Surpised by Joy

FROM THE PASTOR

by Fr. George W. Rutler

April 19, 2009

A book about his conversion to Christianity by C. S. Lewis is called Surprised by Joy because he was astonished by the power of Christ to shatter his cynicism. The first Christians were very much surprised by the Resurrection, requiring Jesus to tell them to calm down. While an eager and alert mind always will be surprised by things in this world, Christians should not be surprised any more by joy. We should expect it, while never failing to give thanks for it, because Christ is joy himself, which the world cannot take away.

We celebrate the joy of eternal life with special solemnity in Eastertide, knowing that “solemnity” really means not dourness but elegant serenity, like a formal dance or award ceremony. Solemnity takes us out of ourselves, and the inability to be solemn in rituals indicates self-consciousness. In this spirit, we have to give thanks to all those who selflessly have helped with the joyful solemnities of Easter. Saint Paul thanked his helpers in Rome and Galatia and Corinth, and we should thank our own helpers, hoping that our parish matches the good spirit of those churches without all of their concomitant enormities.

The problem with naming names is that names inevitably are left out, because there are so many to thank. So I express a general gratitude to everyone who has been helping in this season. Of course there are Robert Prior and our musicians, and our ushers, and the devoted women who spend many hours counting offerings, and our dutiful staff who prepare the church and help visitors. Samuel Howard and Thomas Vaniotis have been tireless in preparing our growing number of altar servers, and the liturgical results have never been finer. I do not remember so many people worshiping here. I certainly thank those many who stood for so long during the sacred rites, around the church and outside. I was not surprised by the joy of having our seminarians assist so well, and those priests who heard confessions without pause for up to six hours at a time. This was the hardest work of all and the source of much joy in heaven.

Our Risen Lord does not make all new things. More wonderfully, he makes all things new, even things that are very old. Saint Melito, bishop of the busy commercial city of Sardis in Turkey, whose birth was about as distant in time from the Resurrection as we are from the opening of the Manhattan Bridge, wrote: “The paschal mystery is at once old and new, transitory and eternal, corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortal. In terms of the Law it is old, in terms of the Word it is new. In its figure it is passing, in its grace it is eternal. It is corruptible in the sacrifice of the lamb, incorruptible in the eternal life of the Lord.”

Painting:The Resurrection of Christ and the Women at the Tomb; Fra ANGELICO; 1440-41 fresco; convento di San Marco, Florence