Born just outside of Worcester England in 1197, Richard became Bishop of Chichester in 1245. The miracle for which Richard is primarily known is that of the overturned chalice. Tradition holds that tired after a long day, Richard was celebrating Mass and dropped the chalice containing the consecrated wine. Though the chalice was overturned a miracle occurred - none of the precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord was spilled. For this reason Saint Richard is depicted in art with a chalice at his feet.
But this is not the only thing that is ascribed to today’s saint.In 1971 Godspell a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak opened off Broadway. One of their songs, Day by Day (the sound of which still brings me back to the Summer of 1972) was inspired by a prayer written by Saint Richard in the 13th century.
Prayer of Saint Richard
"Thanks be to Thee my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me.
For all the pains and insults Thou hast born for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother.
May I know Thee more clearly.
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly."
“Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair…”(John 12:1-4)
"She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." (Mark 14:8-9)
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Art
Christ in the House of Martha & Mary - Jan Vermeer van Delft
“There I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east…I fell prone as the glory of the Lord entered the temple by way of the gate which faces the east, but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.”(Ezekiel 43:2, 4-5)
“Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.”(Zechariah 9:9)
Today we enter Holy Week, processing into our churches from the east, we lift our palms branches high, joining pilgrims world wide as we proclaim, “Hosanna!Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the Highest!” (Mark 11:9-10)
Today we commemorate Palm Sunday a day 2000 years ago that just as prophesied by Ezekiel and Zechariah, Our King, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem riding on a colt, arriving from the samedirection His Shekinah Glory, the very presence of God, had left the Temple 500 years prior, from the east.
"Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness...he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death...on a cross." (Philippians 2: 6-8)
Father Robert Barron digs deeper into our Gospel readings for Palm Sunday with his following homily, proving over and over again, how rich our Sacred Scripture is and how great is Our God - I have so much to learn.
“It is a moving experience each year on Palm Sunday as we go up the mountain with Jesus, towards the Temple, accompanying him on his ascent. On this day, throughout the world and across the centuries, young people and people of every age acclaim him, crying out: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
But what are we really doing when we join this procession as part of the throng which went up with Jesus to Jerusalem and hailed him as King of Israel? Is this anything more than a ritual, a quaint custom? Does it have anything to do with the reality of our life and our world?...
Our procession today is meant, … to reflect the fact that, together with Jesus, we are setting out on pilgrimage along the high road that leads to the living God. This is the ascent that matters. This is the journey which Jesus invites us to make...We are striving for purehearts and clean hands, we are seeking truth, we are seeking the face of God. Let us show the Lord that we desire to be righteous, and let us ask him: Draw us upwards! Make us pure!”(Pope Benedict XVI, Homily Palm Sunday April 17, 2011)
Our journey continues..........God's will be done.
Art Christ Enters Jerusalem - Giotto di Bondone
Christ Enters Jerusalem - Hippolyte-Jean Flandrin Marker for Station 8 on Via Dolorosa - IC-XC NI-KA - translates to Jesus Christ Conquers
