Blessed Schuster’s Daily Thoughts on the Rule: Passion Saturday

Saturday before Palm Sunday
Station at St John before the Latin Gate

The Triumph of the Saviour

1. In ancient times, today was a day of vacation, in preparation for the toils of Holy Week. At the Lateran, the Pope made the accustomed distribution of alms in view of the approaching Pasch.

Later, on this day there was established the Station at St John at the Latin Gate; the sole church which recalls the arrival and the martyrdom of the Evangelist at Rome.

The Gospel reading today is rather lengthy. (John 12:10-36)

On the Saturday preceding Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem—that is, today—there is presented to us another gathering of the members of the Sanhedrin, who resolve to kill Lazarus, in order thus to remove the proof of the miracle which occurred some time before almost at the gates of the Holy City.

We have already seen in the preceding days how passion blinds, and how it renders almost like children those who are gripped by it.

Here St Augustine asks the Jews: ‘When you have killed Lazarus, will you perhaps despoil the Redeemer of the power to give him back life for a third time?’

Meanwhile, on account of the miracles, many among the Jews were going off and passing over to Jesus’ side.

This is the goal of the miracles: the confirmation of the true faith.

God does not work wonders where the Faith is lacking and mere curiosity is at work.

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2. So that Jesus’ triumph at Jerusalem may be complete and embrace both the Ecclesia ex circumcisione [Church from the circumcision] and the Ecclesia ex gentibus [Church from the Gentiles]—as early Christian art so often depicted—an group of Hellenist proselytes appears, who ask the Apostles to be presented to the Divine Master. Volumus Iesum videre. [We want to see Jesus.]

Jesus salutes in them the first fruits of the pagan world, which embraces the Gospel Faith, and already He sees Himself fixed to the Cross on the crest of Golgotha, with arms outstretched in an act of welcoming the entire world.

There is a connection between the two events. In order for the grain of wheat to blossom into the sheaf, it must first be softened in the soil and opened under the earth, letting the seasons, rain, snow, and ice pass above the ground. In October is the sowing, and only in June is the reaping.

Without the tragedy of Golgotha, the Catholic apostolate too remains sterile. For this reason Saint Benedict encourages us when he writes: Passionibus Christi per patientiam participemus. (Rule, Prologue: ‘By means of patience let us take part in the pains of Christ.’)

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3. Today Jesus Christ describes in one sole view the entire drama of the Redemption, from the Incarnation even to the final Judgment.

This begins in fact on Calvary, where the Saviour, conqueror of death and hell, chains Satan at the foot of His very gibbet.

‘Now is the judgment of the world; now the tyrant of this world will be cast out, and when I shall be lifted up from the earth, I will draw everything unto Me.’ (John 12:32)

If the power of the condemned Man during His very Crucifixion is so great, what will be that of the supreme and final triumphant Judge?

We are comforted above all by the promise: ‘I will draw everything unto Me.’ However, for this to happen, according to the Saviour’s wish, the Apostles must preach Jesus lifted up from the earth, that is, announce to the Nations the crucified Saviour.

Dicite in gentibus: quia Dominus regnavit. (Ps 95: ‘Preach among the Nations, that the Lord hath inaugurated His kingdom.’)

It is thus that Paul converted the world.

Nos autem praedicamus Christum crucifixum. (1 Cor 1:23: ‘We, instead, preach Christ crucified.’)

If today the fruits of the Church’s preaching are less abundant, perhaps it is because there is less preaching of the Passion of Christ.