Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Mt. 9:15
As a child, I remember my grandma turning off my music or flashing stern looks at my boisterous laughter during the Easter Triduum. In my four-year-old eyes, she was, for lack of a better term, a party pooper. Yet, as I continue to grow, I find my outlook on her seemingly harsh ways transform into a deep respect for her reverence of our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice. In the same way we mourn the loss of loved ones, she was living in her season of solemnity, fasting in remembrance of Christ our bridegroom who was taken away as a sacrifice for all sins.
But while this verse ends on a somber note as it foreshadows the Lord’s destiny, I see this verse as a beacon of hope. I see this verse as an invitation to rejoice when we are in the presence of the Lord; to rejoice when we encounter Him in the Real Presence of the Eucharist.
So this season, as we enter this season of solemnity, may we also find hope in the Lord, hope that He will rise again, hope that we can rejoice again as we meet Him at the altar every Sunday.
– Anonymous