Just before Holy Week began, I went to
see the film “Calvary.” It’s set in the west of rural Ireland in a community
where the priest is Fr. James Lavelle, played by the actor Brendan Gleeson. The
story is of this backwater parish during one particular week - and begins with
a penitent in the confessional telling the priest that he is going to kill him
the following Sunday. The priest hasn’t done anything wrong to this man, but
others have - and the would-be killer has decided that a good man needs to pay
for the deeds of others. We don’t find out till the end who makes the threat.
But there’s a question as to whether the priest knows - and what he will do about
it.
The priest could go to the police, he
could ask for protection, he could run away for his own safety. But the film
simply follows him as the week unfolds - and we see him going about daily life
in the round of parish happenings, the quirkiness and problems of his
parishioners, and in exploring his relationship with a daughter who was growing
up when his wife died and he entered the priesthood. All along he is heading to
“Calvary.” And the question is - where should he be?
I wondered how many people in the audience
might need the reference to Calvary
explaining. Holy Week takes us from Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem - hailed as a
King - to his death on the Cross. Jesus could have cut and run. In his prayer in
Gethsemane he’d asked that “the cup might pass from him.” But what we discover
is how he discerns where he must be - with his people, finally dying for his
people, not shirking his meeting with the man who would betray him.
Go on to Easter… and we celebrate Christ’s
Resurrection and the glory that goes with it. And then - the celebrations
should go on. Easter-tide itself lasts 50 days, through Ascension Day right up
to Pentecost. Meanwhile we find ourselves back with the daily round of tasks we
must attend to and relationships in which we are called to give and receive
care. I love Easter - but then almost immediately find myself wearied at the
prospect of lots of official paperwork and other administration which is always
required at this time. The challenge of Easter is to see that it’s not merely a
backward-looking glance at an event of 2,000 years ago - but rather the good
news of how God brings new life and light into our world, and how we need to
live it out every day. Jesus calls us - not to escape the realities of life
which we confront, but to show us how to live through those realities with a
new hope and aided by his grace.
A blessed Easter-tide to you!
[Taken from the May issue of St. Cuthbert's Parish Magazine - find it all online here]
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