Devotion is for Everyone

At Mass yesterday on the feast of St. Francis de Sales, the priest spent a fair bit of time talking about the reading from the Office of Readings for that day. It was from St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, and dealt with devotion as it relates to our vocation. I went back and read it because it reminded me of conversations I'd had with many friends about the desires for prayer or daily mass that they couldn't fulfill because of their current state in life. I wanted to pass it along especially because of several of the beautiful analogies he uses. Also hopefully in the near future I'll get a post together with some insights I've been gathering in my Thomas More class which is just rocking my world. God Bless and See you in the Eucharist.


St. Francis de Sales, "Devotion is for Everyone"
When God the Creator made all things, he commanded the plants to bring forth fruit each according to its own kind; he has likewise commanded Christians, who are the living plants of his Church, to bring forth the fruits of devotion, each one in accord with his character, his station and his calling.

I say that devotion must be practised in different ways by the nobleman and by the working man, by the servant and by the prince, by the widow, by the unmarried girl and by the married woman. But even this distinction is not sufficient; for the practice of devotion must be adapted to the strength, to the occupation and to the duties of each one in particular.

Tell me, please, my Philothea, whether it is proper for a bishop to want to lead a solitary life like a Carthusian; or for married people to be no more concerned than a Capuchin about increasing their income; or for a working man to spend his whole day in church like a religious; or on the other hand for a religious to be constantly exposed like a bishop to all the events and circumstances that bear on the needs of our neighbor. Is not this sort of devotion ridiculous, unorganised and intolerable? Yet this absurd error occurs very frequently, but in no way does true devotion, my Philothea, destroy anything at all. On the contrary, it perfects and fulfills all things. In fact if it ever works against, or is inimical to, anyone’s legitimate station and calling, then it is very definitely false devotion.

The bee collects honey from flowers in such a way as to do the least damage or destruction to them, and he leaves them whole, undamaged and fresh, just as he found them. True devotion does still better. Not only does it not injure any sort of calling or occupation, it even embellishes and enhances it.

Moreover, just as every sort of gem, cast in honey, becomes brighter and more sparkling, each according to its colour, so each person becomes more acceptable and fitting in his own vocation when he sets his vocation in the context of devotion. Through devotion your family cares become more peaceful, mutual love between husband and wife becomes more sincere, the service we owe to the prince becomes more faithful, and our work, no matter what it is, becomes more pleasant and agreeable.

It is therefore an error and even a heresy to wish to exclude the exercise of devotion from military divisions, from the artisans’ shops, from the courts of princes, from family households. I acknowledge, my dear Philothea, that the type of devotion which is purely contemplative, monastic and religious can certainly not be exercised in these sorts of stations and occupations, but besides this threefold type of devotion, there are many others fit for perfecting those who live in a secular state.

Therefore, in whatever situations we happen to be, we can and we must aspire to the life of perfection.

On days gone by

So maybe its just that I'm getting old, but it seems that in the past month there have been several times when I've caught myself looking back over old pictures or recalling old memories. Like today, I ran across a video the DJ made at the last CIA 4-H conference I helped plan in 2009. It was strange watching all those young kids jump around under the strobe lights, and crawl across the floor to the alligator line dance. It was almost surreal to see old friends dancing across the screen, many of whom I haven't seen in years. It was so odd to think back on those times; the things we worried about and got into arguments over on the State 4-H Council seem so irrelevant now. The drama that sometimes occupied our attention looks so petty in hindsight. And yet, the memory of the friendships and the people I served with are poignant. I remember that conference vividly; that was a good night. I worry about and pray for some of those people from time to time, the old friend that had so much talent but perhaps lost her way a little; the good, strong, driven partner in crime who has gone from success to success; the folks I barely knew and those that I stayed up all hours of the night talking to. Good people and good friends.

Since then we've all moved on and gone our separate ways. Those friendships have faded as we left and other young kids rose to take our place. There are a few beautiful exceptions though, people whom for whatever reason God has willed to leave on the same path as me for at least a while longer. Those friendships have certainly grown and changed since we first meet as teens but it has been such a blessing to watch each other become more and more the men and women God has created us to be.

Even among the framily, (the group of awesome young adults passionate about loving Christ and being Catholic that I run around with when I'm in Kansas) our friendships are different than they were 4 years ago when I entered college. This weekend I ran across a group picture from the first ever Manhattan weekend three years ago(see more examples of me being old and sentimental). We hung out for a couple days before classes started, went dancing, got doughnuts at 1:30am before heading to late night adoration, then woke up early the next morning to go to mass together and have a big homemade Sunday dinner. It was beautiful. Even among this group of close friends, a good number of whom I saw this past break things have changed. One is married, one's headed to seminary in the fall, two I've more or less lost touch with and with a few, I've been blessed to become much closer friends.

In all of this I'm struck by how much and how quickly life changes. All these moments I'm reminiscing on exist only in my memory and in the memories of those I shared them with. I will never again experience those same events. It reminds me of a post I wrote about sunsets a little over a year ago. I think I want to amend slightly what I wrote there though. While there's nothing we can do to hang on to these moments, which is fitting as they are not ours to keep, I think its been good for me to spend sometime reflecting on them especially as many of us are only a few days away from the beginning of our last semester of college. Thinking back over the blessings God has put in my life the last few years and the distance that exists between where I am now and where I was then, increases my resolve to live radically these last months of college. To throw myself headlong into my classes, my friendships, and into loving those around me. To offer up the little inconveniences of life and praise God for all the little blessings. To ignore the drama that will seem so petty in just a few years. But I also know from this brief recollection that all of this is meaningless without good friends and impossible to accomplish without the help of those God has placed around me. Sanctification is not achieved alone. So I want to ask for your help dear brothers and sister in Christ to live the way we were made to live. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. If I know anything of my procrastinating and at times ill-motivated self its that I'll need all the help I can get to carry out this resolution in the coming months.

As I look back on that photo from our first Manhattan weekend, it reminds me a comment one of our adult friends wrote on it. He said, Seriously, awesome-we'll be able to look back at this photo in 10 years and say, "These people went out and changed the world." Its been incredible to think back this afternoon on the things God has done in our lives in the three years since that photo so I can't wait to see what He does with the next seven. I feel about ready to go out and change the world. You in? May our Momma Mary keep you always in her mantle.

As an end note, this blog is just a few days from being two years old and while I certainly haven't always been the best about posting consistently I want to get back to doing it more often. I've found that when I don't post I'm not only failing to share the experiences God puts in my life but I'm also not as thoughtful about the rough ideas and events of my life. So hopefully you'll hear from me more often in the future and until then, I'll see you in the Eucharist.

"The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light"

JMJ+OBT
"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen." Mt4:15-16

This verse has appeared several times in the two Theology courses that I'm talking this semester: Christology and Mariology (a pretty epic combination if I do say so myself). Every once in a while in these course taught by two different awesome, old, wise, and holy Hungarian Cistercians Fr. Roch, and Abbot Denis, I feel like I get a brief glimpse into mysterious unity of just everything. It's like for a split second I see how certain aspects of our faith, of reality all tie together into a complete whole. They never last long and they're never much more than a feeling; I can never fully reconstruct the comprehensive understanding of that moment but still its like for a brief second I'm given the blessing of perceiving a little bit of truth. If it is as the Church says and ultimately Truth finds it concrete reality in the person of Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, then those little flashes are in a way an encounter with God, all be it, one severely limited by our human finiteness and lack of faith. But they are a glimpse of God nonetheless even if as the apostle to the Gentiles says, "At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully" 1 Cor 13:12

Back to the first verse though, this quotation of Isaiah by Jesus has been at the center of a few of these "aha!" moments the last couple weeks. The start of Christ's public ministry in Capernum on the Sea of Galilee and His childhood in Nazareth were a scandal to the Jews. Even one of the future apostles, Nathaniel remarked, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" when Phillip came and told him he had found the Messiah: Jesus, son of Joseph, of Nazareth. Nathaniel's consternation was understandable though for Nazareth a part of Galilee, as the verse from Isaiah says, was the land of the Gentiles, half pagan territory. That God chose to raise up the shoot of Jesse there among the impure was almost inconceivable to the Jewish mind of the time, a true "sign of contradiction." Through his Providence though, God's only son was raised in Nazareth, at least in part, to show from the very beginning that God's plan of salvation was for all people, not only the Jews. There is something so powerful to me in this verse from Matthew: "the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen."

Just as beautiful is the full prophecy from Isaiah chapter 8 that Jesus is quoting:

First [the Lord] degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness;/ for there is no gloom where but now there was distress./ The people who walked in darkness/ have seen a great light;/ upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom/ a light has shone./ You have brought them abundant joy/ and great rejoicing,/ as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,/ as men make merry when dividing spoils./ For the yoke that burdened them,/ the pole on their shoulder,/ and the rod of their taskmaster/ you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Embracing the Catholic both/and approach I see at least two distinct meanings in these verses. The first is that we are the people who "sit in darkness". I especially like how the verb is in the present tense. It reminds me of Isaiah 65:1, "I was found [by] those who were not seeking me; I revealed myself to those who were not asking for me." In our stupor in the squalor of sin the great light of Christ has shown upon us and his message(the very next thing He says in Matthew after quoting Isaiah), "Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" has resounded through the night. As the Apostle says, "While we were still sinners Christ died for us." Rm 5:8. We did nothing to seek this light or the message of our salvation. We are powerless to save ourselves.

However this freely given gift of Christ, of Life itself, requires a response and therein lies the second meaning. "You are the light of the world," as Christ tells His disciples in the next chapter of Matthew. We are called to be reflections, images of our God and savior and so not only are we those who walked in darkness (notice the past tense of the verse in Isaiah) but we are now also the light which has arisen in the land overshadowed by death. As part of the Body of Christ, the Church, we are called to make present to whole world the saving message of Christ. As Isaiah says, the the yoke that burdened us, the pole on our shoulder, and the rod of our taskmaster, sin, has been smashed by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. What else could our response be but "abundant joy, and great rejoicing" before our Lord. We are called to imitate Christ's humility for He became like us in all things except sin, being born in a pagan, backwater region, so that He could make known his perfect Love to all peoples. Like our Master, Christ, we too have been put, through God's Providence, into a specific place in the world to bring the great light to those who sit in the shadow of death. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are not seraphims descending from on high, we are of the same people, culture, and nationality as those that in sit in the darkness and we are called to rise up from where we sit to make the Love of Christ known to those around us.

How is God calling you to make the land overshadowed by death a little more illumined by the love of Christ? God bless you dear brothers and sisters, you are in my prayers always, and until next we meet, see you in the Eucharist!

The Good Samaritan

Ok so I know it has been very much too long since I last posted and it'll be a little bit longer yet but I did want to share this reflection from Fr. Mark because it really touched me. And I promise there will be a post from me soon, there be some ideas swirling, finally. lol. God bless y'all, see you in the Eucharist.


The Mystery of the Good Samaritan

Today's Gospel, the parable of the Good Samaritan, is familiar to us. It is, perhaps, too familiar. That may be the problem. We assume that we have grasped its message when, in fact, its message may not yet have grasped our hearts. The Fathers of the Church discerned a mystery -- that is to say, something hidden -- in the story of the Good Samaritan: the mystery of the healing mercy of God revealed in Christ.

God Suffers at the Sight of Our Suffering

The Good Samaritan is none other than Christ Himself. In the days of His flesh, as He journeyed in this world, Christ came to where we were (cf. Lk 10:33). And when He saw all of us, sinners, stripped, and beaten, and left for dead in a ditch, He had compassion (cf. Lk 10:33). The human Heart of God was moved. God, looking upon us through the eyes of His Christ, suffered at the sight of our suffering.

Ethical Religion Alone Is Not Enough

It would be altogether too facile to reduce the message of today's gospel to its ethical demands alone, to hear it exclusively in terms of a social imperative. Be good. Be sensitive. Be caring. Show mercy. It is, of course, all of that.

In Chapter IV of the Holy Rule Saint Benedict counts the corporal and spiritual works of mercy among the Instruments of Good Works.

Saint Vincent de Paul writes that "we must try to be stirred by our neighbors' worries and distress. We must beg God to pour into our hearts sentiments of pity and compassion and to fill them again and again with these dispositions."

Our Lord said to Saint Faustina: "I demand of you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for me. You are to show mercy to your neighbours always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it."

Wanting to Be Splendid

All of that being said, there is more to the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Most of us prefer to cast ourselves in the role of the Samaritan rather than to see ourselves in the one robbed, stripped, forsaken, and half-dead. The Samaritan is the hero. The Samaritan keeps the upper hand in the story. The Samaritan is splendid. Who among us does not, at least sometimes, want to be splendid?

Salvation in the Gutter

Churches are full of splendid people and of people who want to be splendid. We needed the teaching of a twenty-four year old Doctor of the Church to see that holiness is not about being splendid at all. Saint Thérèse tells that it is, rather, about accepting that we have landed in the gutter, that we are in fact without resources, stripped, wounded, half-dead, and utterly incapable of changing any of that by ourselves. The God who bends over our souls with a face of indescribable tenderness, the God who touches our wounds with the strong and gentle hands of mercy, meets us not in the high places, not in Jerusalem, nor in Jericho, nor on the road of a splendid progress, but in the gutter of our absolute need of Him.

Discerning the Face, the Heart, the Hands of Christ

In the Samaritan of today's gospel, the Fathers of the Church discern the face, the heart, the hands of Christ. Christ is near us in our poverty, near us in our nakedness, nearer to us when we are broken and brought very low than we when we are splendid and marching on. "A Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion" (Lk 10:33).

Christ Stops for Each of Us

Christ comes to where we are and, seeing us, has compassion. Christ stops for each of us; He binds up our wounds, pouring oil and wine upon them, cleansing and disinfecting them, healing them with the medicine of His Spirit and of His Blood. Christ lifts us from where He finds us. He brings us to the inn of His Father's healing hospitality where He cares for us, and pays all our expenses.

The Human Face of God

When the poor man opened his eyes to see who it was who was caring for him with such tenderness he beheld a human face. Christ is the human Face of God, the Face we behold when we open our eyes to see who it is who is caring for us. In the end, it is the experience of this Face that changes us. It is in the closeness of this Face to ours, with, as Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity said, "His eyes in our eyes," and with the warmth of His breath upon us, that we are resurrected to newness of life and sent back to the road whence we came to "go and do likewise" (Lk 10:37).

"Count the stars, if you can"

I was listening to a Lighthouse Media CD today and the speaker made an awesome observation about a verse in Genesis. It was the one were Abraham goes to God and is like "what good are all these gifts your promising me if I don't have a son?" God takes Abraham outside and tells him "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be." The chapter continues, "Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness." We've all heard it before (Genesis 15:1-6 if you want a refresher), but when we read the verse we make presuppositions, like that Abraham can count, or that when he looked up he saw a bajillion stars. However, when you take it in context you see that six verses later the sun is setting. When God brought Abraham outside and told him to count the stars if he could it was broad daylight! No stars were visible but Abraham put his faith in God that they were nonetheless still there and it was credited to him as an act of righteousness. Talk about a deeper meaning, one that seemed especially applicable to my life right now. As the summer is quickly passing away the reality is sinking in that my college days are numbered and that soon I will be out in the real world (whatever that is). I don't have a clue what the plans are that God has for me; but I know there is a plan. Like Abraham, my future lies somewhere behind the glare of that noonday sun. I can't see it now but that does not make it any less real. I am confident of this first, because just like the stars, which I know will be back again tonight because they have been there every night before, God will unfold His plan for me in time just like I've seen Him do countless times before even though I do not understand it now. Secondly, I know this because He told me so:

"For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope." Jeremiah 29:11

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

"Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." Isaiah 48:17

"I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

"Then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land." Isaiah 58:11

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you." Jeremiah 1:5


Wherever you are at right now in life maybe it would be helpful to remember the lesson of Abraham and go out in the noon day sun and try to "count the stars if you are able." God bless dear brothers and sisters! See you in the Eucharist!

Reasons Why God is Good #'s 31-60

JMJ+OBT

Many, many apologies, it has been forever (as my accountability partner has been gently reminding me. lol) I kind of sorta fell off the map the last two weeks in a good/lazy sort of way. I pretty much just quit checking fb and email regularly and just worked and hung out w/ my family and friends. I would like to claim that this was purely out a desire for simplicity, but in reality there was also a lot of laziness factored in. A decent portion of my time was just spent "vegging". While I recognize clearly the need to relax after working all day, etc, I hope this month in DC I can figure out how to do that w/o completely wasting time. Productive sorts of leisure you know. Anyways I promise I'll use some of this new free time to write another more substantial blog post soon but for now I wanted to post reasons 31-60 why God is good. If you haven't seen my "Gig's" already we must not be fb friends b/c I try to put them up as status whenever I'm particularly grateful for something. I must admit I've been slacking a little lately on the Gig's too, b/c there are a ton of things to be grateful for in my life in the last few weeks, but that will have to wait for another post. Until then these are the reasons, and the link for the first 30 is in reason #31. God Bless and till next time I'll see you in the Eucharist!

31. James A. Lopez. and for the first 30 reasons: http://quo-vadis-deum.blogspot.com/2010/12/thirty-reasons-why-i-know-god-is-good.html
32. Jacob Vincent Jirak "God doesn't give you the mountains to enjoy the view but to prepare for the valleys." Thanks bud, it came in handy the other day.
33. "Thou, O Mary, hast only to open thy immaculate hands over them,and they are shot through with the rays of thy purity.
Through thee, entereth the light to shine in the darkest places....
Through thee, souls are washed in a downpour of graces." http://vultus.stblogs.org/
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
34. For seeing me through to this day, after 2 1/2 years I am FINISHED with Latin! Praise be to God!
35. "Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful." Paul Seiler (Dec. 14, 1926-Dec. 11, 2010). I'll miss you.
36. For family.
37. For a wonderful, sleepless night w/ friends followed by a glorious sunny day, finished by an awesome sunset.
38. "Every starry night, that was His design."
39. For old fashioned pleasures like these: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201010/endangered-arts
40. A saintly old Cistercain named Fr. Roch, and his awesome Theology of the Spiritual Life class.
41. "It is a dirty rotten trick of Satan that tempts us to fall into fear when we discover that sin in us is not fixable by us." Cecilia Rziha
42. Snow days!
43. Thursday night: Beautiful big, wet, slow snow started around 11:00, just barely decided to go outside, sliding around the iced over soccer field w/ 20 good friends, followed by sleding and then building a snow fort till 3:30 in the morning, then coming in for hot chocolate. I don't think I've ever felt more like a college student!
44. For revealing to me over the course of the last week why He led me to choose St. Thomas More as my confirmation saint 4 years ago. God's plan is so good!
45. For answered prayers, and a truly blessed weekend.
46. For a wonderful weekend in KS and for giving His Son to us who are so unworthy -> http://www.ncregister.com/blog/why-i-love-my-ugly-little-liturgy?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+%40National+Catholic+RegisterA#When:06:00:54Z
47. Oh where to start? For blessings beyond measure this weekend: The marriage of two wonderful, holy, young, beautiful friends; dancing all night at said wedding; sharing this joyful weekend w/ 30+ awesome brothers and sisters in Christ; praying and going to mass w/ said siblings; soaking up the beauty of God's creation (most especially Kansas, and Kansans); and a million more but what could I say that would begin to describe them when language can't begin to capture the depths of God's goodness. Oh how He loves us! My cup overflowth. P.S.- Hmm...I couldn't help thinking about this article after this weekend too:
http://quo-vadis-deum.blogspot.com/2010/09/he-married-kansas.html
48. For the desert, for mountains, for canyons, for a night sky with more stars than I have ever seen, for meteors, for hard work, for sunrises, for chicken and rice with taco seasoning while a perfectly unique sunset burns up the evening sky above the Mexico/US border, for good friends new and old. In other words, for an immeasurably blest week backpacking through Big Bend Nat'l Park.
49. For conversion. For the Mystical Body of Christ. For His infinite love. For so blessed a weekend on Crusader Awakening #3 that there's no way I could begin to put it into words, SHINCK!!!
50. Praying the rosary with 300 other UD students (1/4 of the student body) for a sister in Christ whose going home Wednesday to say goodbye to her mother who is terminally ill. I don't think I've ever seen such a powerful representation of the mystical Body of Christ, God is good.
51. Exactly a year ago today I embarked on a trip that would change my life forever and culminate in Holy Week in the Holy Land. Istanbul-Cappadocia-Israel, 10 Day 2010. God is good.
52. "Neither do I condemn thee, said Jesus, go, and do not sin again." John 8:10-11
53. For holy old monks.
54. For St. Bernard of Clairvauz, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Who is poorer in spirit than he who finds no rest in his whole spirit, who finds no place to lay down his head?"
55. For unexpected encouragement. If you want the whole story: http://quo-vadis-deum.blogspot.com/2011/04/prayer-request.html
56. For the miraculous recovery of my breviary through the intercession of St. Anthony and several good friends. Praised be God! I was really thinking I'd lost it for good.
57. For filling a wonderful, old, holy monk, Fr. Roch with such wisdom and then giving me the opportunity to talk with him. Blessed be God.
58. ALLELUIA HE IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
59. Talk about a stubborn German farmer: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20071026_jagerstatter_en.html
60. For bringing me through another year of college. FREEDOM!!! lol. Blessed be God!

This is our faith

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
His appearance was like lightning
and his clothing was white as snow. -Matthew 28:1-3

As Father read this gospel at the Easter Vigil this year I was struck by one line in particular. Amid this awesome display of power the evangelist slips in a peculiar detail, the angel "rolled back the stone and sat upon it." It wasn't enough that he descended from heaven with the appearance of lightning amidst a great earthquake and rolled back the stone; no, then he sat upon it. I have this almost comical image of this brilliant angel lounging on the stone that purported to restrain the King of the Universe in a grave. What a mockery of death. I'm reminded of a line my good friend Sara always like to use, "We've got the book; I've read the ending; we win." This is our faith, rejoice and be glad: HE IS RISEN!

I also wanted to share one of my favorite Easter traditions. In the prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours, there is a anonymous homily from the ancient church that is read every Holy Saturday. It's pretty much my favorite reading from the Office for the entire year so I wanted to share it with y'all. Enjoy:

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.