We are in the home stretch of our journey to Easter as the days of our Lenten pilgrimage come to a close. This is the week we call “Holy,” and I hope you are planning on making this a Holy Week, rather then a hectic, ordinary week in your life. This is a time for communal gathering and reflecting on the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Taking the time each year to reflect with new eyes on the words of sacred scripture that capture the events of so long ago, gives us a firsthand account of those who witnessed the events of Jesus’ action as servant, slave, and prophet. The gospel accounts are sharing the different points of views through the eyes of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Just as each person on the Alpha journey has a different view and experience of their journey, so too the gospel writers. We are all seeing with our own eyes and listening with our own heart from our own life experiences. Our “take” is all shaped by the events of our own personal experiences on our spiritual journey.
As I prepare to lead us in worship this week, I always read the scriptures with new eyes and an open heart. The two questions that I keep in mind as I pray the scriptures are: What are you saying to me? And What do you want me to say to the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart? During the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) I am praying the scriptures for all three days as our worship begins Holy Thursday evening and is complete with the Easter Vigil.
So, I am inviting you to join us for Holy Week. Step aside from the ordinary and enter the sacred. Prepare by reading the Word of God for each evening and write down what God is saying to you as you pray the scriptures. Then, come and join your listening to the prayers of the community gathered.
May we this Holy Week deepen our understanding of what it means to be a foot washer, cross bearer, and bring the resurrected presence of Christ to all during the Easter Season and beyond. Fr. Bill Fr. Bill