St. John Cantius Parish

Station - St. Lawrence Outside the Walls

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Apr. 15, 2:00 am

EASTER WEDNESDAY
STATION - ST. LAWRENCE OUTSIDE THE WALLS

A Eucharistic chastity hovers over Easter Week which can better be sensed by the heart than expressed in words. Today, as we keep station with the Eucharistic Deacon whom St. Leo the Great calls the “most chaste Deacon” we are made even more conscious of that delicate paschal purity which permeates this season of inexpressible gladness. To this heroic Deacon were led the catechumens during their struggling days of Lent. To this chase Levite are presented on this Easter Wednesday “the new lambs who have come forth from the waters and are now filled with brightness.” “Come, blessed of My Father, receive the Kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia.” Surely, the Lord has opened to them the doors of heaven. But to us also, and so we join these neophytes, God’s new-born children, to render thanks through the pure hands of St. Lawrence to Christ, the spotless Lamb of God.

“Hail, purest victim heav’n could find

The powers of hell to overthrow;

Who didst the bonds of death unbind;

Who dost the prize of life bestow.” (Ad regias)

Who can read today’s gospel without sensing the fragrance of paschal purity which pervaded the ‘morning-agape’ at the lake-shore of Galilee? Seven of the apostles went fishing, but caught nothing until the risen Lord arrived. “But when the morning came, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.” But one of them knew. The pure one, St. John. “It is the Lord” he cried out. “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”

On the shores of His holy altar the risen Lord is preparing this morning a Eucharistic love-feast for us. St. Augustine says, “the broiled Fish is the immolated Christ,” our food, our manna, our strength and the deepest source of purity.

May the most chaste Deacon Lawrence accompany us to the altar and pray for us that the paschal Meal “may cleanse us from our old nature and make of us a new creature.” During these fifty days we should feel as if we were living in heaven. A Christian walks on earth but lives in heaven.