Now when Pilate heard this
statement, he became even more afraid,
and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, "Where are you
from?"
1 Samuel, Chapter 12, Verse 20
“Do not fear,” Samuel answered them. “You have indeed committed all
this evil! Yet do not turn from the LORD,
but serve him with your whole heart.
Jesus was fearless. He
is the model of a true Israelite. He as a man was fearless. He as a man was
sinless yet He associated with the sinful: Judas who betrayed; Peter who
denied, Nicodemus who was silent; Herod who mocked, Pilate who washed his hands,
and all the people who preferred Barabbas and cried for Christ’s torture and
death on the cross. Yet He did not turn from his Father but served Him with his
whole heart; which was pierced for our sins. We have indeed committed all this
evil—yet because of Him we can serve with our whole heart.
Now our goal is to be
God’s sons and daughters-Saints of God. To fear the Lord and serve Him
faithfully you must live the Beatitudes of Christ. I recently revised my book
on the Divine Mercy Hikes. Perhaps today would be a good day to hike and
meditate on Christ’s beatitudes.
Hike of West Fork Oak Creek Sedona, Arizona
West Fork Oak Creek is a popular trail.
There is a pleasant little stream that ripples along the canyon floor as you
hike it where you can look up at the dizzying cliffs that tower above it.
During this hike you will meditate on
each of the ways you may have been walking away from God; marking each of the
meditations as you cross the stream multiple times. On the return hike, you
will meditate using the walking towards God meditations as you cross the
stream. Remember every journey away from something is a journey toward
something—the first meditations are the seven deadly sins with fear added as an
eighth; and you will be meditating on the Beatitudes of Christ on the way back
in reverse order.
Walking
away from GOD
(Have
I been/Shown?)
1 FEAR: Terror, Dread; Horror, Fright; Panic, Alarm;
Trepidation, Apprehension.
2 PRIDE/HUBRIS: Arrogant; Conceit; Smugness; Self-importance;
Satisfaction; Pleasure; Delight.
3 ENVY: Jealousy, Desire; Resentment, Spite, Malice,
Meanness.
4 WRATH: Anger, Annoyance, Rage; Fury, Aggravation,
Frustration.
5 AVARICE: Greed; Materialism; Covetousness,
Acquisitiveness.
6 SLOTH: Laziness, Idleness; Sluggishness, Inactivity;
Indolence (condition that is slow to develop or be healed and causes no
pain-i.e. fail to resist evil) Apathy.
7 GLUTTONY: Excess, Exclusivity; Over indulgence;
Intemperance.
8 LUST: Yearn, Desire; Long for, Hanker for; Hunger
for, Ache for, Crave.
Walking
toward GOD
(Have
I failed to be, do; or show?)
8
CHASTITY (PURITY OF HEART):
Cleanliness, Wholesomeness; Spotlessness, Clarity; Transparency,
Knowledge, Honesty, Wisdom. Opposing Deadly Sin: LUST
Blessed are the clean of heart, for
they shall see God. The clean of heart are those who preserve with care the
innocence with which they are invested at holy Baptism, or seek to regain it,
when lost, by penance; those who keep their hearts and consciences unspotted
from all sinful thoughts, particularly from all unchaste thoughts, desires,
words, and acts, and who endeavor in all things to have a pure intention
directed to God alone. They shall see God, that is, they shall know Him even
here upon earth, for as the eye that is to see must be clean, so only souls
that are pure and unstained can behold God. But further, our knowledge is like
our hearts; the purer the heart the clearer and greater is the knowledge of
God. But in the world above they shall see, know, and possess Him as He is.
What blessedness! Strive, therefore, to keep your heart clean. (Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896)
7
TEMPERANCE (POOR IN SPIRIT):
Sacrifice, Give Up; Forgo, Let Go; Surrender, Tithe, Self-Control,
Abstention. Opposing Deadly Sin: GLUTTONY
The poor in spirit are: 1. Those who,
like the apostles, readily forsake all earthly things, and for Christ’s sake
become poor. 2. Those who, happening to lose their property by misfortune or
injustice, suffer the loss patiently, in resignation to the will of God. 3.
Those who, like Jesus, are content with their poor and humble position, seek no
higher or happier one, and would rather suffer want than enrich themselves by unlawful
acts, by fraud or theft. 4. The rich and noble who set not their hearts upon
the riches and greatness of the world who use their riches and influence to
relieve the misery of the needy and oppressed. 5. Finally, the truly humble,
who, convinced of their weakness, their helplessness and misery, think lowly of
themselves, and regard themselves but as beggars, who are always in need of the
grace of God. To all these, therefore, in whose hearts the world has no place,
there is assured, as their inheritance, the kingdom of heaven; here the kingdom
of grace there the kingdom of glory. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
6
DILIGENCE (HUNGER & THRIST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS): Fairness, Impartiality; Righteousness,
Evenhandedness; Fair Dealing, Persistence, Effort, Ethics, Rectitude. Opposing
Deadly Sin: SLOTH
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst
after justice, for they shall have their fill. Hunger and thirst denote the
most ardent longing after those virtues which constitute Christian perfection;
such as humility, meekness, the love of God and of our neighbor, penance.
Whoever longs for these virtues as the hungry man does for food and drink, and
prays to God for them with perseverance and earnestness, shall have his fill;
that is, he shall be enriched with them, and one day shall be satisfied with
eternal Happiness. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
5
CHARITY (MERCIFUL): Compassion;
Kindness, Pity; Bigheartedness, Clemency; Openhandedness, Forgiveness;
Liberality, Understanding; Leniency, Will, Benevolence, Generosity. Opposing
Deadly Sin: AVARICE
Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy. The merciful here spoken of are: 1. Those who willingly
forgive the injuries done to them. 2. Those who have compassion on their poor
neighbors, and, according to their ability, sustain them by alms. These shall
obtain mercy; that is, God will forgive them their sins and endow them
abundantly with the goods of this world and of the world to come. Thus God deals with us as we deal with
others. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
4
PATIENCE (PEACEMAKERS): Relations,
Mediation; Negotiation—Prevents Destruction; I.E. Stem Cell/Abortion,
Sufferance. Opposing Deadly Sin: WRATH
Blessed are the peace-makers, for they
shall be called the children of God. By peace-makers we are to understand those
who have peace with themselves, that is, a quiet conscience, and who endeavor
to maintain peace among others, or to restore it when broken. Such are called
the children of God, because they follow God, Who is a God of peace, and Who
even gave His only Son to reconcile the world with Him, and to bring down upon
earth that peace which the world itself could not give. (Goffine’s Devout
Instructions, 1896)
3
KINDNESS (MOURNING): Grief, Sorrow;
Remembrance, Respect, Loyalty, Integrity. Opposing Deadly Sin: ENVY
Blessed are they that mourn, for they
shall be comforted. By them that mourn we are not to understand such as grieve
and lament over a death, a misfortune, a loss of worldly goods, or the like;
but those who are grieved that God should be in so many ways offended by
themselves and by others that His Church should be so heavily oppressed, and
thereby so many souls lost that have been redeemed with the precious blood of
Christ. The only evil really to be grieved for is sin, and the tears shed on
account of sin are the only tears that are profitable, for they shall be
recompensed with everlasting joy. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
2
HUMILITY (MEEK): Modesty, Not Assuming, Reverence, Altruism. Opposing
Deadly Sin: PRIDE/HUBRIS
Blessed are the meek, for they shall
possess the land. That man is meek who does not murmur against God for sending
afflictions upon him, who is not angry at men who do him injury, but who rather
suppresses impatience, anger, envy, and revenge, nay, who seeks to recompense
the evil done him by his neighbor with good. Such a one is greater than he who
takes by storm fortified cities (Prov. xvi. 32); he possesses an unfailing
fountain of peace, quiet, and cheerfulness; by his meekness prevails over the
most hostile minds, is by such means truly a ruler upon earth, and will one
day, for his portion, obtain heaven, the land of the living, there to enjoy
eternal peace. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
1
LOVE & COURAGE (FAITH-BE NOT AFRAID):
Affection, Adoration; Friendship, Confidence; Courageous, Trust;
Valiant, Reliance; Heroic, Assurance; Bold, Conviction; Daring, Belief;
Fearless, Devotion; Plucky, Loyalty. Opposing Deadly Sin: FEAR
Love Brothers and sisters, do not be
afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who
wish to serve Christ and with Christ’s power to serve the human person and the
whole of mankind. Do not be afraid: Open wide the doors for Christ. To his
saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the
vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ
knows “what is in man”. He alone knows it. So often today man does not know
what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is
uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt,
a doubt which turns into despair. We ask you therefore, we beg you with
humility and trust, let Christ speak to man. He alone has words of life, yes,
of eternal life.[1]
Passion Week Timeline[2]
Friday
April 14
|
The
Trials of Jesus Christ
·
First
trial,
before Annas [nightime hours]; Annas is looking for an accusation, biding
time till Sanhedrin is gathered at High Priestly villa
·
Second
[and primary] trial before Sanhedrin, Jesus is condemned, misused
·
Third
trial,
immediately at dawn [meanwhile, Peter denies Jesus a third time; Jesus looks
upon him]; the condemnation repeated, then Jesus taken to Romans
·
Fourth
trial
before Pilate [till "beginning at Galilee"]
·
Fifth
trial
before Herod [looks for miracle]
·
6th
trial
before Pilate
o Jesus is
scourged; the city cries, "Crucify Him or we will tell Rome!"
o Jesus is
finally turned over to be crucified
o Jesus mocked
(Roman soldiers); crown of thorns
o Judas hangs
himself
o Jesus bears
His cross to gate on north of city and is crucified around 9 am
Jesus' Seven Sayings from the Cross
The Death of the God-Man
About 3 pm; veil torn, rocks rent; some graves opened and people rise [to
mortality] and go into the city
|
||
WHAT does the Church commemorate on
this day?
The death of Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of the Father, and the Savior of the world, who on this day
was scourged, crowned with thorns, and most cruelly crucified between two
thieves; through which bitter and ignominious passion and death He accomplished
the redemption of mankind.[4]
Attending the Good Friday Service
The sacrifice of the altar is not offered on the day commemorating the
sacrifice of the cross, and though communion may be distributed, the faithful
are discouraged from receiving it without good reason. Instead, a mournful
service is conducted. The priest, vested in black, reads several passages from
the Bible, including the Passion account from the Gospel of John. Afterwards,
the "Solemn Prayers" or "Collects" are offered on behalf of
all classes of men, from the Church to the heathen. This is followed by the
veneration of the cross, during which time the dolorous "Reproaches"
are chanted. The service concludes with the "Mass of the
Presanctified," a solemn communion rite.
Forty Hours' Devotion
It is traditionally believed that the duration of time from Christ's death
until His Resurrection is forty hours, from 3 p.m. on Good Friday until 7 a.m.
Easter Sunday. As early as the 100s it was customary for some of the faithful
to fast and keep vigil during this entire period.
Other
Good Friday Customs
If a devotion of forty hours could
not be done, many Catholics observed Good Friday as a day of austerity as best
they could. Fasting more than was required was common. Attending the Three
Hours' Devotion, or Seven Last
Words of Christ, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (the hours our Lord hung
upon the cross), has also been popular. Liturgically speaking, this is a
relatively new observance, begun in Peru in the early 1700s, but it is a very
effective one. An older tradition that has lamentably been forgotten, on the
other hand, is that of the Holy Sepulchre, a special
shrine set up to house either the Blessed Sacrament or a crucifix which the
faithful could visit on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
The most basic Christian gesture in
prayer is and always will be the Sign of the Cross.
(Pope Benedict XVI) “…by which the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal 6:14) Martyrs made the
Sign as they were taken to their deaths.
The Sign of the cross is used in every single liturgy of
the Church: sacraments, exorcisms, consecrations, and blessings[6]
·
"The sign of the cross is a symbolic
expression of the principal mysteries of Christianity, a confession of the
Catholic faith. It reminds us of the Crucified, of the price of our redemption,
and of the value of our soul; it enkindles love of God, strengthens hope, and
animates us to follow Christ on the way of the Cross. It indicates that in the
cross we are to find our honor, our salvation, and our life; that we should
prefer the folly and weakness of the cross to all the wisdom and power of the
world, that, as disciples of the Crucified, we should combat under the banner
of the cross and by this sign triumph over all our enemies."
·
St. Francis de Sales: "We raise the hand
first to the forehead, saying, 'In the name of the Father,' to signify that the
Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity, of whom the Son is
begotten and from whom the Holy Ghost proceeds. Then saying, 'and the Son,' the
hand is lowered to the breast, to express that the Son proceeds from the
Father, who sent Him down to the womb of the Virgin. Then the hand is moved
from the left shoulder or side to the right, while saying, 'and of the Holy
Ghost,' thereby signifying that the Holy Ghost, as the Third Person of the Holy
Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, that He is the Love that unites
both, and that we, through His grace, partake of the fruits of the passion.
Accordingly the sign of the cross is a brief declaration of our faith in the
three great mysteries: of our faith in the Blessed Trinity, in the passion of
Christ, and in the forgiveness of sin, by which we pass from the left side of
curse to the right of blessing."
·
The Sign of the Cross is likened by the Fathers
to the true cross of Christ.
·
The Sign of the Cross is source of all blessings
and graces, the weapon and armor of our defense against the evil spirit... as
sign of Christ's victory over sin, death, and hell.
·
God has imparted to the sign of the cross an
efficacy, because of honors and merits of the Crucified.
·
Efficacy greater if sign of cross made with
devout and believing disposition, recollection of mind, devotion of heart, love
towards the Crucified.
The Three O’clock Hour[7]
In His revelations to Blessed Faustina, Jesus asked for special, daily
remembrance at three o'clock, the very hour He died for us on the cross:
·
"At three o'clock, implore My mercy,
especially for sinners; and if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My
Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony: This is the
hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My
mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a
request of Me in virtue of My Passion." (Diary, 1320).
·
At 3:00 o'clock we can pray:
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life
gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O
Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty
Yourself out upon us. (Diary, 1319).
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the
Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary, 84).
Good Friday Top Events and Things to
Do[8]
·
Several good movies depict Jesus' crucifixion.
One is Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (2004). It
focuses on the suffering and pain Christ endured.
·
One tradition on Good Friday is to make and eat
hot cross buns. The bread, which is slightly sweet, has a cross on the
top that represents the crucifixion. It is thought to be an English
tradition that dates back 500 years.
·
The disciples felt grief and abandonment after
Jesus' crucifixion. Contact someone
you know who has suffered a recent loss.
·
Attend a procession depicting the crucifixion of
Christ. They are popular in Mexico and in Catholic communities in the
United States.
Divine Mercy Novena[9]
Unlike other
novenas, where people ask for something from God through the intercession of
His Holy Saints, Divine Mercy Novena is intended to be prayed for graces and/or
salvation to be given to other people. Jesus asked that this novena be prayed
prior to the Feast of Divine Mercy (the Sunday after Easter), beginning on Good
Friday. He gave Sr. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the
Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the
lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said: "These souls cause Me more
suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most
revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation
for them is to flee to My Mercy." In her diary, Faustina wrote that Jesus
told her: "On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a
different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy
... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the
graces for these souls."
Prayer
The different souls prayed for on each day of the novena are:
All mankind, especially sinners; The souls of priests and religious; All
devout and faithful souls; Those who do not believe in Jesus and those who do
not yet know Him; The souls of separated brethren; The meek and humble souls
and the souls of children; The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus'
mercy; The souls who are detained in purgatory; and The souls who have become
lukewarm.
This is prayed along with the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
First Day - Today bring Me all mankind,
especially all sinners.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to
forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in
Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most
Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by
Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon
poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the
sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the
omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
Daily Devotions/Prayers
Today bring to me the souls of all mankind; especially sinners
[1]
http://www.catholicvote.org/john-paul-iis-first-homily-sacrifice-humility-courage/#sthash.coO9xfTF.dpuf
[2]
http://www.jesus.org/death-and-resurrection/holy-week-and-passion/a-time-line-of-the-passion-week.html
[4]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[5]
Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap.
2. The Sign of the Cross.
[6]
http://www.stjosephstoledo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96:october-18-2009-homily-the-sign-of-the-cross&catid=14:homilies&Itemid=13
[8]
http://www.wincalendar.com/Good-Friday
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