[NYer]

Following this custom, kings and rulers in medieval days retired from all secular business during Holy Week to spend the time in recollection and prayer, often within the seclusion of a monastery. Farmers set aside their plows, artisans their tools, schools and government offices closed, and courts did not sit. Popular feeling caused the banning not only of music, dancing, and secular singing but also of hunting and any other kind of sport. It was truly a "quiet" and "holy" week even in public life.

Today, Holy Week is an opportunity for merchants to take in money. Wal-Mart's commercial shows children with their Easter baskets filled with chocolates ! I wonder how many of those children understand the true meaning of Easter.

One of the premier seafood restaurants in Albany, runs commercials this week recommending that you "book early reservations for Good Friday". Again one has to wonder if those planning to dine on lobster, fresh oysters and caviar, have even attended Good Friday services.

EASTER CLEANING — According to an ancient tradition, the three days after Palm Sunday are devoted in many countries to a thorough cleaning of the house, the most vigorous of the whole year. Carpets, couches, armchairs, and mattresses are carried into the open and every speck of dust beaten out of them. Women scrub and wax floors and furniture, change curtains, wash windows; the home is buzzing with activity. No time is wasted on the usual kitchen work; the meals are very casual and light. On Wednesday night everything has to be back in place, glossy and shining, ready for the great feast. In Poland and other Slavic countries people also decorate their homes with green plants and artificial flowers made of colored paper carrying out ancient designs.

Yesterday was our day to clean the Church. Do the parishioners clean your parish Church as well?

[Salvation]

I had to laugh when I saw “traditional spring cleaning,” because it isn’t happening at my house. LOL!

Give me another month to six weeks with a new hip! (And I’ll start.)

We did the church cleaning mostly on Monday. All the windows got washed, etc. etc. etc.

But it is something that happenes every year. We do have a spring day of yardwork at our parish to pull weeds and spread new bark dust and plant some annuals.

[Dick Vomer]

I’m looking for Roman Catholics to comment on something I found very odd.

Yesterday’s mass during the reading of the Gospel stated the Jesus Christ was hung between two “revolutionaries”...WHat is THAT all about?

It was in the seasonal missalette. Since when did the two men change from thieves to revolutionaries?

I’m going to post this on other threads with Catholic themes to see if it was just my parish or if others noticed it.