Empty Tabernacles

One of the most moving songs in Les Miserables is Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, sung by the grieving Marius as he laments the deaths of his revolutionary compatriots in the tavern where they all had met to plan their attack on the barricade. The tavern is in total disarray and the tables and chairs, empty. "There's a grief that cannot be spoken", he sings with tears running down his face.  Though we know that tonight at the Easter Vigil, our grief will be turned to joy, the mood of the day, nonetheless, is one of sadness similar to what Marius was experiencing.  It's not empty tables that bring on this feeling, but the empty tabernacles in our churches...doors open...nothing inside.  Jesus is in the tomb; his usual abode, an empty shell. How vacant the church feels. The wood of the cross is on display as a reminder of his ignominious death
  As we meditated on the crucifix, on Good Friday, it would be a good idea to pass by a church, though it might be locked, or people inside bustling about to ready for the Vigil, and feel the emptiness. Or we might think of the death of someone who was very close to us and remember the feeling of loss we had then.  Such an exercise will add to the joy of Easter...and make the excitement of Mary Magdalene and the unbelieving apostles (at first) very real  And as we renew our Baptismal Promises, we will be able experience our own rebirth, our own rebirth into the new life of Jesus.
Bro. Rene