This is the Catholic Christian's Highest Holy Season. This is called Holy Week....If you have never been to Holy Week Celebrations, please consider joining in even if you are not Catholic. Holy Thursday we remember the Last Supper....when Jesus celebrated the Passover Meal with his Disciples, family and friends. It is on this day that we Catholics celebrate three things: The Gift of the Eucharist...Holy Communion....Jesus said," This is my Body..."....2. The priesthood is given, "Do this in memory of me", and the Service Commission when Jesus washes their feet giving us example to be the servant of all....all masses on Holy Thursday the priest washes feet of parishioners....Good Friday we remember His Death to pay for our sins..we venerate the Cross in Thanksgiving for Jesus dying on it for us so that Heaven's Doors could be opened..we pray prayers of intentions for all peoples and all religions.....and we read the entire Passion....Easter Vigil is the day we celebrate His Resurrection....at this Mass a fire is blessed and the Pasquale Candle is lit from it and then everyone's candle is lit from the Candle....signifying Christ as Our Light...so powerful to see a black church light up with candles....at this Mass readings of the entire creation/salvation stories....new converts to Catholicism all over the world enter and join our church thru Baptism (the priest blessed the Holy Water on the Vigil), First Holy Communion and Confirmation...all at the vigil...these are adults who have decided that the Catholic Faith was calling them.....thousands....thousands each year...Here are the numbers...
http://www.usccb.org/news/16-032.cfm
Many people think people only convert out of the Catholic Faith. Often this happens when people who do not know Christ yet even though they come to church to go thru the motions...they have an awakening experience elsewhere. But those who return to the Roman Catholic Church research and make that decision in great knowledge and study. Many are Pastors and Reverands from other denominations who finally are drawn to go deeper and find the answers in this Church which was the very first...filled with Mysticism, Truth, ties to Our Jewish Father Faith,....so close to the celebrations of the Early Church Fathers....no one just becomes Catholic....it is a journey ...takes years...it is a person who is being called back home...and these converts could defend the reason we Catholics do what we do better than us born into the faith young....because they learn it all and hunger for it in a way we who are born into it young take all of it for granted. Two great books on this topic are, "Rome Sweet Home" by Scott Hahn...a Pastor and teacher of Seminary in the Baptist Faith who converted....and another gives many accounts of convert stories of people who joined us from all different backgrounds and religions..."Surprised by the Truth"I and II....
NO GREATER LOVE HATH ANY MAN THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS....let us celebrate this week differently than all weeks...let us enter into holy events...celebrations...fast and pray..and give alms...let us watch things that draw us to God...this is Holy Week...Palm Sunday started the Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem...let us not stop there...let us walk with Him...every step of the way until His Resurrection. Anyone could have died, but the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead is the Proof that He truly is the Son of God...and all He taught and lived was Truth.
Here are sights to go to to learn more about this week...these days...Jesus Christ and who we are...why we do what we do and what we believe and why in the Roman Catholic Church...
WELCOME TO ALL ENTERING OUR CHURCH THIS YEAR....YOU ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND WE WERE NOT THE SAME WITHOUT YOU!
For all Catholics who are not practicing, please come home...we miss you...and we are not the same without the entire body....if you do not fully understand our faith, please research all your questions and get the answers before having any opinion that would keep you from being with us. Too often people do not come, or leave because they do not know or understand yet. If you are not active or deciding to leave, please at least get all the answers from our perspective before going. Make an informed decision. Here are some links to search...
http://www.usccb.org
http://dynamiccatholic.com/
https://www.catholic.com/
http://www.scotthahn.com/
http://thereasonforourhope.org/
To everyone, be assured of my continued prayers....and with Passover, Easter and the Orthodox Easter all falling in the same week...let us rejoice, celebrate and pray for each other and for peace in our world! This is surely a sign to us because often our feasts are on different weeks....Sincere Love is the key to all success which is only derived from the True and Living God...
til next time...
ps: Easter is so important the Catholic Church celebrates Easter for a week long. Every day next week is Easter...This comes from the our Jewish Roots of long celebratios....any man could have died...but the Resurrection is what makes all the difference in the world....BLESSED AND FRUITFUL HOLY WEEK, EASTER SUNDAY...MONDAY, TUESDAY, WED, THURS, FRI, SAT AND SUNDAY!!!!
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