Mere Orthodoxy | Christianity, Politics, and Culture

Holy Tuesday

Written by Jake Meador | Mar 26, 2024 11:00:00 AM

We won't be publishing normal content this week as we mark the high point in the Christian year: Holy Week. We will, however, be sharing various things related to the week for the edification and encouragement of our readers. 

For Holy Tuesday, I wanted to commend to you this poem on Easter Even by Christina Rossetti:

There is nothing more that they can do
 For all their rage and boast;
Caiaphas with his blaspheming crew,
 Herod with his host,

Pontius Pilate in his Judgement-hall
 Judging their Judge and his,
Or he who led them all and passed them all,
 Arch-Judas with his kiss.

The sepulchre made sure with ponderous Stone,
 Seal that same stone, O Priest;
It may be thou shalt block the holy One
 From rising in the east:

Set a watch about the sepulchre
 To watch on pain of death;
They must hold fast the stone if One should stir
 And shake it from beneath.

God Almighty, He can break a seal
 And roll away a Stone,
Can grind the proud in dust who would not kneel,
 And crush the mighty one.

*

There is nothing more that they can do
 For all their passionate care,
Those who sit in dust, the blessed few,
 And weep and rend their hair:

Peter, Thomas, Mary Magdalene,
 The Virgin unreproved,
Joseph, with Nicodemus, foremost men,
 And John the Well-beloved,

Bring your finest linen and your spice,
 Swathe the sacred Dead,
Bind with careful hands and piteous eyes
 The napkin round His head;

Lay Him in the garden-rock to rest;
 Rest you the Sabbath length:
The Sun that went down crimson in the west
 Shall rise renewed in strength.

God Almighty shall give joy for pain,
 Shall comfort him who grieves:
Lo! He with joy shall doubtless come again,
 And with Him bring His sheaves.

Here is Justin's recap of Holy Tuesday.