Not far away from us, in April 1777, during the Revolutionary War, was the Battle of Ridgefield, a description of a number of engagements in the Danbury area, which although tactically were losses for the Patriots, in fact were gains, because hearts and minds were turned against the British.

Every year the main battle is re-enacted on Main Street in Ridgefield under the auspices of the Ridgefield Historical Society. You should go! It is quite rare, because the fighting then (as now) occurs in the town itself. Great care is taken to ensure the costumes are accurate and events draw crowds to experience the drama and emotion of war.

But it is not real. It is just a reconstruction, where we may glimpse the goings-on in our neighborhood some 245 years ago, and imagine, for a moment, what that might have been like.

It is dangerous then when we use the word, ‘memory’ or ‘remembrance’ to describe what the Lord said to the Apostles at the Last Supper: “do this in memory of me.” The danger is we think of something similar to the Ridgefield event; that some way we reconstruct the Lord’s death, ponder it and in some way have communion in it.

But that’s not the right kind of memory. The Greek word used is anamnesis – used to translate the Hebrew zakar – and this has a much deeper meaning than ‘memory’ or ‘remembrance.’ It is a bringing forth, a making present of the events so described. Not as history, but as reality: before our very eyes.

So the Paschal Mystery – the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord – happened once in time, but that moment in time is lived out in the Church through the Liturgy – until time itself comes to an end with the Lord’s return on the clouds of heaven. This is no mere memory, or historical re-enactment, but the invitation to participate in the real event itself. That is what we believe happens every time we celebrate Mass.

Quite early on the Church had to decide – are we going to celebrate the Paschal Mystery yearly, or weekly – the answer was a resounding ‘both’ – and further on in time, the Church moved to celebrate the Paschal Mystery even daily! So, this season of the Year, ‘Passiontide’ – is a double dose of anámnesis – we are about to experience the ‘commingling’ of the yearly and weekly strands in the events of Holy Week: a double making present of Christ’s one, perfect Sacrifice.

Perhaps your Lent has not got into gear yet. Now’s the time, Holy Church says. Now’s the time for Confession, spiritual preparation and works of mercy. Now’s the time to clean house, to make sure you can truly celebrate a Holy Easter, not as a blessed memory, but as a full participation in the saving work of God.