Palm Sunday
Psalm 22, verse 24:
You who FEAR
the LORD, give praise! All descendants of Jacob, give honor; show reverence,
all descendants of Israel!
This verse was fulfilled on Palm Sunday, which we reflect on Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Let us honor and praise our Lord Jesus Christ everyday as we rise by saying Shema Yisrael which is the same prayer the Christ most likely prayed every morning Himself and is still prayed by pious Jews today.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and with all your strength.
My question is how does, one Love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Perhaps to understand this better we should ask ourselves:
1. What are the desires of our heart?
2. Whose flag are we following?
3. What consumes our mind?
4. How do we use our gifts?
Luminous Rosary
St. John Paul gave us the luminous Rosary and we can use it to reflect on how to love God with all our heart.
The points of reflection for the luminous rosary are:
· Baptism in the Jordan: Gratitude for the Gift of Faith.
565. None of these virtues, nor any others which might be related to justice, were wanting to the Queen of heaven; of all these She had the habit and practiced them as occasion offered. Moreover, as the Teacher and Mistress of all sanctity She instructed and enlightened many souls how they were to exercise and practice them with the greatest perfection.
The virtue of gratitude toward God She exercised by acts of religion and worship, as we have already described: for this is the best way to show our gratitude toward Him: and as the dignity of the most pure Mary and her concomitant sanctity was exalted above all created understanding, this eminent Mistress gave a return of gratitude proportionate to his benefits within the measure possible to a creature.
The same holds true in regard to her piety toward her parents and her country, as mentioned above. To her fellowmen this most humble Princess returned thanks for each favor as if She deserved no consideration from anyone; and, although all favors were due to Her in justice, She nevertheless gave thanks for them with gracious affability. She alone knew and practiced this virtue to such an extent, as to return thanks for injuries and offenses as if they were great benefits; for in her incomparable humility She never recognized anything as an injury and considered Herself under obligation for what really were such. Moreover, as She never forgot any benefit, She also never ceased in her gratitude.[1]
· The Wedding in Cana reflection: Fidelity.
133. For this end thou must avail
thyself of the remembrance of what I did, and by it regulate thy aspirations,
thy fervor, thy love, and all that is necessary to prepare thy heart as a
temple and habitation of thy Spouse and highest King. Labor then to collect all
thy powers within thyself; before and after receiving observe all that pertains
to the fidelity of a Spouse, and especially must thou place a guard over thy
eyes and a watch over all thy senses, in order that no profane or foreign image
may enter into the temple of the Lord.
Keep thy heart entirely pure and unspotted; for when it is impure or preoccupied, the plenitude of divine light and wisdom cannot enter (Wis. 1, 4). All this thou wilt know from what God has shown thee, if thou hast attended to it with an upright purpose. Even supposing that thou canst not exempt thyself from all intercourse with creatures, it is befitting that thou hold thy senses in great subjection, and that thou do not permit them to introduce the image of any sensible thing, by which thou wouldst not be assisted in striving after the most holy and pure of virtue.
Separate the precious from the worthless, the truth from deceit. In order that thou mayest imitate me perfectly, I wish that from now on thou attend to the choice thou art to make in all things great or small, so that thou err in none, perverting the order of divine light.[2]
· Proclamation of the Kingdom reflection: Desire for Holiness.
711. Human life is interwoven thus variously with both kinds of events; some of them according, others contrary to the likings of mortals; some which they abhor, others which they desire. As the human heart is limited and narrow it immoderately inclines to extremes, boundlessly desiring what it loves and likes, and, on the other hand, grieving and sorrowing at what it abhors and dislikes. These changeful moods and fluctuations create danger for all or many virtues. The disorderly love for one creature which it cannot attain, moves the soul presently to desire another, expecting a balm for its disappointment in the former. And if it is successful, the soul becomes involved and flurried in the desire of retaining what it possesses, thus casting itself by these velleities into still greater disorders and passions.
Attend, therefore, dearest, to this danger and attack it at the root by preserving thy heart independent and riveted only on the divine Providence, without ever allowing it to incline toward what it desires or longs for, or to abhor what is painful to it. Let the will of the Lord be thy only delight and joy. Let neither thy desires draw thee on, nor thy fears dishearten thee. Let not thy exterior occupations, and much Jess thy regard or attention to creatures, ever impede thee or divert thee from thy holy exercises, attending always to my example. Seek thou lovingly and diligently to follow in my footsteps.[3]
· The Transfiguration reflection: Spiritual Courage.
INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE MOST HOLY QUEEN MARY.
354. My daughter, although thou hast only very briefly summed up my lengthy battle against temptations, I wish that from what thou hast written and from what thou knowest otherwise concerning these things, thou learn the manner of resisting and overcoming the powers of hell.
The surest way of fighting the demon is to despise him, looking upon him as the enemy of the Most High, who has lost all fear of God and all hope of good; who in his stubbornness has deprived himself of all means of recovery and is without sorrow for his wickedness, Relying on this indubitable truth thou shouldst show thyself far superior to him, exalted and unflinching in thy thoughts, and treat him as a contemner of the honor and worship of his God. Knowing that thou art defending so just a cause, do not let thy courage sink; but resist and counteract him with great strength and valor in all his attempts, as if thou wert fighting at the side of the Lord himself; for there is no doubt that his Majesty assists all those that enter loyally into his battles. Thou art truly in good hope and in the way of eternal life glory, as long as thou laborest faithfully for thy Lord and God.[4]
· The Institution of the Eucharist (Holy Thursday) reflection: Love of our Eucharistic Lord.
487. But if the condescension of my most holy Son was so great as to bestow so liberally upon thee his light and knowledge concerning these vast blessings, ponder well how much thou art bound to co-operate with this light In order that thou mayest correspond to this obligation, I remind and exhort thee to forget all that is of earth and lose it out of thy sight; that thou seek nothing, or engage thyself with nothing except what can help thee to withdraw and detach thee from the world and its inhabitants; so that, with a heart freed from all terrestrial affection, thou dispose thyself to celebrate in it the mysteries of the poverty, humility and divine love of the incarnate God.
Learn from my example the reverence, fear and respect, with which thou must treat Him, remembering how I acted, when I held Him in my arms; follow my example, whenever thou receivest Him in thy heart in the venerable sacrament of the holy Eucharist, wherein is contained the same God-Man, who was born of my womb. In this holy Sacrament thou receivest Him and possessest Him just as really, and He remains in thee just as actually, as I possessed Him and conversed with Him, although in another manner.[5]
ON KEEPING THE LORDS DAY HOLY[6]
CHAPTER II
DIES CHRISTI
The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
The day of rest
68. In order that rest may not degenerate into emptiness or
boredom, it must offer spiritual enrichment, greater freedom, opportunities for
contemplation and fraternal communion. Therefore, among the forms of culture
and entertainment which society offers, the faithful should choose those which
are most in keeping with a life lived in obedience to the precepts of the
Gospel. Sunday rest then becomes "prophetic", affirming not only the
absolute primacy of God, but also the primacy and dignity of the person with
respect to the demands of social and economic life, and anticipating in a certain
sense the "new heavens" and the "new earth", in which
liberation from slavery to needs will be final and complete. In short, the
Lord's Day thus becomes in the truest sense the day of man as
well.
Palm Sunday[7]
Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and the account of His Passion according to St. Matthew.
Why is
this day called Palm Sunday?
1. In memory
of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when He was received by the
devout people with palms.
2. Because the Church to-day blesses palms, with which a solemn procession is held.
Why are
the palms blessed?
1. To
protect in body and soul those who carry them with devotion.
2. To bless
the dwellings into which the palms are brought.
3. To bring before us how God, by the entrance into Jerusalem with palms, has represented the victory of Jesus over the prince of darkness.
In the Introit of to-day
s Mass the Church reminds us of the sufferings of Our Savior, and says: O Lord,
remove not Thy help to a distance from me, look towards my defense, save me
from the lion’s mouth, and my lowness from the horn of the unicorn. O God, rny
God, look upon me; why hast Thou forsaken me? far from my salvation are the
words of my sin. (Ps. xxi.)
Prayer. O almighty and eternal God, Who
wouldst have Our Savior take flesh and undergo the cross, for man to imitate
the example of His humility, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may both deserve
the instruction of His patience and the fellowship of His resurrection.
EPISTLE. Phil. ii.
5-11.
Brethren:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but emptied Himself, taking
the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as
a man. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of
the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name
which is above all names: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue
should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
Instead
of the gospel the passion of Our Lord, taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew
(xxvi., xxvii.), is read during the Mass. At the words, Bowing His head, He
gave up the ghost, the priest and congregation kneel and meditate for a short
time on the mysterious event of the accomplishment of our redemption. At the
blessing of the palms the following gospel is said:
GOSPEL. Matt. xxi.
1-9.
At that time:
When Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to Bethphage, unto Mount
Olivet: then He sent two disciples, saying to them: Go ye into the village that
is over against you, and immediately ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with
her: loose them, and bring them to Me: and if any man shall say anything to
you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them, and forthwith he will let them go.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold thy King cometh to thee,
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the
yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought
the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made Him sit
thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and
others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: and the
multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the
Son of David! blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Why did Jesus enter with so much solemnity into
Jerusalem? To
present Himself as the promised Messiah and King of the Jews, whose triumphant
entry into Jerusalem the prophet Zachary had predicted.
Why did the people go to meet Jesus with palms in
their hands? It
was done by a divine inspiration, to show that Jesus, as the victor over death,
Satan, and hell, would gain for us the palm of peace with God, our neighbor,
and ourselves, and that He would open to us the heavenly Jerusalem. And yet
these same people, five days later, desired His death, crying out, Crucify Him!
Learn, therefore, to confide in God alone, and not in man; for he who is with
you to-day may be against you tomorrow. Be cautious, therefore, and watchful,
lest, imitating the changeableness of the people, you at Easter receive your
Savior with joy, and then after a little by new sins crucify Him again (Heb.
vi. 6).
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST
According to Matt. xxvi. and xxvii.
At that time
Jesus said to His disciples: You know that after two days shall be the Pasch,
and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered
together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the
high priest, who was called Caiphas: and they consulted together, that by
subtilty they might apprehend Jesus and put Him to death. But they said: Not on
the festival-day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. And
when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to Him
a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on His head
as He was at table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To
what purpose is this waste? for this might have been sold for much, and given
to the poor. And Jesus, knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this
woman?
For she hath
wrought a good work upon Me. For the poor you have always with you: but Me you
have not always. For she, in pouring this ointment upon My body, hath done it
for My burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in
the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of
her. Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests.
And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?
But they
appointed him thirty pieces of silver. And from thenceforth he sought
opportunity to betray Him. And on the first day of the Azymes the disciples
came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the
Pasch?
But Jesus said:
Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: The Master saith: My time
is near at hand, with thee I make the Pasch with My disciples. And the
disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the Pasch. But when
it was evening, He sat down with His twelve disciples. And whilst they were
eating, He said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray Me. And they
being very much troubled, began everyone to say: Is it I, Lord?
But He is
answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, he shall betray
Me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but wo to that man by
whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him if that man had
not been born. And Judas that betrayed Him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi?
He saith to him:
Thou hast said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and
blessed, and broke: and gave to His disciples, and said: Take ye and eat this
is My body. And taking the chalice He gave thanks: and gave to them, saying:
Drink ye all of this. For this is My blood of the New Testament, which shall be
shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you I will not drink from
henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with
you in the kingdom of My Father. And a hymn being said, they went out unto
Mount Olivet. Then Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in Me this
night. For it is written I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock
shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into
Galilee. And Peter answering, said to Him: Although all shall be scandalized in
Thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that
in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny Me thrice. Peter saith to
Him: Yea, though I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee. And in like
manner said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them into a country place
which is called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples: Sit you here, till I
go yonder and pray. And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He
began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then He saith to them: My soul is
sorrowful even unto death: stay you here and watch with Me. And going a little
further, He fell upon His face, praying and saying: My Father, if it be possible,
let this chalice pass from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.
And He cometh to His disciples, and findeth them asleep, and He saith to Peter:
What! could you not watch one hour with Me?
Watch ye, and
pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh weak. Again, the second time He went and prayed, saying: My Father, if
this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it. Thy will be done. And He
cometh again, and findeth them sleeping for their eyes were heavy. And leaving
them, He went again: and He prayed the third time, saying the self-same word.
Then He cometh to His disciples and saith to them: Sleep ye now and take your
rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the
hands of sinners. Rise, let us go behold he is at hand that will betray Me. As
He yet spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great
multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients
of the people. And he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I
shall kiss, that is He, hold Him fast. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said:
Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him: Friend, whereto art thou
come?
Then they came up
and laid hands on Jesus, and held Him. And behold one of them that were with
Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword, and striking the servant
of the high priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy
sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot ask My Father, and He will give Me presently more
than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that
so it must be done?
In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude: You are come out as it were to a robber with swords and clubs to apprehend Me. I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and you laid not hands on Me. Now all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving Him, fled. But they holding Jesus led Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the ancients were assembled.
And Peter followed Him afar off, even to the court of the high priest. And going in he sat with the servants, that he might see the end. And the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus that they might put Him to death: and they found not, whereas many false witnesses had come in. And last of all there came two false witnesses, and they said: This man saith, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three days to rebuild it. And the high priest rising up, said to Him: Answereth Thou nothing to the things which these witness against Thee?
But Jesus held
His peace. And the high priest said to Him: I adjure Thee by the living God,
that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ the Son of God. Jesus saith to him:
Thou hast said it; nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds
of heaven. Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed:
what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the
blasphemy: what think you?
But they
answering, said: He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in His face, and
buffeted Him, and others struck His face with the palms of their hands, saying:
Prophesy unto us, O Christ, who is he that struck Thee?
But Peter sat
without in the court: and there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also
wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying I know not
what thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate another maid saw him, and she
sayeth to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. And
again, he denied with an oath: That I know not the man. And after a little
while they came that stood by, and said to Peter: Surely, thou also art one of
them: for even thy speech doth discover thee. Then he began to curse and to
swear that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter
remembered the word of Jesus which He had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt
deny Me thrice. And going forth he wept bitterly. And when morning was come,
all the chief priests and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus,
that they might put Him to death. And they brought Him bound and delivered Him
to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas who betrayed Him, seeing that He was
condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and ancients, saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.
But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it. And casting down the pieces
of silver in the temple he departed: and went and hanged himself with a halter.
But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful
to put them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood. And after they
had consulted together, they bought with them the potter s field to be a
burying- place for strangers. For this cause that field was called Haceldama,
that is, the field of blood, even to this day. Then was fulfilled that which
was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of
silver, the price of Him that was prized, Whom they prized of the children of
Israel: and they gave them unto the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed to
me. And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, saying:
Art Thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus saith to
him: Thou sayest it. And when He was accused by the chief priests and ancients,
He answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to Him: Dost not Thou hear how great
testimonies they allege against Thee?
And He answered
him to never a word: so that the governor wondered exceedingly. Now upon the
solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner,
whom they would; and he had then a notorious prisoner that was called Barabbas.
They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I
release to you, Barabbas or Jesus that is called Christ?
For he knew that
for envy they had delivered Him. And as he was sitting in the place of judgment
his wife sent to him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I
have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him. But the chief
priests and ancients persuaded the people that they should ask Barabbas, and
make Jesus away. And the governor answering said to them: Whether will you of
the two to be released unto you? But they said, Barabbas. Pilate saith to them:
What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They say all: Let Him be
crucified. The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath He done?
But they cried
out the more, saying: Let Him be crucified. And Pilate seeing that he prevailed
nothing, but that rather a tumult was made taking water, washed his hands
before the people, saying I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you
to it. And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and upon our
children. Then he released to them Barabbas: and having scourged Jesus,
delivered Him unto them to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor
taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto Him the whole band: and
stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. And platting a crown of
thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. And bowing the
knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying: Hail King of the Jews. And spitting
upon Him, they took the reed and struck His head. And after they had mocked
Him, they took off the cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led
Him away to crucify Him. And going out they found a man of Gyrene, named Simon:
him they forced to take up His cross. And they came to the place that is called
Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary. And they gave Him wine to drink
mingled with gall. And when He had tasted, He would not drink. And after they
had crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided My garments
among them, and upon My vesture they cast lots. And they sat and watched Him.
And they put over His head His cause, written: THIS is JESUS THE KING OF THE
JEWS. Then were crucified with Him two thieves: one on the right hand, and one
on the left. And they that passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and
saying: Yah, Thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost
rebuild it: save Thy own self: if Thou be the Son of God, come down from the
cross. In like manner also the chief priests with the scribes and ancients
mocking, said: He saved others, Himself He cannot save: if He be the King of
Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He
trusted in God: let Him now deliver Him if He will have Him: for He said I am
the Son of God. And the self-same thing the thieves also, that were crucified
with Him, reproached Him with. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over
the whole earth, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamina sabacthaiii? that is, My God, My
God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
And some that
stood there and heard, said: This man calleth Elias. And immediately one of
them running took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed,
and gave Him to drink. And the others said: Let be, let us see whether Elias
will come to deliver Him. And Jesus again crying with a loud voice, yielded up
the ghost. And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top even
to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent. And the graves
were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept, arose, and coming
out of the tombs after His resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared
unto many. Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus,
having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were sore afraid,
saying: Indeed, this was the Son of God. And there were many women afar off,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him: among whom was Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons
of Zebedee. And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of
Arimathea, named Joseph; who also himself was a disciple of Jesus; he went to
Pilate and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should
be delivered. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth;
and laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he
rolled a great stone to the door of the monument and went his way. And there
was there Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary sitting over against the
sepulcher. And the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying: Sir, we have remembered
that that seducer said, while He was yet alive: After three days I will rise
again. Command therefore the sepulcher to be guarded until the third day: lest
perhaps His disciples come and steal Him away, and say to the people: He is
risen from the dead: and the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate
said to them: You have a guard: go guard it as you know. And they departing,
made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting guards.
Things to
Do:[8]
- The
palms distributed at Mass are blessed, so are sacramentals. Read Blessed
Palms in the Home.
- This
is also known as "Carling Sunday" after carling peas. Pea’s porridge
would be an appropriate dish for today. See recipes for suggestions and
history behind this tradition.
- This
is also known as "Fig Sunday" due to the tradition that Christ
ate figs after his entry into Jerusalem. Adding some type of figs to your
meal would be a nice touch.
- Read
the short passages from Directory
on Popular Piety concerning Holy Week and Palm Sunday.
Holy Week[9]
·
WHY is
this week called holy week? It is because during this week we celebrate the
most important mysteries of our religion with touching and holy ceremonies.
·
How should we spend this week? According to the
intention of the Church, by meditating on the sufferings and death of Our
Savior, by fasting more strictly, by praying often and devoutly, and leading a
holy life.
Timeline of Holy Week[10]
· Sunday: Palm/Passion Sunday Jesus’ triumphal
entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-9; Mk 11:1-10; Lk 19:28-38; Jn12:12-18)
· Fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah 62:11 and
Zechariah 9:9
· Jesus weeps over seeing Jerusalem and predicts its destruction. (Lk 19:39-44)
On
the Sunday[11]
before his death,
Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life
for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples
ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The
disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him. Then
Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in
Zechariah 9:9:
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of
Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and
having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a
donkey."
The
crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting, "Hosanna
to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" On
Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about
two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and
probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART ONE:
THE PROFESSION OF
FAITH
SECTION
ONE
"I
BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER TWO-GOD COMES TO MEET MAN
Article 3 SACRED SCRIPTURE
IV. The
Canon of Scripture
120 It was by the apostolic Tradition that the Church
discerned which writings are to be included in the list of the sacred books.
This
complete list is called the canon of Scripture. It includes 46 books for the
Old Testament (45 if we count Jeremiah and Lamentations as one) and 27 for the
New.
The Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2
Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Job,
Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the Wisdom of Solomon,
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel,
Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi.
The New Testament: the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul to the Romans,
1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2
Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, the Letter to the Hebrews, the
Letters of James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Jude, and Revelation (the
Apocalypse).
The Old
Testament
121 The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred
Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for
the Old Covenant has never been revoked.
122 Indeed, "the economy of the Old Testament was
deliberately SO oriented that it should prepare for and declare in prophecy the
coming of Christ, redeemer of all men." "Even though they
contain matters imperfect and provisional, The books of the Old Testament
bear witness to the whole divine pedagogy of God's saving love: these writings
"are a storehouse of sublime teaching on God and of sound wisdom on human
life, as well as a wonderful treasury of prayers; in them, too, the mystery of
our salvation is present in a hidden way."
123 Christians venerate the Old Testament as true Word of God.
the Church has always vigorously opposed the idea of rejecting the Old
Testament under the pretext that the New has rendered it void (Marcionism).
The New
Testament
124 "The Word of God, which is the power of God for
salvation to everyone who has faith, is set forth and displays its power in a
most wonderful way in the writings of the New Testament" which hand
on the ultimate truth of God's Revelation. Their central object is Jesus
Christ, God's incarnate Son: his acts, teachings, Passion and glorification,
and his Church's beginnings under the Spirit's guidance.
125 The Gospels are the heart of all the Scriptures
"because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the
Incarnate Word, our Savior".
126 We can distinguish three stages in the formation of the
Gospels:
1. the life and teaching of Jesus. the Church holds firmly that the four
Gospels, "whose historicity she unhesitatingly affirms, faithfully hand on
what Jesus, the Son of God, while he lived among men, really did and taught for
their eternal salvation, until the day when he was taken up."
2. the oral tradition. "For, after the ascension of the Lord, the apostles
handed on to their hearers what he had said and done, but with that fuller
understanding which they, instructed by the glorious events of Christ and
enlightened by the Spirit of truth, now enjoyed."
3. the written Gospels. "The sacred authors, in writing the four Gospels,
selected certain of the many elements which had been handed on, either orally
or already in written form; others they synthesized or explained with an eye to
the situation of the churches, the while sustaining the form of preaching, but
always in such a fashion that they have told us the honest truth about
Jesus."
127 The fourfold Gospel holds a unique place in the Church, as
is evident both in the veneration which the liturgy accords it and in the
surpassing attraction it has exercised on the saints at all times:
There is no doctrine which could be better, more precious
and more splendid than the text of the Gospel. Behold and retain what our Lord
and Master, Christ, has taught by his words and complished by his deeds.
But above all it's the gospels that occupy my mind when I'm
at prayer; my poor soul has so many needs, and yet this is the one thing
needful. I'm always finding fresh lights there; hidden meanings which had meant
nothing to me hitherto.
The unity of
the Old and New Testaments
128 The Church, as early as apostolic times, and then
constantly in her Tradition, has illuminated the unity of the divine plan in
the two Testaments through typology, which discerns in God's works of the Old
Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in the fullness of time in the
person of his incarnate Son.
129 Christians therefore read the Old Testament in the light
of Christ crucified and risen. Such typological reading discloses the
inexhaustible content of the Old Testament; but it must not make us forget that
the Old Testament retains its own intrinsic value as Revelation reaffirmed by
our Lord himself. Besides, the New Testament has to be read in the light
of the Old. Early Christian catechesis made constant use of the Old Testament. As
an old saying put it, the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old
Testament is unveiled in the New.
130 Typology indicates the dynamic movement toward the
fulfilment of the divine plan when "God [will] be everything to
everyone." Nor do the calling of the patriarchs and the exodus from
Egypt, for example, lose their own value in God's plan, from the mere fact that
they were intermediate stages.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Constitution
· 54 Day Rosary for Priest’s and Religious Day 50
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 8 day 1
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30Days with St. Joseph Day 22
[1] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God:
[2] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God:
[3] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God:
[4] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The Mystical
City of God:
[5] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God:
[7] Goffine’s Divine Instructions, 1896.
[9]Goffine’s Devout instructions, 1896.
[10]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment