Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
FIRST FRIDAY
John, Chapter 19,
verse 38
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for FEAR of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So, he came and took his body.
Where is Jesus’ body? If Christ did not resurrect where are the remains of his body? We have the nails, we have the shroud, we have the wood of the cross, and the crown of thorns, but we do not have His body. Why, because he has resurrected and in due time so will we. Faith is the answer to fear. Deep down we are all afraid: of suffering, or of dying, or of God’s judgment, or of the unknown, or of weakness, or of our live’ slipping out of control, or of not being understood and loved. We sin because we fear. We bully because we are cowards.[1]
“Faith casts our fear, as light casts out darkness. God has
shone his light into our world, and it is stronger than darkness. (John 1:50)
Timeline of Holy Week[2]
·
Good
Friday: Preparation day for Passover (Jn 19:14)
·
Early
in the morning, the Sanhedrin meets, they lead Jesus to Pilate. (Mk 15:1; Mt
27:1-2; Lk 23:1; Jn 18:28)
·
Pilate
sends Jesus to Herod (Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee) (Lk 23:6-7)
·
Herod
mocks Jesus and then clothes him in gorgeous apparel, and sends Jesus back to
Pilate (Lk 23:6-12)
·
Pilate
examines Jesus and finds him not guilty of the Jew’s charges against him.
Pilate has Jesus flogged and plans to release him. (Lk 23:13-16; Jn 19:1-13)
·
Jesus
is crowned with thorns. (Jn 19:1-6)
·
Jesus
is sentenced to death and is crucified at 12:00 noon.
· Jesus dies at 3:00 and is buried in the tomb. (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; Lk 23:44)
Good Friday
is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous
and acutely painful in these final hours
leading to his death. According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who
had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday
morning. Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of
false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After
multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion,
one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time. Before Christ was led away,
soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where,
again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross. Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words
were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing." His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit
my spirit." Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last
breath and died.
By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus
and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it
in a tomb.[3]
Good
Friday Service.[4]
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 Sepulcher, 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.
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion[5]
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.
LESSON. Exodus xii. 1-11.
In those days: The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the months of the year. Speak ye to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this month let every man take a lamb by their families and houses. But if the number be less than may suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his neighbor that joineth to his house, according to the number of souls which may be enough to eat the lamb. And it shall be a lamb without blemish, a male, of one year: according to which rite also you shall take a kid. And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month: and the whole multitude of the children of Israel shall sacrifice it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood thereof, and put it upon both the side posts, and on the upper doorposts of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh that night roasted at the fire, and unleavened bread with wild lettuce. You shall not eat thereof anything raw, nor boiled in water, but only roasted at the fire: you shall eat the head with the feet and entrails thereof. Neither shall there remain anything of it until morning. If there be anything left, you shall burn it with fire. And thus, you shall eat it: you shall gird your reins, and you shall have shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands, and you shall eat in haste: for it is the Phase (that is the Passage) of the Lord.
After this is read:
THE
PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,
According to St. John xviii. and xix.
At that time Jesus went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden into which He entered with His disciples. And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the place: because Jesus had often resorted thither together with His disciples. Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth and said to them: Whom seek ye?
They answered Him: Jesus of
Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am He. And Judas also who betrayed Him, stood
with Him. As soon therefore as He had said to them: I am He: they went
backward, and fell to the ground. Again, therefore He asked them: Whom seek ye?
And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered: I have told you, that I am He. If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled which He said: Of them whom Thou hast given Me I have not lost anyone. Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?
Then the band, and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him: and they led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, who was the high priest of that year. Now Caiphas was he who had given the counsel to the Jews: That it was expedient that one man should die for the people. And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. And that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore who was known to the high priest, went out, and spoke to the portress, and brought in Peter. The maid therefore that was portress, saith to Peter: Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples?
He saith: I am not. Now the servants and ministers stood at a fire of coals, because it was cold, and warmed themselves. And with them was Peter also standing, and warming himself. The high priest therefore asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world: I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort: and in secret I have spoken nothing. Why askest Thou Me? ask them who have heard what I have spoken to them: behold they know what things I have said. And when He had said these things, one of the servants standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying: Answerest Thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil: but if well, why strikest thou Me?
And Annas sent Him bound to Caiphas the high priest. And Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him: Art not thou also one of His disciples?
He denied it, and said: I am not One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman to him whose ear Peter cut off, saith to him: Did not I see thee in the garden with Him?
Again, therefore Peter denied, and immediately the cock crew. Then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor’s hall. And it was morning: and they went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said: What accusation bring you against this man?
They answered and said to him: If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee. Pilate therefore said to them: Take Him you, and judge Him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which He said signifying what death He should die. Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to Him: Art Thou the king of the Jews?
Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it Thee of Me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew?
Thy own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee up to me. What hast Thou done?
Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to Him: Art Thou a king then?
Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice. Pilate said to Him: What is truth?
And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in Him. But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the pasch: will you therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews?
Then cried they all again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then, therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head: and they put on Him a purple garment, and they came to Him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews! And they gave Him blows. Pilate, therefore, went forth again, and saith to them: Behold I bring Him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him. Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And he saith to them: Be hold the man. When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants had seen Him, they cried out, saying: Crucify Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith to them: Take Him you, and crucify Him; for I find no cause in Him. The Jews answered him: We have a law; and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus: Whence art Thou?
But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to Him: Speakest Thou not to me? knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee?
Jesus answered: Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar. Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment-seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the parasceve of the pasch, about the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews: Behold your king. But they cried out: Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith to them: Shall I crucify your king?
The chief priests answered: We
have no king but Caesar. Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them for to be
crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him forth. And bearing His own cross,
He went forth to that place, which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha,
where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, and Jesus
in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And
the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. This title,
therefore, many of the Jews did read, because the place where Jesus was
crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in
Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Write not, The king
of the Jews; but that He said, I am the king of the Jews. Pilate answered: What
I have written, I have written. The soldiers, therefore, when they had
crucified Him, took His garments (and they made four parts, to every soldier a
part), and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast
lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled saying:
They have parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they have cast
lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. Now there stood by the cross of
Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother, and the disciple standing,
whom He loved, He saith to His mother: Woman! behold thy son. After that, He
saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took
her to his own. Afterwards Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the Scripture might be fulfilled said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel
set there full of vinegar. And they putting a sponge full of vinegar, about
hyssop, put it to His mouth. Jesus, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar,
said: It is consummated. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. [Here all
kneel, and pause a little, to meditate on the redemption of mankind. ~\ Then
the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon
the cross on the Sabbath-day (for that was a great Sabbath-day), besought
Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The
soldiers, therefore, came and they broke the legs of the first, and of the
other that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they
saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the
soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and
water. And he that saw it hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And
he knoweth that he saith true, that you also may believe. For these things were
done that the Scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him.
And again, another Scripture saith: They shall look on Him Whom they pierced.
And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of
Jesus, but secretly lor fear of the Jews) besought Pilate that he might take
away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took away
the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus also came, he who at the first came to Jesus
by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred-pound weight.
They took therefore the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen clothes with the spices,
as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now there was in the place where He was
crucified a garden: and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had
been laid. There, therefore, because of the Parasceve of the Jews, they laid
Jesus; because the sepulcher was nigh at hand.
When the Passion is finished the
Priest prays first:
1, for the Church.
2, for the pope.
3, for the bishops, priests, deacons and the body of the faithful.
4, for the civil rulers and the catechumens.
5, for preservation from famine and sickness.
6, for heretics and schismatics.
7, for Jews and heathen.
After the prayers the priest, from the epistle side of the altar, extends towards the people the veiled crucifix, uncovered at the top, and sings with a loud voice, Behold the wood of the cross, whereon hung the Savior of the world. This elevation of the crucifix refers to Jesus, Who delivers us from everlasting death. After the response of the choir the priest advances to the corner of the altar, uncovers the right arm of the crucifix, and sings in a higher tone than before, Behold the wood of the cross. The choir again answers. Then at the middle of the altar he uncovers the whole crucifix, and, elevating it, sings in a still higher tone, Behold the wood of the cross, to which the answer is given as at first. The covering of the crucifix signifies that the crucified Savior was at first unknown and despised by the world; the gradual uncovering of it represents the gradual propagation of the knowledge and adoration of Jesus among mankind. The uncovered crucifix is then laid upon a cushion in front of the altar, and the priest puts off his shoes and proceeds to kiss the cross, kneeling three times to remind the faithful that Christ crucified, the Fountain of life, the Centre of the Church, is in her midst, and will remain with her to the end of time. When the adoration is ended, the cross is replaced on the middle of the altar, the candles are lighted, and the Blessed Sacrament is brought in procession from the place where it was deposited the day before. There is no Mass said to-day. For there is no consecration either of bread or wine, but the priest receives one of the hosts consecrated the day before.
Why is there no Mass said?
Because to-day the Church directs
her attention exclusively to the bloody sacrifice. During the day do for the
love of Jesus all the good you can; for example, to the poor, to the sick, to
prisoners, to unfortunate but worthy debtors, make the Way of the Cross, visit
the holy sepulcher, and meditate upon the passion of Christ. The passion of
Christ gives us unusual strength in combat with temptation. On this point St.
Augustine says,
In all my adversities I
have not found any remedies so powerful as the passion and wounds of Jesus. In
them I sleep securely, and rest without fear. To meditate rightly on the
passion of Christ consider what Jesus suffered from the Jews, the gentiles, and
even His own disciples, who all forsook Him. Then earnestly reflect that He,
the Son of God, holiness and innocence itself, suffered not for His own sake,
but to deliver mankind from sin, death, and hell, to free them of guilt and
punishment, and to convert them from being children of the devil to be children
of God. He came into the world, suffered, and died that we might have life. The
man who seriously ponders these things must have a heart of stone if he be not
moved to hatred of sin and to love of Jesus. But this is not the perfect fruit
of meditation on the passion of Jesus. By contemplating His passion, we ought
to become like Him. As often, therefore, as you think on the passion of Christ,
whether in making the Stations of the Cross, or in reciting the Rosary, or
before an image of the suffering Redeemer, endeavor not only to have pity for
His sufferings, not only to give Him assurance of your love, but also to
impress upon your heart the virtues practiced by Him in His passion, and to
imitate them.
Lenten Calendar[6]
Read:
Lent is over. The
joy of Easter is almost here, but today we still must journey with the Cross.
Many of us have chosen to sacrifice something during Lent. However, there are
those in the world that do not have that choice; many struggle to put food on
the table, give their children an education, take care of ailing parents, and
much more. Through our own sacrifices we stand in solidarity with those who
struggle as we work to ease their suffering.
Reflect:
One thing we can
take away from this Lent and from our encounter with the Passion of Christ is
that at the heart of every sacrifice is love. When we freely sacrifice
something during Lent, the goal is to do it for the love of God. How can we
continue to lovingly sacrifice once Lent is over?
One way is to pay
attention to the people in your life, while another way is to stand in
solidarity with those who suffer while working to ease their burden.
Pray:
Pray the Stations of the Cross today.
Act:
Attend the Good
Friday liturgy in your parish today. (No Mass is celebrated on Good
Friday.)
Five most Hateful
Sins[7]
As
this is Good Friday try to see our Lord weighted down with our sins which he
carried with him on the way of the cross; that beam was indeed heavy for it was
our sins and it tore a great unrecorded wound in his shoulder. I wonder, “What
are the five most hateful sins that our Lord bore in that cross?” In an article
by Zac Poonen, he proposed that the five most hated sins by our Lord are:
·
Hypocrisy: To be a hypocrite is to give others the impression
that we are holier than we actually are. It is the same as being false or
telling a lie. Jesus pronounced a curse on hypocrites seven times in Mt.
23:13-29. Jesus told the Pharisees that their inner life was ""full
of self-indulgence"" (Mt. 23:25) - which meant that they lived only
to please themselves. God looks at our hearts. (sorrowful mystery: agony in the garden)
·
Impurity: Impurity enters into our hearts mainly through our
eyes and our ears. Anyone who seeks to be pure must therefore be especially
careful about what he sees and what he hears. Jesus hated impurity so much that
He told His disciples that they should be willing to pluck out their right eye
and cut off their right hand rather than sin with those members (Mt. 5:27-29).
When do doctors recommend the amputation of the right hand or the surgical removal
of an eye? Only when things have become so bad that without the removal of
these organs, the whole body would die. This is what we need to understand in
relation to sin as well. Sin is so serious that it can imperil our very life.
Most believers have not realized this and that is why they are careless in the
way they use their tongues and their eyes. (sorrowful
mystery: scourging at the pillar)
·
Spiritual
Pride: We all know
the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee who despised others even in his
prayer (Lk. 18:9-14)! Jesus hated the pride with which he thought of his
spiritual activities and with which he despised makes believers constantly
judge other believers. Jesus taught that the greatest person in heaven would be
the humblest (Mt. 18:4). The greatest virtue found in heaven is humility. This
is why it is the first of the seven virtues (Humility, Generosity, Chastity,
Patience, Temperance, Understanding and Wisdom) of Mary Christ’s mother. (sorrowful mystery: crowning of the thorns)
·
Indifference
to Human Need: Jesus was angry when the leaders of
the synagogue did not want Him to heal a man, just because it was the Sabbath
day ""He was deeply disturbed by their indifference to human
need"" (Mk. 3:5 - Living). We are commanded to do good to all men,
especially to the children of God (Gal. 6: 10). Jesus taught that those who did
nothing to help their brothers who were in need of the basic necessities of
life, would be cast out of His presence in the final day (Mt. 25:41-46). Those
who do not help their brothers in need cannot possibly have the love of God
dwelling in their hearts (1Jn. 3:17). Jesus spoke out strongly on such matters
because He hated the attitude that many religious people had who were concerned
only with religious activities but not with helping their needy brothers. (sorrowful mystery: carrying of the cross)
·
Unbelief: Bible speaks of an unbelieving heart as an EVIL heart
(He. 3: 12) Jesus rebuked His disciples seven times for unbelief. (See Mt.
6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:17-20; Mk.16:14; Lk.24:25). It seems that He almost
never rebuked His disciples for anything else!! Unbelief is an insult to God,
because it implies that God does not care or provide for His children even as
much as evil fathers on earth care and provide for their children. (sorrowful mystery: the crucifixion)
Good Friday-Start Divine Mercy Novena[8]
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."
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 (Good Friday) 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.
·
Second Day - Today (Holy Saturday) Bring Me
the Souls of Priests and Religious.
Most
Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us,
that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify
the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your
vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the
strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they
are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to
guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your
boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
·
Third Day – Today (Easter Sunday) Bring Me
All Devout and Faithful Souls.
Most
Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in the
great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most
Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by that
most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so
fiercely.
Eternal
Father turn Your Merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of
Your Son. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and
surround them with Your constant protection. Thus, may they never fail in love
or lost the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of
Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages.
Amen.
·
Fourth Day – (Easter Monday) Today Bring Me the
Pagans and Those Who Do Not Know Me.
Most
Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the
abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not
know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together
with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the
abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet
do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus.
Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness
it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy
for endless ages. Amen.
·
Fifth Day - Today (Easter Tuesday) Bring to
Me the Souls of Heretics and Schismatics.
Most
Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, you do not refuse light to those who seek it
of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of
heretics and schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church,
and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but
bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics, and schismatics, who
have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces obstinately persisting
in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your Own
Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they,
too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that
they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.
·
Sixth Day - Today (Easter Wednesday) Bring Me
The Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children.
Most
Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and
humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart
all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send
all heaven into ecstasy, and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are
a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in
their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate
Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon meek and humble souls, and upon the souls
of little children, who are enfolded in the abode of the Most Compassionate
Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their
fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy
and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the
delight you take in them: bless the whole world, that all souls together may
sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
·
Seventh Day - Today (Easter Thursday) Bring
Me the Souls Who Especially Venerate and Glorify My Mercy.
Most
Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most
Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the
greatness of Your Mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God
Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward,
confident in Your Mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind
on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy
will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your
greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the
Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands
are full of deeds of mercy and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a
canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy
according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be
accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, "I Myself
will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour
of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."
·
Eighth Day - Today (Easter Friday) 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.
·
Ninth Day - Today (Easter Saturday) Bring Me the
Souls Who Have Become Lukewarm.
Most
Compassionate Jesus, you are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the
abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let
these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be
once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of
Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them
the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded
in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the
bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: let them,
too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen
Jesus, I trust in You.
The Sign of the Cross[9]
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[10]
1.
"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."
2.
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."
3.
The
Sign of the Cross is likened by the Fathers to the true cross of Christ.
4.
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.
5.
God
has imparted to the sign of the cross an efficacy, because of honors and merits
of the Crucified. This efficacy is greater if sign of cross made with devout
and believing disposition, recollection of mind, devotion of heart, love
towards the Crucified.
Meditation[11]
As Jesus neared the end of
His public life, the opposition of the Jewish leaders became more violent and
their desire to kill Him more determined. Our Lord, however, continued to teach
in the temple, where large crowds came to hear Him. The admiration of the
people intensified the hatred of the priests, and they planned to ensnare Jesus
in His speech that they might have grounds for condemnation. While His enemies
plotted His downfall, Our Lord spent the night in prayer on the Mount of
Olives. The contrast between the character of Christ and that of His enemies
could not be more pronounced. Yielding to base passion, they were openly
seeking the death of the Messiah. Jesus, on the contrary, in the spirit of
generous charity, was spending His days in teaching and His nights in prayer. Does our conduct in difficult circumstances
resemble that of Christ? When we are unjustly accused, criticized, or
condemned, do we calmly continue our work and have recourse to God in prayer?
Perhaps we seek vengeance upon those who oppose us by wishing them evil or
persuading others to despise and condemn them. Let us leave our reputation in
the hands of God and imitate Christ's efforts to benefit those who hated and
condemned Him.
"The Lord is the protector of
my life: of whom shall I be afraid?"
Things to
Do: If you wish to
gain the courage to embrace the small crosses in your life with joy, pray the
Stations of the Cross. This is an excellent practice that should not only be
confined to Lent but ought to be prayed on Fridays throughout the year. An
excellent version with beautiful meditations composed by Pope John Paul II is
his Stations of the Cross at the
Colosseum.
Some recommended versions are: Eucharistic Stations of the Cross, and the more traditional Stations
of the Cross written by Saint Alphonsus Liguori can be found in most Catholic
bookstores. Here are some guidelines for praying the Stations of the Cross
in your home.
First
Friday and the Sacred Heart of Jesus[12]
ALTHOUGH
many pious souls had been accustomed, in the silence of their secluded lives,
to venerate the sacred Heart of Jesus with great devotion, still our divine
Savior desired that the boundless love of His Heart might be known by all men,
and that a new fire of love should thereby be kindled in the cold hearts of
Christians. For this purpose, He made use of a frail and little-known
instrument in the person of Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun of the Order of the
Visitation, at Parayle-Monial, France. One day, when, according to her custom
during the octave of Corpus Christi, she was deeply engaged in devotions before
the Blessed Sacrament, the divine Savior appeared to her, showed her His Heart
burning with love, and said: “Behold this Heart, which has so loved men that it
has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to
testify its love. In return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude,
by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have
for Me in this sacrament of love. And what is most painful to Me is that they
are hearts consecrated to Me. It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday
after the octave of Corpus Christi be appropriated to a special feast to honor
My Heart by communicating on that day and making reparation for the indignity
that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out
abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or
procure its being rendered. Margaret obeyed, but met everywhere the greatest
opposition, until finally, when she became mistress of novices, she succeeded,
by the help of her divine Spouse, in animating her young charges to venerate
the sacred Heart of Jesus. But this was not sufficient for her zeal. She
persevered until she softened the opposition of the nuns and kindled in all an
equal devotion towards the most sacred Heart. Thence the devotion spread to the
adjoining dioceses, where confraternities in honor of the most sacred Heart of
Jesus soon sprung up. Pope Clement XIII., after having instituted a most
rigorous examination of the whole affair, commanded that the feast of the Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus should be solemnly celebrated throughout the whole Catholic
Church every year, on the first Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.
The
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
1. Object of this Devotion.
In
the divine Heart of Our Savior we must
not imagine an inanimate heart, separated from the person of Christ, but the
living heart of the God-Man, the center of all His affections, the fountain of
all His virtues, the most touching emblem of His infinite love to man. The
Church venerates the cross, the blood, and the wounds of the divine Savior, by
feasts which have their proper masses and lessons, in order, by meditation upon
these objects, to awaken in us a more fervent devotion to the Redeemer. How
much more worthy, then, of our devotion is the sacred Heart of Our Savior,
since all its thoughts, movements, and affections aim at our salvation, and it
is always ready to receive truly penitent sinners, to pardon them, to restore
them again to God s favor, and make them partakers of eternal happiness!
2.
Excellence
of this Devotion.
It
is, writes the venerable P. Simon Gourdan:
a.
A
holy devotion, for therein men venerate in Christ those affections and motions
of His Heart by which He sanctified the Church, glorified His Heavenly Father,
and showed Himself to men as a perfect example of the most sublime holiness.
b.
An
ancient devotion of the Catholic Church, which, instructed by St. Paul, the
great apostle, has at all times acknowledged the great beneficence of the
divine and sacred Heart of Jesus.
c.
An
approved devotion, for the Holy Scriptures everywhere admonish us to renew the
heart, by changing our lives; to penetrate it with true sorrow, to inflame it
with divine love, and to adorn it by the practice of all virtues. When,
therefore, a new heart is promised us, by which to direct our lives, that can
be no other than the Heart of Jesus, which is to us the pattern of all
excellence, and which we must follow if we would be saved.
d.
A
perfect devotion, as being the origin of all other devotions. For the Heart of
Jesus is the inexhaustible treasury from which the blessed Mother of God, and
all other saints have derived their graces, their virtues, their life, their
spiritual goods. Filled first with treasures from this source, different
servants of God have instituted and established other devotions.
e.
A
profitable devotion, for thereby we have brought before our eyes the very
fountain of life and grace, and can draw directly from it, increasing in
ourselves all virtues, by adoring this divine Heart, meditating on its holy
affections, and endeavoring to imitate them.
f.
A
devotion pleasing to God, for thus we adore God, as Christ requires, in spirit
and in truth, serving Him inwardly in our hearts, and endeavoring to please
Him. Finally it is:
g.
A
useful devotion, since its whole object is to unite us most intimately with
Christ as members of Him, her head, to make us live by and according to His
spirit, to have one heart and soul with Him, and through grace finally to
become one with Him, which is and must be the object of all devotions.
As this
devotion is, then, so excellent, we cannot sufficiently recommend it to all who
are anxious for their salvation. While everyone can practice this devotion, and
adore the sacred Heart of Jesus, by himself, there is a greater blessing when
pious souls unite and form a confraternity for practicing the devotion.
Hesitate not, Christian soul, to engage in this devotion, and to join in the
adoration of that sacred Heart of Jesus in which all men find propitiation, the
pious, confidence; sinners, hope; the afflicted, consolation; the sick,
support; the dying, refuge; the elect, joy and delight.
An Offering to the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus
Whoever
says the following prayer before the image of the most sacred Heart of Jesus,
with sincere sorrow for his sins, gains each time an indulgence of one hundred
days; and by saying it daily for a month, he can on any one day gain a plenary
indulgence, if he makes his confession, receives communion, and prays according
to the intention of the Church:
“My loving Jesus, I (N.N.) give
Thee my heart; and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, out of the grateful love
I bear Thee, and as reparation for all my unfaithfulness; and with Thy aid I
purpose never to sin again.”
Aids in Battle[13] The Devil fears those
who pray
My
dear brothers and sisters not only is prayer very powerful; even more, it’s of
the utmost necessity for overcoming the enemies of our salvation. Look at all
the saints: They weren’t content with watching and fighting to overcome the
enemies of their salvation and with keeping well away from all
that could offer them temptation. They passed their whole lives in prayer, not
only the day, but very often the whole night as well. Yes, my dear children, we
watch over ourselves and all the motions of our hearts in vain, and in vain we
avoid temptation, if we don’t pray. If we don’t continually resort to prayer,
all our other ways will be of no use at all to us, and we’ll be overcome. We
won’t find any sinner converted without turning to prayer. We won’t find one
persevering without depending heavily on prayer. Nor will we ever find a
Christian who ends up damned whose downfall didn’t begin with a lack of prayer.
We can see, too, how much the Devil fears those who pray, since there’s not a
moment of the day when he tempts us more than when we’re at prayer. He does
everything he possibly can to prevent us from praying. When the Devil wants to
make someone lose his soul, he starts out by inspiring in him a profound distaste
for prayer. However good a Christian he may be, if the Devil succeeds in making
him either say his prayers badly or neglect them altogether, he’s certain to
have that person for himself. Yes, my dear brothers and sisters, from the
moment that we neglect to pray, we move with big steps towards hell. We’ll
never return to God if we don’t resort to prayer.
ST. JOHN VIANNEY
World
Autism Awareness Day[14]
World
Autism Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness of the autism spectrum disorders
and improve the lives of those currently living with autism. Autism refers to a
lifelong brain development disorder that affects social interactions, learning,
routines and communication. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the global
population
is autistic. World Autism Awareness Day was designated by the United Nations
in 2007 in an effort to end stigmatization and discrimination against those with autism. World Autism Day is
celebrated annually on April 2nd and fits in with the UN's Agenda for
Sustainable Development, which promises to leave no one behind.
World Autism Awareness Day Facts
& Quotes
·
Autism
now affects 1 in 68 children
and 1 in 42 boys. Boys are 5 times more likely to have autism than girls.
·
Autism
costs a family $60,000 a year on average.
·
35
% of young adults (aged 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received postgraduate
education after leaving high school.
·
Who
do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If you were to get
rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon. – Temple
Grandin, world-renowned Autism spokesperson and university professor.
World Autism Awareness Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Wear
blue in order to support World Autism Day. The color blue is internationally
recognized as a symbol of support for World Autism Day and it is accompanied by
the catchphrase wear blue, April 2.
·
Watch
a movie about autism such as Fly Away, Sounding the Alarm and The
Story of Luke.
·
Light
up your home or your business in blue like many famous buildings or monuments
worldwide. There are many ways you can do this. It can be as simple as putting
blue plastic over floodlights to project the color blue on your home. You can
also use a blue Phillips light bulb, which can be bought at Home Depot.
·
Take
part in an Autism Speaks Walk that raises money for the cause. You can gather a
team and walk in support of someone you know with autism or simply donate, walk
and enjoy the day with thousands of others.
Daily Devotions
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 4
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 7 day 3
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1] Peter
Kreeft, Knight of Columbus, Luke E. Hart Series, Part I Faith.
[2]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf
[5] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[6] http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/april-19.cfm
[8]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1032
[9] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 2. The Sign of the Cross.
[10]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
[12] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[13] Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual
Warfare. TAN Books.
[14]https://www.wincalendar.com/World-Autism-Awareness-Day
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