“In thinking about Christ’s death, we find ourselves invited to take a good hard look at our everyday activities and to be serious about the faith we profess. Holy Week cannot be a kind of ‘religious interlude’; time taken out from a life which is completely caught up in human affairs. It must be an opportunity to understand more profoundly the love of God, so that we’ll be able to show that love to other people through what we do and say.” —St Josemaria Escriva
This weekend is the start of Holy Week. It begins with the celebration of Palm Sunday as we remember the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He was greeted as a celebrity and people flocked to see Him. Since they did not really know who He was, this same crowd would shout just a handful of days later “Crucify Him.” This leaves me thinking about the fickleness of humanity when they have nothing of eternal value to center the meaning of their lives on. How easily we are pulled in different directions by our culture and by our personal ambitions.
As Catholics, we know that there is truth and there is Someone who changed everything for all of humanity!
We are not the center of our lives; Jesus Christ must be.
We believe in Jesus Christ.
We adore Jesus Christ.
We live our lives for Jesus Christ.
When we know Him, we can no longer be the same person.
We radically commit to cultivating our relationship with Him.
We are forever changed.
We have an ultimate destination, and our journey on earth has infinite value as we seek holiness and a relationship with God.
I invite you to pause for a moment and reflect on how much you have been changed by Jesus. Then soak in the words and the visuals of the song The In Between stunningly performed by Matt Maher.
Are we ready to walk with Him this coming Holy Week?
Are we ready to follow in His steps and carry the crosses of our lives so that we will be united with Him in suffering and in glory?
I love with such dearness the gift of Holy Week. It is a glorious week to be a faithful follower and friend of Jesus as we walk with Him in His perfect expression of radical love. It is such a joy for me to have an opportunity each year to go deeper into my faith and my relationship with Jesus. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, there are so many opportunities to come and follow Him and to marvel at the love and mercy of God.
Come to the liturgies par excellence and experience the vast graces that are poured out this week. God is waiting for you. Come and be filled with love!
“During this Holy Week,
let us lift our eyes to the cross,
in order to receive the grace of amazement.”
– Pope Francis
References:
Photo by Alessandro Bellone on Unsplash
St Josemaria Escriva’s quote retrieved from https://stjosemaria.org/holy-week/
Pope Francis’ quote retrieved from https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247092/
Author: Laura Stephens
