Saturday, March 31, 2018

My Holy Week; rapidly approaching Easter

One of the most cathartic things I do in life is write; using this blog to hopefully shed a light for others on the life of just one Permanent Deacon.  I'm never sure how many read my stuff; sure there is a stat bar on my blog program but I've long ago learned to never really trust it.  I just know this, I love to write, I love to explore various articles about Catholicism and share them, I am always excited when something new, fresh and affirming comes along.

Today I am doing what every good clergy should be doing, resting briefly!!!  The days of/weeks leading to Holy Week are quite frankly exhausting.  Don't get me wrong, they are also incredibly prayerful. spiritual and deeply personal in one's own walk with Jesus, but yes, they are also very tiring.

Before I get too deep in my recent activities I also want to acknowledge that Easter 2018 is the first major holiday for "Pops" with now 3 precious grandchildren.  As we rapidly end March I pause to recall that this wonderful month is when Brennan Leigh came into the world.  Now almost 4 weeks old, Brennan is doing great.  She joins my grandson Calvin, now over 5 and a half years old, and Katelyn, almost 3 years old as my grandkids.  Pops loves and is proud of his grandkids and excited that Easter is a chance to celebrate with all 3; although 2 of them will be via Skype.

As a Permanent Deacon for enough years now I know to expect busy for Lent and Holy Week and Easter and, quite frankly, all the time.  I cannot imagine being a somewhat inactive Deacon.  My long string of ministry began late last week with offering Stations of the Cross on the last full Friday of Lent(Good Friday is part of the triduum).  I was able this year to offer the Stations 4 of the 6 Friday nights in Lent and then also visit with lots of parishioners at the KC Fish Fry dinners next door.  While these events do indeed take on a social atmosphere we must recognize that they do help draw more people to the Stations of the Cross and the monies raised from the Fish Fry are used to help charities and the church directly.  Last Saturday I had the privilege of baptizing two brothers right before our vigil Mass of Palm Sunday.  I love the liturgy of Palm Sunday as we read of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and then the Passion as shouts of Hosanna change to shouts of Crucify Him.  On Sunday I brought Holy Communion to my daughter, which also meant a chance to visit with Brennan, and then assisted at the last Palm Sunday Mass of the day, the 6 pm Sunday Mass.

Monday night I offered Stations of the Cross for all the PSR(CCD) students at St Jane's using special reflections written for children and young people.  Tuesday night there were some important parish administrative meetings that I attend; it turned out to be a very long meeting.  Wednesday night was my Holy Week visit to Rayburn and I was able to reflect on Holy Week & Easter with the almost 90 men present that night.  It is always a joy to be with these men but especially so around the beautiful holy days of Christmas and Easter.  Thursday night was the first liturgy of the triduum.  We had 2 Priests and 3 Deacons on the altar, counting yours truly.  We did have the washing of the feet and we also had the beautiful Eucharistic procession from the Church to the special Altar of Repose set up over in the parish hall.  Adorers remained with Jesus until midnight.  On Good Friday, aware that now my banking industry does not respect this day, I long ago arranged to be off from work to participate in the 3 pm Passion of the Lord.  Not a Mass, there is a very solemn feel to this service because we know this is the day that Jesus died and the tabernacle is empty.  Last night I attended the living stations of the cross at Most Holy Trinity, presented by the youth group.  From the first time I witnessed this as an assigned Deacon at MHT, I pledged to make this a Good Friday tradition no matter where I would later be assigned.  So glad I went last night because it was once again a beautiful presentation by the youth of the Lord's Passion and Death.  It was the perfect end to such an important day.

This morning dawns, a holy day itself, Holy Saturday, and we are called to quietly reflect on Jesus in the tomb.  But the modern world does not pause and pray and reflect; big events are happening all around us today including in Abita Springs where the last Saturday of March brings a whole town garage sale.  For me, I will continue to relax until our afternoon walk through of the great vigil, which will begin around 8 pm tonight.  Tonight we celebrate that great Mass of salvation history and the welcoming of the newly baptized and those fully entering the church.  It will be a great night, and after the Vigil, we too rise on Easter morn and celebrate Mass all morning long.

And then Easter continues, the octave all the way to Divine Mercy Sunday.

Yes, it is exhausting, but the spiritual benefits and the grace of God see us through.  I love our Catholic faith and the way we celebrate as this season of Lent gave us time to reflect and pray, to perhaps fast, to pray with His agony and death.  And now Easter season, where we can reflect on His rising from the dead and His great gift for us and celebrate a season where we focus on the Resurrection!

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