“Vigil”
We have seen the labor pains of creation. From the Spirit’s swirling storm on the face of the abyss, to the burning light of the supernovas that forge every element; from the earthquakes and volcanoes that quicken our planet, to the crashing waters that draw us down into death.
Go here for the poem entire, a suitable text on which to reflect on Holy Saturday.
The texts of Holy Saturday in Eastern Orthodoxy and Greek Catholicism include: Psalm 104 [103] (the proemial Psalm); Psalm 141 [140]; 142 [141]; Ps 130 [129]; (1) Genesis 1:1-13; (2) Isaiah 60:1-16; (3) Exodus 12:1-11; (4) Jonah 1:1-4:11; (5) Joshua 5:10-15; (6) Exodus 13:20-15:19; (7) Zephaniah 3:8-15; (8) 1 Kings 17:8-24; (9) Isaiah 61:10-62:5; (10) Genesis 22:1-18; (11) Isaiah 61:1-9; (12) 2 Kings 4:8-37; (13) Isaiah 63:11-64:5; (14) Jeremiah 31:31-34; (15) Daniel 3:1-68 (including the Hymn of the Three Youths); Romans 6:3-11 (the Epistle, on baptism); Psalm 82 [81]; Matthew 28:1-20 (the Gospel).
The texts read in churches indebted to the Latin rite include, but are not limited to (1) Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26; (2) Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46; (3) Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16; (4) Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18; [Isaiah 54:4a.5-14;] (5) Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6; [Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19;] (6) Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 42, 43; (7) Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143; [Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Psalm 98;] Romans 6:3-11, Psalm 114; Matthew 28:1-10.
The intertexts of "Vigil" by Jennifer Agee overlap with the above and extend beyond; a selection is offered here. All translations are my own.
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Romans 8:22
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|---|---|
| πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει | All creation groans in unison |
| καὶ συνωδίνει | and suffers the pains of labor |
| ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν | until now. |
| Genesis 1:2 | |
| The earth was waste and void, | וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ |
| darkness was over the face of the abyss, | וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם |
| and God's Spirit hovered over the water's surface. | וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם |
| Psalm 77:17-20 | |
| The waters saw you, God, | רָאוּךָ מַּיִם אֱלֹהִים |
| the waters saw you—they reel! | רָאוּךָ מַּיִם יָחִילוּ |
| The deep depths shook. | אַף יִרְגְּזוּ תְהֹמוֹת |
| The clouds streamed water, | זֹרְמוּ מַיִם עָבוֹת |
| the skies cracked thunder— | קוֹל נָתְנוּ שְׁחָקִים |
| your arrows march! | אַף־חֲצָצֶיךָ יִתְהַלָּכוּ |
| Your thunderclap was in the whirlwind, | קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל |
| lightning lit up the strand, | הֵאִירוּ בְרָקִים תֵּבֵל |
| the earth shook and quaked. | רָגְזָה וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ |
| Your way is through the sea, | בַּיָּם דַּרְכֶּךָ |
| your path through mighty waters, | וּשְׁבִילֶיךָ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים |
| but your footprints leave no trace. | וְעִקְּבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא נֹדָעוּ |
| Psalm 18:5-7a, 17 | |
| The cords of death encircled me, | אֲפָפוּנִי חֶבְלֵי־מָוֶת |
| torrents of Belial terrify me. | וְנַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל יְבַעֲתוּנִי |
| Cords of hell surrounded me, | חֶבְלֵי שְׁאוֹל סְבָבוּנִי |
| snares of death confronted me. | קִדְּמוּנִי מוֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת |
| In my distress I invoke the LORD, | בַּצַּר־לִי אֶקְרָא יהוה |
| I cry out to my God. | וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַי אֲשַׁוֵּעַ |
| He reaches from above, he takes me, | יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵנִי |
| he draws me out of mighty waters. | יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים |
| Psalm 18:14, 16 | |
| The LORD thundered in the heavens, | וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יהוה |
| the Most High gives forth his voice— | וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קֹלוֹ |
| hail and coals of fire. | בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ |
| The ocean beds were exposed, | וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם |
| the world’s foundations laid bare | וַיִּגָּלוּ מוֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל |
| at your reprimand, O LORD, | מִגַּעֲרָתְךָ יהוה |
| at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. | מִנִּשְׁמַת רוּחַ אַפֶּךָ |
"Vigil" means a little bit more to those who know that its author saw it to press not long before a due date of her own. "Vigil" by Jennifer Agee has four paragraphs. To be continued.
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