come to commemorate His death and then we will anticipate His glorious Resurrection at Easter.
Let us spend these final weeks and days of Lent desiring to be reunited with that which has been taken away from our sight. If it has been a long time since your last confession then go with haste. If you discern that you are in need of the sacrament of confession then make the time that is necessary. Spend time with Sacred Scripture especially with the Passion narratives from the four Gospels. Make the time needed to spend time before the Lord present with us in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Through all of these ways we set that which is important before our sight and thus when we arrive at Easter we will be given every reason to rejoice for that which has been taken away from our sight will come to reunited with us.
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