Holy Week

        

Our Lenten season is moves into Holy Week, I want to briefly explore with you two “Privileged Places” for you and me to more fully and faithfully deepen our awareness, our love and our knowledge of Jesus Christ during Holy Week. (epriest.com. 02/19/12)

 

But before I do that, we (each of us) must honestly admit that we are sinners, not bad people, but sinners, nonetheless.  Isaiah tells us God wants to forgive us, “…your sins I remember no more.”  In the Office of Readings, we find this verse, “Lord, to whom shall we go? – You have the words of eternal life.”

 

We know that God will forgive our sins, BUT we need to recognize them and confess them, so God can forgive them.  There is an old rabbinic story about a faithful Jew who every morning wrote on a piece of paper, “I am but dust and ashes” then he put the paper in his pocket.  Throughout the day he would take it out and read it, this prayer spoken originally by Abraham (Genesis 18:27) served as reminder of his unworthiness and humility before God.

 

One day he showed his paper to his rabbi; the rabbi was moved by the man’s reverence.  Then the rabbi took a piece of paper and wrote, “For my sake, the universe was created.”  The rabbi asked the man to carry these words as well and said “Let there be a balance in your life.  Realize that of yourself, before God, you are nothing – but because you are created in God’s image, out of love, you possess the greatest dignity imaginable: you are a child of God.”

 

As we prepare for Holy Week mindful of our sinfulness, may we strike a “… balance between realizing our humility before God & our identity as God’s beloved.”  (Connections, February 26, 2012“Striking a balance)

 

After the Gospel is proclaimed, the priest/deacon kisses the Book of the Gospels and inaudible prays, “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.”  Lent reminds us of our ongoing need for conversion, our need to allow the Word of the Gospel to penetrate our hearts and guide our wills.

 

The two “Privileged Places” open to us to deepen our conversion, help us acknowledge our sinfulness and allow God’s mercy and forgiveness to penetrate our lives are THE GOSPELS AND THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST!  As you prepare for Holy Week take spend some time in AWE and THANKSGIVING for being a child of God who has been give the Lord in Word and in Eucharist.

 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saint Andre Bessette intercede for us.

May God Be Praised!