Friday In
the Octave of Easter
Psalm 118, verse 4-6
4 Let
those who fear the LORD say, his
mercy endures forever. 5 In danger I called on the LORD; the
LORD answered me and set me free. 6 The
LORD is with me; I am not afraid;
what can mortals do against me?
When
can we say, “His mercy endures forever!” It is when we have received it and
given it away. Everybody needs to forgive somebody.
Forgiveness
will unleash a power in your life that is underrated and often ignored. It is
underrated mainly because it is underused. We fail to capture the power of
forgiveness because we are afraid of it, because we have grown comfortable in
our familiar wounds, or because we are sinfully stubborn. But the power is
there waiting for us.[1]
Allen
R. Hunt outlines there are three parts to forgiveness:
1)
Receiving Forgiveness which involves experiencing God and forgiving
yourself.
2)
Deciding to Forgive.
3)
Sharing Forgiveness.
Friday In the Octave
of Easter
Pilgrimage[3]
Easter Friday is a favorite day
for pilgrimages.
Pilgrimage was an essential part of Jesus’ religious
life. As God was one, so he had only one holy city, Jerusalem, to which he
called his people to make pilgrimage: “Three times a year all your males shall
appear before the Lord your God.” These Tri-annual pilgrimages were required at
the feast of unleavened bread (Passover), at the feast of the weeks
(commemoration of the Torah & the 10 commandments) and the feast of the
booths (Sukkoth). Christ by his sacrifice has created a heavenly Jerusalem
which is not in a geographic location but is Eucharistic and is located in the
tabernacle of every Catholic Church. Jerusalem has still retained an attractive
power, because it contained the monuments of the Lord’s passion and is one of
the most popular pilgrimage sites. A modern Catholic map of the world will
offer many possible destinations for pilgrimage. Jerusalem and Rome remain
favorites as well as the Marian shrines of Lourdes and Fatima. Also, since the
middle ages travelers have also thronged to Santiago de Compostela, the shrine
of St. James in Spain. Yet, here is the greatness of our God: we need not go to
the far ends of the earth to go on pilgrimage as God lives with us in the
Blessed Sacrament Chapel and we can always find local shrines to make small
pilgrimages. We could also make a pilgrimage to visit with holy people we know,
or travel to honor the graves of our ancestors, friends and mentors. A
pilgrimage is a sacramental: an outward sign of an inward grace. It reminds us
that we are wayfarers on earth till we are taken up into heaven.
Holy
Catholic pilgrimages for your “bucket list”[4]
Whether you follow in the footsteps of Jesus or the saints,
a holy pilgrimage is an opportunity to enrich one's faith.
The holy pilgrimage has been a
Christian tradition since the first recorded spiritual journey, in which a
bishop named Mileto from Sardis in Asia Minor traveled to the Holy Land in
around 160 to visit “the
place where [things described in the Bible] were preached and done.”In the 4th century, pilgrimages
following the footsteps of Jesus and the apostles became popular after
Constantine’s
mother, St. Helena, visited Jerusalem, discovered what is thought to have been
the True Cross, and built churches over holy sites related to Jesus’ life. To walk the same path as
Jesus and his followers, and to see with one’s own eyes the places mentioned in
Scripture, was more than just travel, it was meant to hasten an interior
journey as well. Rome became a major destination for European pilgrims in the
7th century after the Muslim conquest of the Holy Land limited the number of
Christians allowed to visit the holy sites there. The Crusades themselves were
considered a form of pilgrimage, and pilgrimages to the Holy land increased in
the late Middle Ages, partly due to the guidance of the Franciscan friars who
were entrusted with the guardianship of the holy sites.
Today, Christians continue to make
pilgrimages to enrich their spiritual lives. Taken in the spirit of prayer, a
pilgrimage can be as life-changing today as it was in the time of St. Jerome,
who in the 4th century wrote, “We
will have a clearer grasp of Scripture after we have gazed with our own eyes on
the sites where the events of our salvation unfolded.”
Here’s
a glimpse of a few sacred places to complete any Catholic’s “bucket list,” where modern pilgrims can travel
to walk the same path as Jesus and his followers, and visit the sites of the
miracles and apparitions:
The
Holy Land
Pilgrims to the Holy Land and
Jerusalem follow in the footsteps of Jesus, from the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem where Jesus was born to the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
where he was laid to rest. For the last 800 years, the Order of St. Francis has
had guardianship over these holy sites, and is today working to ensure that
Christians continue to exist in the birthplace of Christianity. By offering pilgrimages in the Holy Land,
they can help fulfill that mission.
·
When
to visit: The busiest times in Holy Land are during the major Christian and
Jewish feasts in spring and fall.
Fatima
The shrine in Fatima, Portugal,
marks the spot where Our Lady of the Rosary appeared to three shepherd
children, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, between May
and October of 1917. Pilgrims from all over the world gather for the torch-lit
processions held every day, but especially on pilgrimage days in May and
October.
·
When
to visit: Pilgrims travel to Fatima all year round, but the best-attended processions
are held on the 13th of May and October.
El
Camino de Santiago
The Way of St. James or El Camino
de Santiago became a major pilgrimage destination during the Middle Ages.
Tradition tells us that St. James’
remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was
buried. Medieval pilgrims traveled from their homes to what is now the city of
Santiago de Compostela, receiving penance for the expiation of sins by
undertaking the arduous journey.
Today, the pilgrimage has enjoyed a
resurgence in popularity, among believers as well as non-believers in search of
a retreat from modern life. Pilgrims’
hostels or albergues welcome
travelers along the way and can be found along the routes in Spain, France and
Portugal.
Read more:
·
When
to visit: July and August are the busiest months on the Camino. Pilgrims
traveling during April, May, June and September enjoy warm weather without the
crowds.
Ireland
Ireland has a long tradition of holy pilgrimages,
dating back to St. Patrick’s
fast on what is now known as Croagh Patrick in 441. In the pasts few years, the
Pilgrim Paths foundation has been restoring the ancient penitential paths, and
has so far created five guided walks. After pilgrims get their “passports” stamped after completing
each of the five routes, they receive an Irish Pilgrim Paths completion
certificate from Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo.
Read more:
·
8-25
Pilgrim Paths is holding its second annual Irish Pilgrim Journey, offering local guides for the 5
pilgrim paths. Other pilgrimages can be found by tour groups in conjunction
with this year’s
World Meeting of Families in Dublin, which takes place between August 21 and
26.
Rome
European pilgrims headed to Rome along the Via
Francigena to follow the paths of the martyred saints and early Christians.
Emperor Constantine erected basilicas over the tombs of Peter and Paul, which
attracted the faithful from all over Europe.
Read more:
·
When
to visit: Winter
is the best time to visit Rome if you want to avoid the crowds. Spring and
fall, outside of Easter week, offer mild temperatures without the crowds of
summer.
Lourdes
Millions of pilgrim’s flock to southwestern France
each year to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is there that the
Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 18 times in 1858 to a young peasant girl, St.
Bernadette Soubirous. In one of her appearances she told St. Bernadette to drink
from the grotto’s
spring. Many of the sick and suffering claim to have been miraculously cured by
the spring’s healing
waters.
Read more:
·
When
to visit: The
quiet season at Lourdes is between October and March. During peak season,
beginning at Easter, there are usually about 25,000 pilgrims a day visiting
Lourdes.
Poland
Even before Pope John Paul II’s canonization, a
spiritual journey to his homeland in Poland had become a popular pilgrimage
among Catholics. An itinerary might include a visit to Karol Wojtyla’s childhood home in Wadowice,
the shrine of the Black Madonna at Jasna Gora Monastery in Częstochowa,
and the beautiful Tatra Mountains where John Paul II skied. Other must-visit
sites: The Shrine of Divine Mercy and the martyred St. Maximilian Kolbe’s cell at Auschwitz.
Pope Francis prays in prisoner
#16670’s cell
in Auschwitz
When to visit: As with most popular destinations
in Europe, summer is the most crowded season. May to October is the best time
to travel to Poland to avoid the cold weather
O Mother most merciful,
pray for the souls in Purgatory!
PRAYER OF ST.
GERTRUDE THE GREAT O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of
Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world
today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere— for
sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within
my family. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE
DYING O Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy
most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in
Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their
agony and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the
dying! Amen.
ON EVERY DAY OF
THE NOVENA V. O Lord, hear my prayer, R. And let my cry come unto Thee. O God,
the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy
servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout
supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest
and reignest world without end. Amen.
FRIDAY O Lord
God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Jesus Thy divine Son
did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands
and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I
am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee
from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory, where it may praise
Thee and bless Thee for evermore. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
Eighth Day - Today Bring Me the Souls Who Are In the Prison Of Purgatory.
Most Merciful
Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so, I bring into the abode
of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very
dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams
of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of purifying
fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
Eternal Father
turn Your most merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are
enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful
Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred
Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just
scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your
dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your
goodness and compassion. Amen.
Daily Devotions
[1]
Allen R. Hunt, Everybody needs to forgive somebody.
[3] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic
Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 31. Pilgrimage.
[4]https://aleteia.org/2018/05/21/holy-catholic-pilgrimages-for-your-bucket-list/
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