This week....This Holy Week is the story of The Greatest Love Affair known to man. It is a dance...a meditation....a deep interior ecstasy that exceeds all others. Many preach on the existence of Heaven and Hell this week....but i am so moved to go way beyond that reality....This is the week that reminds us of the Love beyond all Loves....beyond all passionate loves in this world...spousal love....sibling love...parental love....fraternal love....take all the loving for all time among people...add to it the most beautiful, most passionate, delicious, joyful, happy things and experiences in this world that ever happened, multiply it by a billion and it does not touch the Love God has for YOU.....the Love God has for me! You see God sent Jesus to take on our sins....to offer Himself as a Sacrifice that Heaven's Doors might be open to all who choose to walk with Him and aspire to be like Him. Do not let this week slide by like the others....it is good for us to walk this week in deep holiness and prayer. The Catholic Church has marvelous Masses and Services all week long that help us to journey thru this week. Easter is not about food....it is not about family gatherings...it is not about a bunny....Easter is God....Jesus Christ....Who really loves us!....give more time to God this week than any other preparation....than all the shopping....than all the people....There is no sin in the other things....and most are very wholesome....but if they are the focus of this week, then yes there is sin....because God deserves our undivided attention....and then we can bring Him to all the other things we do this week.
Sunday was Palm Sunday....we celebrated the Triumphant entrance of Christ into Jerusalem...then solemnly readed the Passion of Our Lord to begin the Solemn Week....Last night at all Catholic Churches the Holy Thursday celebration of The Lord's Last Supper was celebrated. Three gifts were given on Holy Thursday....The Gift of Jesus washing the feet of His Followers....teaching us that Service and Love need to be the center of our lives following His Example....become the servant of all!...Second is the gift of His Body and Blood in Holy Communion, also referred to as The Eucharist. Without reception of Holy Communion one cannot Love fully...every time we take in Jesus in This Gift, we become a little more like Him...We need this Divine Food to continue to grow and go Higher......At the end of Mass was a procession with the Consecrated Hosts and they are brought to another altar, beautifully decorated that we might adore Him til midnight. All Catholic Churches were opened for prayer til midnight last night. and finally is the gift of Priesthood...."Do this in remembrance of me!"...a command...a calling forth of Apostolic Succession....meaning to be a priest is not to be an administrator, although he may be good at that, or a counselor....and he still might be good at that....many have forgotten that without the priest, we cannot have Holy Communion...This is the primary role, focus, value of a Priest's Life...TO BRING US JESUS....IN THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR! We must pray for priests...those who have ministered sacraments to us, those who have spiritually directed us, those who have prayed for us, those who have no one to pray for them, those who have lost their first Love, those who are lost, those who have died, those who are sick, those who have been so very faithful....every last one of them past, present and future....The symbolism this week at our Masses and Services are beyond compare. Incense, colors of vestments and altar cloths, covers on statues, candles, crosses, processions, ...wow...the list is endless....and each year it becomes more beautiful as we grow and understand and notice things we missed the years before. It is during this week that the Mass of Chrism, when the Bishop meets with all His Priests and they bless all the Sacred Oils....Oil of Baptism, Oil of Confirmation...Oil of the Sick...Oil for Ordination....and then all the Oils are then sent to all the parishes for use on the faithful in the coming year. a Glorious Week....of Holy Events.
For those who have missed up til now....Wake up!!!...Start now....get to a Good Friday Service today...it is the only day we do not have Mass. The Hosts that were Consecrated last night will be distributed in Holy Communion today...and today we will venerate...kiss, bow, kneel before the Cross remembering what Jesus did for each one of us....More important than bowing with our bodies is to bow deep in the recesses of our being....bow to our Maker...bow....show reverence,,,Love ....Respect....Adoration....Gratitude....get to a service today...and pay close attention to all the details....i won't share more on today's service....you must go to see for yourself!
Remember if you cannot attend due to illness or care giving, or another legitimate reason, put on EWTN....on the TV...or look online and find when they will have their services...and watch and pray from home if necessary. This is a gift to the sick and home bound....but remember it surely does not equal the experience of being there in attendance live....experiencing the sights and sounds and fragrances in the church.
i pray we all will have the best Holy Week of our lives...i pray we will devote great time and attention...prayer and deep meditation to God....Jesus His Son....We never know...this may be our last Holy Week...surely if we won't have this opportunity again, we would want this week to be our best ever.
Be assured of my continued prayers....please pray for me. Take note i have brought my 94 yrs. old Mom home after a 4 and a half month run in hospitals and rehab and as her care giver, my hands are full right now. i therefore do not have much time to write...please forgive me...and know i will try to write more often ....til next time...celebrate these days in church...celebrate them differently than ever before....hugs, ang
A HOLY AND FRUITFUL LIFE CHANGING HOLY WEEK TO ALL OF US!
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