Thank you for this Way of the Cross today.

GOOD FRIDAY – All through the night Jesus has been locked in the dungeon of the high priest’s house. Early this morning he was bought before a Pilate who transferred his case to Herod. Herod sent him back to Pilate who, sometime in the mid-morning, bowed to the pressure of the Temple leadership and the crowds, and condemned Jesus to a horrible death by crucifixion. In the late morning Jesus was taken by the soldiers through the city and up the hillside of Golgotha. By noon he is nailed to the cross where he hangs in agony for some three hours. He dies around three in the afternoon. He is taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb hastily before sundown. Today is a day of prayer, fasting and abstinence. Whenever possible, Christians are urged to keep today free of work, of social engagements, of entertainment, and to devote themselves to communal prayer and worship. At noon many parishes gather for stations of the cross for recollections of the seven last words of Jesus. Many parishes also offer stations of the cross at 3pm the hour of Jesus death. In the evening, we gather quietly in our parish Churches to enter into time of prayer as we reflect on Jesus death on the cross. We also pray for the needs of the world. To acknowledge the power of the cross in our lives today, we one by one come forward to venerate the cross with a kiss. Our hunger from this day of fasting is satisfied with Holy Communion distributed at the end of this liturgy. Consider too how the apostles might have gathered that night together in fear and prayer reflecting on all that happened.

The following videos depicts Jesus and Pilate. The First is from The Passion of the Christ. What is remarkable about this clip is that when Pilate addresses Jesus in Aramaic, Jesus answers him in Latin. This is not a biblical fact, but a technique that the producer, Mel Gibson (pray for him) uses. It is something that startles Pilate and the bystanders, for it was unlikely that a Galilean would know enough Latin to hold a conversation, let alone about philosophy and theology! But it would seem to be Gibson’s (pray for him) way of illustrating that this conversation is personal, between Pilate and Jesus, for Jesus uses Pilate’s mother-tongue. Jesus speaks to Pilate in a very personal and serious way: Who do YOU think I am and what will YOU do about it?

The Second clip is from the movie The Gospel of John. It follows the Gospel of John exactly. Notice how Jesus turns the tables on Pilate. Although Jesus is on trial, he ends up putting Pilate on trial! Notice too how many times Pilate goes in and out of Praetorium (Governor’s Palace). At least four times! He is vacillating. He knows Jesus is innocent of the charges. But in the end, out of fear, he suppresses his conscience and hands Jesus over. Pilate had wanted to avoid committing to Jesus one way or the other. But he, like you and me had to make a decision. You might say he goes from vacillation to assassination!

Notice particularly the question Pilate wrestles with over Jesus’ Kingship. He asks, “Are you the King of the Jews?” But Jesus will not answer. This is a question Pilate must answer. It is a question you and I must answer. And so Jesus says, “Are you saying this on your own or have others been saying this to you?” In other words am I a King because you say so or are you just saying what others say? Only Pilate can answer if Jesus is a king. Only you and I can answer for ourselves. Is he your King?

Art Credit : Brain Jekel

Archdiocese of Washington

What Our Life Is Worth

By: Fr. Scott Hurd

How much is one human life worth? The head of our government’s compensation fund for 9/11 victims, Kenneth Feinburg, had to wrestle with that question over 1,500 times. In his book, appropriately titled What is Life Worth?, Feinburg shares his agonizing struggle in trying to ensure that victims’ survivors received a fair compensation for their loss. The average victim’s family received $2 million dollars. But not everyone received the same amount. For instance, the amount awarded for stockbrokers was higher that that awarded to military families, because stockbrokers’ annual salaries were higher. But some military families complained, saying that their relatives would have left the military soon and taken higher-paying civilian jobs. Feinburg also heard from people whose relatives had died when the Oklahoma City federal building was bombed. But those families received nothing, as Feinburg’s government mandate restricted the fund to 9/11 victims. Feinburg ultimately concluded that the whole process was unfair. He wrote: “Don’t ask one person to act like Solomon and try to calculate the value of lives. To be judge, jury, accountant, lawyer, rabbi, et cetera, is very, very difficult.”

Just what is one life worth? That’s a good question for us to ponder today. Perhaps a person’s value is his or her net worth of assets. Yet this would mean that Donald Trump is far more valuable than Mother Teresa of Calcutta. As Catholics, would we agree with that assessment? Our faith tradition holds in high esteem those men and women who have taken voluntary vows of poverty. But if the value of their lives were based soley upon what they possessed in this world, they would be worth very little indeed.

The truth is that at our most basic, physical level, we are worth very little. The combined value of all of the chemicals and minerals found in a typical human body, 96% of which is Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen, is less than one, single U.S. Dollar. One dollar is pocket change to most of us; it won’t even buy a small cup of coffee at McDonald’s. Contrast that with the price of an ounce of gold, which recently topped $1000. An ounce of gold is about the size of a matchbook, and can fit comfortably in the palm of our hand. But is it worth more than we are? Maybe on the commodities market. But not in the eyes of God. If you and I want to know what we are worth to God, all we need to do is listen carefully to today’s Passion gospel, and reflect on what is recalled in this solemn liturgy.

We are reminded today that God considers us to be so valuable, that his only Son surrendered his own life, so that we might live forever. If God thought that we were cheap, expendable, or dime-a-dozen, would he have bothered? How much effort do we make to save or protect that which we think has no value? Not much. We’re generally happy to throw it away, or write it off as a loss. But God, through the suffering and death of Jesus, has shown us clearly how much our lives are worth to him. As Pope Benedict has written: “Man is worth so much to God that he himself became man in order to suffer with man…as is revealed to us in the account of Jesus’ Passion.”

Can we put a dollar amount on how much we’re worth to God? If we were to try, we’d have to put a price on Jesus’ life, since he gave his life for ours. Judas Iscariot, when he betrayed our Lord, received 30 silver pieces for Jesus’ life. But this amount was an intentional insult, as it represented the fine to be paid a slave owner by anyone who injured his slave. Nicodemus, I think, was closer to the mark. We heard how he anointed Jesus’ dead body with over a hundred pounds of costly spices, an extravagant amount fit only for a king. Yet even this, of course, comes nowhere near to representing the true value of Jesus’ life. It would be absurd, and even obscene, to try to place a monetary value on Jesus’ life. It’s much better, and far more accurate, to say simply that Jesus’ life was priceless. And if Jesus’ life is priceless, then, in a sense, the same is true of ours.

In God’s eyes, we are indeed priceless. Nevertheless, God did pay a very specific price for us. More specifically, he paid the price of our sins. Like our lives, we can’t really attach a dollar value to our sins. But that doesn’t mean that our sins aren’t costly, because they are. Sin hurts our neighbors, our families, our enemies. Sin hurts us, as it keeps us from being the people God wants us to be. And sin harms our relationship with God. We might say that our sins have bankrupted us. Bankruptcy, of course, means that we owe more than we are able to pay. In terms of our sins, bankruptcy means that there’s nothing we

can do to truly make up for all the harm our sin has done. Jesus had to do it for us. He is the one who satisfied our debt; he is the one who paid the price. And the price he paid was the cross.

In just a matter of minutes, we will venerate the cross of Jesus. We will bow before it, praise Christ for it, adore it as it’s lifted on high, and many of us, after the liturgy, will remain behind to reverence it with a kiss. We will do this because the cross shows us how precious we are in God’s sight; it shows us, more than anything else could, how much we are valued, and loved, by God. We may not be able to place a dollar value on our lives. But because of the cross, because of this “Good Friday,” you and I know exactly what our lives are worth.

Photo credits: pnoeric, moneyblognewz, nikoretro, via Creative Commons

Hail true Body!

Ave verum Corpus!

Listen here.

Just lovely. Thank you.

Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world.

Awesomeness ping.

I made it a little smaller. I hope you don't mind. It really is awesome.

Catholic

Almanac:

Friday, April 22
Liturgical Color: Red
Today is Good Friday the day we remember our Lord's passion and death. Mass is not celebrated today. Penance and Anointing of the Sick are the only two sacraments celebrated today. It is also a day of fasting and abstinence.

Spiritual Bouquet
A different meditation each time you click.

	Meditations by Padre Pio
	Beautiful Mother, dear Mother, you are so beautiful. If it weren't for Faith, men would make you a goddess. Your eyes shine brighter than the sun; you are beautiful, Mother, I glory in it, I love you. Please! Help me!

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: April 22, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Lord, by shedding his blood for for us, your Son, Jesus Christ, established the paschal mystery. In your goodness, make us holy and watch over us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

22nd

Good Friday Old Calendar: Good Friday

"It is accomplished; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit."

Today the whole Church mourns the death of our Savior. This is traditionally a day of sadness, spent in fasting and prayer. The title for this day varies in different parts of the world: "Holy Friday" for Latin nations, Slavs and Hungarians call it "Great Friday," in Germany it is "Friday of Mourning," and in Norway, it is "Long Friday." Some view the term "Good Friday" (used in English and Dutch) as a corruption of the term "God's Friday." This is another obligatory day of fasting and abstinence. In Ireland, they practice the "black fast," which is to consume nothing but black tea and water.

Stational Church

Liturgy
Following the ancient tradition of the Church, there are no sacraments celebrated on Good Friday nor Holy Saturday. "Celebration of the Lord's Passion," traditionally known as the "Mass of the Presanctified," (although it is not a mass) is usually celebrated around three o'clock in the afternoon, or later, depending on the needs of the parish.

The altar is completely bare, with no cloths, candles nor cross. The service is divided into three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion. The priest and deacons wear red or black vestments. The liturgy starts with the priests and deacons going to the altar in silence and prostrating themselves for a few moments in silent prayer, then an introductory prayer is prayed.

In part one, the Liturgy of the Word, we hear the most famous of the Suffering Servant passages from Isaiah (52:13-53:12), a pre-figurement of Christ on Good Friday. Psalm 30 is the Responsorial Psalm "Father, I put my life in your hands." The Second Reading, or Epistle, is from the letter to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9. The Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John.

The General Intercessions conclude the Liturgy of the Word. The ten intercessions cover these areas:

For the Church
For the Pope
For the clergy and laity of the Church
For those preparing for baptism
For the unity of Christians
For the Jewish people
For those who do not believe in Christ
For those who do not believe in God
For all in public office
For those in special need

For more information about these intercessions please see Prayers for the Prisoners from the Catholic Culture Library.

Part two is the Veneration of the Cross. A cross, either veiled or unveiled, is processed through the Church, and then venerated by the congregation. We joyfully venerate and kiss the wooden cross "on which hung the Savior of the world." During this time the "Reproaches" are usually sung or recited.

Part three, Holy Communion, concludes the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. The altar is covered with a cloth and the ciboriums containing the Blessed Sacrament are brought to the altar from the place of reposition. The Our Father and the Ecce Agnus Dei ("This is the Lamb of God") are recited. The congregation receives Holy Communion, there is a "Prayer After Communion," and then a "Prayer Over the People," and everyone departs in silence.

Activities
This is a day of mourning. We should try to take time off from work and school to participate in the devotions and liturgy of the day as much as possible. In addition, we should refrain from extraneous conversation. Some families leave the curtains drawn, and maintain silence during the 3 hours (noon — 3p.m.), and keep from loud conversation or activities throughout the remainder of the day. We should also restrict ourselves from any TV, music or computer—these are all types of technology that can distract us from the spirit of the day.

If some members of the family cannot attend all the services, a little home altar can be set up, by draping a black or purple cloth over a small table or dresser and placing a crucifix and candles on it. The family then can gather during the three hours, praying different devotions like the rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy devotions, and meditative reading and prayers on the passion of Christ.

Although throughout Lent we have tried to mortify ourselves, it is appropriate to try some practicing extra mortifications today. These can be very simple, such as eating less at the small meals of fasting, or eating standing up. Some people just eat bread and soup, or just bread and water while standing at the table.

The Station today is at the church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem which contains parts of the true Cross and one of the nails of the Crucifixion. The Church commemorates the redemption of the world with the reading of the Passion, the Collects in which the Church prays with confidence for the salvation of all men, the veneration of the Cross and the reception of Our Lord reserved in the Blessed Sacrament.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Hymn

Sing my tongue, the glorious battle,

Sing the ending of the fray;

To the Cross, our noble trophy,

Here a fitting tribute pay,

Telling how the world’s Redeemer,

Slain as victim, won the day.

Tell how, when at length the fullness

Of the appointed time was come,

He, the Word, was born of woman,

Left for us his Father’s home,

Showed to men the perfect manhood,

Shone as light amidst the gloom.

Now the thirty years are ended

Which on earth he willed to see,

Willingly he meets his Passion,

Born to set his people free;

On the Cross the Lamb is lifted,

There the sacrifice to be.

Faithful Cross, above all other,

One and only noble Tree,

None in foliage, none in blossom,

None in fruit thy peer may be;

Sweet the wood and sweet the iron,

And the load, most sweet is he.

Unto God be praise and glory:

To the Father and the Son,

To the eternal Spirit, honour

Now and evermore be done;

Praise and glory in the highest,

While the timeless ages run.

Psalm 50 (51) God, have mercy on me

God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.

Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;

in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.

Wash me ever more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am:

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned,

and I have done evil in your sight.

Know this, so that you may give just sentence

and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt,

in sin my mother conceived me;

but you love truth in the heart,

and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;

you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;

the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins

and wipe out all my transgressions;

create a pure heart in me, God,

put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence,

or withdraw your holy spirit from me;

give me again the joy of your salvation,

and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways,

and the impious will return to you.

Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,

and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord,

and my mouth will proclaim your praise;

for you do not delight in sacrifices:

if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.

The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:

a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,

so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,

Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;

then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.

Canticle	Habakkuk 3

The Lord will appear in judgement

Jesus Christ showed his love for us and freed us from our sins with his life’s blood.

Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear,

and I was struck with awe of your work.

In the midst of the years, bring it to life;

in the midst of the years you will make it known.

When you are angry, you will remember your mercy.

God will come from Theman,

the holy one from the mountain of Pharan.

His glory has covered the heavens

and the earth is full of his praise.

His brightness shall be like light itself,

rays shining from his hands –

there is his strength hidden.

You went forth for the salvation of the people,

for salvation with your anointed one.

You made a way through the sea for your horses,

in the silt of many waters.

I have heard you, Lord,

and my stomach churns within me;

at the sound of your voice my lips tremble.

My bones rot away, my steps stumble.

I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation

and let it overtake those who have invaded us.

For the fig will not flower,

the vines will not fruit,

the work of the olive will be lost.

The fields will yield no food,

the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold,

there will be no cattle in the stalls.

But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour.

The Lord God is my strength.

He will make me as sure-footed as the deer.

He will lead me up to the heights.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Jesus Christ showed his love for us and freed us from our sins with his life’s blood.

Psalm 147 (147B) God, the foundation of Jerusalem

We venerate your Cross, Lord; we praise and glorify your holy resurrection. Because of the tree joy has come into the whole world.

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem

— Zion, praise your God.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,

he has blessed your children.

He keeps your borders in peace,

he fills you with the richest wheat.

He sends out his command over the earth,

and swiftly runs his word.

He sends down snow that is like wool,

frost that is like ashes.

He sends hailstones like crumbs

— who can withstand his cold?

He will send out his word, and all will be melted;

his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.

He proclaims his word to Jacob,

his laws and judgements to Israel.

He has not done this for other nations:

he has not shown them his judgements.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

We venerate your Cross, Lord; we praise and glorify your holy resurrection. Because of the tree joy has come into the whole world.

Short reading	Isaiah 52:13-15 ©

See, my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights. As the crowds were appalled on seeing him – so disfigured did he look that he seemed no longer human – so will the crowds be astonished at him, and kings stand speechless before him; for they shall see something never told and witness something never heard before.

Short Responsory

I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.

– I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.

He will send help from heaven and set me free.

– I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.

Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Above his head was placed the charge against him. it read: ‘Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.’

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.

He has raised up the sign of salvation

in the house of his servant David,

as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,

his prophets through the ages:

to rescue us from our enemies

and all who hate us,

to take pity on our fathers,

to remember his holy covenant

and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,

that he would give himself to us,

that we could serve him without fear

– freed from the hands of our enemies –

in uprightness and holiness before him,

for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:

for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,

to let his people know their salvation,

so that their sins may be forgiven.

Through the bottomless mercy of our God,

one born on high will visit us

to give light to those who walk in darkness,

who live in the shadow of death;

to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Above his head was placed the charge against him. it read: ‘Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.’

Prayers and Intercessions

Our Redeemer suffered and was buried for us, later to rise again. With sincere devotion we worship him and bring him our petitions:

– Lord, have mercy on us.

O Lord and Master, for our sake you became obedient even to death:

teach us always to obey the will of the Father.

– Lord, have mercy on us.

You are our life, who died on the cross and destroyed death and Hell.

Grant that we may die with you, and with you be raised up in glory.

– Lord, have mercy on us.

You are our King and became the most despised of men, like a worm trodden underfoot:

help us to acquire humility and be saved.

– Lord, have mercy on us.

O Saviour, you stretched out your arms on the cross and drew all ages into your embrace:

gather into your kingdom all the scattered children of God.

– Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Be mindful, Lord, of this your family,

for whose sake our Lord Jesus Christ, when betrayed,

did not hesitate to yield himself into his enemies’ hands

and undergo the agony of the cross:

He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

AMEN

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 18:1–19:42

Good Friday

Behold, the man! (John 19:5)

When Pilate spoke these words on that first Good Friday, he was trying to prove Jesus’ innocence. He had tried him and found nothing in him worthy of the death that the Sanhedrin was demanding. “I have interrogated him. I have even punished him for whatever crime you may think he committed. Look at him now! I’ve done all I have to do. Now leave him—and me—alone!”

But it wasn’t enough. Incited to a near riot, the crowd demanded that Jesus be put to death. And Pilate, forever known as a weak-willed government functionary, caved in.

Two thousand years later, Pilate’s words continue to ring out, only now with a new, prophetic meaning. On this day above all other days, God himself is asking us to behold the man. He is asking us to look at Jesus—wounded, bruised, crowned with thorns—and see him as our Savior, our Lord, and our King.

Yes, behold the man! He stands before you as an innocent victim. Behold this man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and see the One who bore all of your sins. Fix your eyes on him, and see your redemption. See the lengths to which God went to rescue you from death. See the love of Christ—a passionate love that is willing to endure the cross for the sake of your salvation. Behold the man, and know that he embraced this fate because he loves you.

But there is more. As you behold the man, you are also beholding humanity itself. You are seeing what our sin, our jealousy, our selfishness look like. You are seeing a picture of how sin has marred us. Like the man beaten and left for dead on the roadside until the good Samaritan rescued him, Jesus stands before you now, showing you how desperate and needy we are without him. He is showing you what sin does to you, in the hopes that you will surrender yourself to him anew today. So behold him, and see what he has saved you from.

Yes, behold the man today. Praise him. Thank him. Worship him. Give him your life today, because he gave himself so completely for you.

“Jesus, as I fix my eyes on you, give me a glimpse of the salvation you have won for me. Lord, I want to belong to you alone!”

Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Psalm 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

A Christian Pilgrim

TODAY WE COMMEMORATE THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE IN HISTORY

(A biblical refection on GOOD FRIDAY [YEAR A], April 22, 2011)

Second Reading: Heb 4:14-16;5:7-9

First Reading: Is 52:13-53:12; Psalms: Ps 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25; Gospel Reading: Jn 18:1-19:42

The Scripture Text

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard for His godly fear. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered; and being made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Heb 4:14-16;5:7-9 RSV)

Today we commemorate the greatest act of love in history: the cross of Jesus Christ. Let us take some extra time today to meditate before a crucifix. We look upon Jesus in all His lowliness – beaten, bruised, and bloodied. We see Him suffering, rejected and alone. Let us listen to His last cry from the cross: “My God, my God, why have You abandoned Me?” Let us see His love for each and every one of us, even as He hangs dying in our place: “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” Let us gaze upon Him who was pierced for our offences and crushed for our sins. Let us bow in reverence as we contemplate the full meaning of this holy day, when the Son of God became incredibly poor so that we could become unspeakably rich. Let us bless the One who now beckons us “to draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

What great love the cross reveals! This is covenant love, a love that springs from Jesus’ eternal promise to love and protect us. Covenant love is ever faithful. It is ready to die so that others may live. It is an eternal love, written in the very blood of Christ.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, today, as you meditate before the Lamb who was slain, consider the “bigness” of the cross. Has any other act of love ever brought forth such a flood of mercy and grace? Has any other sacrifice completely washed away every sin to come? Has any other act of love overcome the devil’s work of hatred and evil in the world?

How can we make the cross real in our lives today? By showing our loved ones the same covenant love that Jesus has shown us. What joy Jesus will have as He sees the fruit of His cross in the way we spread His love and faithfulness today! Just thing: Every time we love as Jesus loves, we are actually bringing the very presence of Christ into the world where we live!

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, You were perfectly innocent, completely free from sin. Yet You bore all of my sin and injustice as You hung upon the cross. Lord, on this Good Friday I join with the saints in heaven not to mourn what my sin did to You, but to rejoice in what Your love did for me. May this litany be in my heart today: Cross of Jesus, purify me. Blood of Jesus, cleanse me. Wounds of Jesus, heal me. Love of Jesus, free me. Mercy of Jesus, forgive me. Amen.

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for April 22, 2011:

(Good Friday) Do something to nurture your spiritual life. Go to Good Friday services, spend an hour in silence, do the Way of the Cross in a church or walk in a poor neighborhood to seek Christ’s presence there.

I meant to tell you thank you for these links. They are excellent and the power of the Holy Spirit is evident.

Have a blessed Easter and thanks to you.

Secret Harbor ~ Portus Secretioris

21 April 2011

The Tenebræ

P>It’s not often I find inspiration in 1960’s pop songs but ‘There’s a Kind of Hush’ comes to mind after I chanted (recto tono) Matins and Lauds for Holy Thursday from the 1962 Roman Breviary. There is an almost eerie, but at the same time beautiful, interior silence that accompanies one after the conclusion of these Offices. Eerie perhaps because the Light of the Lord appears to have been dimmed; beautiful because one can’t help but sit silently with our Blessed Lady in anticipation when on Easter there will be no doubt that Jesus is indeed the Light of the world, when the Conqueror of death will rise.

Matins and Lauds for Holy Thursday and indeed for the entire Sacred Triduum are quite often referred to as ‘Tenebræ’, a Latin word meaning ‘darkness’. There is a sense of spiritual darkness with these Offices – no hymns, no Te Deum, no Gloria Patri. There are three Nocturns, with Lessons for the First Nocturn being from the Lamentations of Jeremiah. The Tenebræ has at times been described as a funeral service, because of the atmosphere of gloom that envelops these Offices.

While I was alone this morning with my breviary, if you have the opportunity to experience the Tenebræ service in your diocese, don’t miss the chance – or chants. Here is a video with different parts of the Tenebræ.

‘Tenebræ' ’Video available at the site

Vultus Christi

Into the Sacred Paschal Triduum

By

Father Mark

on April 22, 2011 9:23 AM |

At the Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle

Thus far our Paschal Triduum has been sublime, and wonderfully peaceful. Yesterday and today we sang Matins and Lauds entirely, including the nine responsories; these are the highest expression of the Church's contemplation of the Passion of the Lord.

For the first time in twenty-five years of priesthood, I celebrated the Vesperal Mass In Cena Domini as the father of a humble monastic household. This meant, of course, that I had the privilege and grace of washing my brothers' feet.

After Holy Mass, we carried the Blessed Sacrament in procession to the altar of repose prepared in our library. The repository was simple: the tabernacle placed on a table draped in white, abundant candlelight, flowers arranged with grape leaves from our own little vine, and a few lilies. We remained in adoration until midnight, listening, from time to time, to the reading of Our Lord's discourse at the Last Supper in Saint John's Gospel, chapters 13--17. Shortly before midnight, I read John 17, Our Lord's Priestly Prayer.

I lifted the enclosure for the occasion so that guests could join us in keeping watch before Our Lord in the Sacrament of His Love. The atmosphere was, almost paradoxically, one of quiet joy. This year, Our Lord seemed to be inviting us to meditate His words in John 16:4: "Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full." I will share more on this later.

For the moment, here is the homily I preached last evening:

MAUNDY THURSDAY
1 Corinthians 11:20-32
John 13:1-15

Brothers, we approached the Altar of the Lord singing a humble song:
"For us, no boasting" (Gal 6:14).
No boasting, that is, of anything that is ours.
For who am I and who are you to boast
in the presence of the Mystery?

Who am I and who are you to boast
on this the night of God's doing,
the night of the covenant?
"Father," says the deacon to the priest
at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy,
"it is time for the Lord to act!"
And so, it is all His doing, not ours.
It is time for the Lord to act!

"For us, no boasting,
but in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who is health and life and resurrection to us,
by Whom we are saved and set free (cf. Gal 6L14).

If you are sick; He is health.
If you are in the grip of death; He is life.
If you have stumbled and fallen low,
once, twice, three times or more,
He is resurrection.

If you are bound up and fettered,
if you are pushed down, or held back,
if you are constrained by fear,
or laden with burdens too heavy to bear,
He is deliverance and freedom.

If you are oppressed in sin's narrow place,
He takes you by the hand
and tonight, yes, tonight,
He leads you out into the vast and spacious place
of His prayer to the Father.

"This Father, is My desire,
that all those whom Thou hast entrusted to Me
may be with Me where I am,
so as to see My glory, Thy gift made to me,
in that love which Thou didst bestow upon Me
before the foundation of the world" (Jn 17:24).

This, brothers, is the birthnight
of Eucharistic adoration,
for tonight God reveals His Face
concealed beneath the sacramental veils,
and we, recognizing the One we see
are ravished into the love of Him
upon whom the Angels themselves long to gaze.

This is the night of a hushed amazement,
the night of believing disbelief
the night of wordless wonder.

This is the night of God at table with man.
Not only does this Companion-God sit at our board to share our bread:
he becomes Bread in every mouth.

This is the night of the Blood of the Lamb:
the birthday of the Chalice,
the first wave of that immense crimson tide
that tomorrow will flow gushing from the pierced side.

This is the night of the astonishing humility of God.
the night of God bending low
to wash,
to kiss,
to perfume the very feet
that will run from Gethsemani in the night,
and from the proud praetorium,
and from the Cross terrible against dark and heavy skies.

"Before you run from me,
O you whom I have chosen to run after me,
let me wash your feet,"
says the Lord,
"and mark them sweetly with the imprint of my kiss.
You did not choose me, but I chose you (Jn 15:16).

This kiss to your feet is the pledge of my paschal absolution.
My feet, you will see them pierced by a nail;
yours, I would pierce with a kiss,
that turning, you would come back to Me
who have come so far in search of you.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, turn back,
turn back to the Lord your God!"

Tonight, in the Cenacle, our Priest begins His ascent:
the solemn procession to the high place of His preaching:
the noble Tree
from which His voice will go out through all the earth.

Tonight our Priest, without leaving us,
goes into the hidden sanctuary beyond the veil (Heb 6:19);
He appears in the presence of God on our behalf (Heb 9:23),
taking not the blood of goats and calves
but His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption (Heb 9:12).

Tonight the Lamb without blemish is set before us.
Tonight His Blood is given,
not to be smeared on doorposts and lintels,
but to sanctify our lips
and moisten every parched tongue;
to warm every heart grown cold
with a libation of fire;
to give sweetness for bitterness,
and boldness for fear.

Those marked by the Blood of Lamb,
those with the Blood of the Lamb wet upon their lips
and fragrant on their breath
have passed from death to life.

Every mouth sanctified by the Blood
is, in the Father's eyes, the mouth of the First-Born Son.
Every prayer uttered from Blood-blessed lips,
every kiss offered,
every sigh and every groan,
the Father receives
as coming from the Son.
"In that day you will know
that I am in the Father,
and you in me, and I in you" (Jn 14:20).

The psalmist too sang of the Chalice and of the Blood:
"I will lift up the chalice of salvation,
and call upon the name of the Lord" (Ps 115:13).
Lifted up, it is our thanksgiving: a sun blazing red against the sky.
Pressed to our lips, it is our salvation: the antidote, the remedy,
one drop of which is enough to cure this weary world of every ill.

The Apostle handed on to us
what had had been handed on to him.
O humble and glorious Tradition!
Ours it is to receive what he received,
(to transmit and not to betray,)
to cherish what he cherished,
to obey the commandment he obeyed,
to adore the mystery he adored.

"This is My Body which is for you.
Do this in remembrance of Me. . . .
This chalice is the new covenant in My Blood.
Do this, as often, as you drink it, in memory of Me" (1 Cor 11:24-25).

This is the night of the new priesthood.
Awed are the Apostles,
not quite understanding
and not quite misunderstanding
the fearful spectacle of God bent prostrate at their feet.
He, sinless, kneels to absolve the sinner
while the sinner, seated,
has nought to offer but two bare journey-worn feet
and the story they tell.

Your feet too, brothers, tell a story,
and so too do mine:
the story of our lives,
the story of places we have known,
of places to which we have run,
of places from which we have fled.

Our comings and goings
-- those that we remember with joy,
those that we would rather forget,
and those to which we would gladly return --
all of these places have left a dusty film on our feet.

He who knows the secrets of our hearts
will kneel before you tonight
in the person of His priest
to wash away your weariness,
to heal your bruises,
to fit you for the walking that you have yet to do
and for the journey that lies ahead of you.

"What I am doing you do not know now,
but afterward you will understand . . . .
For I have given you an example,
that you also should do as I have done to you" (Jn 13:7, 15).

His priests,
carrying out what they received from His Apostles,
will wash feet even as He did,
kneeling before them,
but even more than feet,
they will wash hearts caked with the hard crust of sin,
and polluted souls,
and faces bearing the traces of blood and tears.

Then we did not know what he was doing,
but now we understand the mystic absolution.
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven;
if you retain the sins of any they are retained" (Jn 20:22-23).

For us, no boasting but in what Love has left us:
the Bread and the Chalice making present His Sacrifice;
and priests with feet washed clean and anointed hands
to pronounce the Absolution,
to lift high the Oblation.

And behind the sacramental veils
shines the Face for which we yearn:
the Face of immolated Purity,
the Face of Beauty humbled,
the Face of the Priest,
the Face of the Victim,
the Face of Holiness,
the Face of Crucified and Triumphant Love.

In looking, adore Him.
In adoring, look at Him.
And so, brothers, pass over
from what is old to what is new,
from the land of heavy burdens to the land of freedom,
from darkness to life,
from sin to holiness,
from groans to jubilations,
from tears to laughter,
from sorrow to bliss,
from combat to peace,
from struggle to rest,
from death to life
It is the Passover of the Lord (Ex 12:11).

Is He Your King? The Trial Before Pilate

What Our Life Is Worth

Daily Readings for: April 22, 2011(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

Good Friday Old Calendar: Good Friday

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

AMEN

Meditation: John 18:1–19:42

21 April 2011

The Tenebræ

Into the Sacred Paschal Triduum

Daily Readings for: April 22, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)