Holy Week

[sjdean]

I've been to my first Holy Communion during Holy Week. Everything about me is just buzzing at the moment and I think, I know, yes, I know, I have God to thank for that.

The change in me in a few short weeks has been amazing.

But I understand people get sad and mournful about the death of Jesus on the Cross, and I must admit, I don't know why this should be so.

His death was important. More than sorrow, I feel joyous, and happy, Im amazed, Im in awe, Im speechless, Im thankful, that God would send his only son to die for our sins, for my sins - and Im worthless and insignificant in comparison, and through the death of Jesus he has lifted me up.

Three days later Jesus rises from the dead.

The beauty, the majesty, the power of this.

Why should people be upset?

 

[banish'd]

sjdean,

Lent started on Ash Wednesday and will last 40 days until Easter Sunday when we celebrate resurrection of Christ. During Lent we are supposed to be repenting and fasting for 40 days. We do this in preparation for Easter Sunday.

You should have went to Church last Sunday, because it was Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday is the day of the Lord's Passion. It's called Passion Sunday because the theme of Jesus' suffering and death begins with the reading of the Passion.

Your Parish liturgies began with the blessing of the palms, the handing out of the palms, and then a parade outside the church.

The parade was an imitation of the triumphant parade of Jesus from Bethany to Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11)

Before I go on, are you with me up until now? Were you in Church yesterday for the Blessing of the Palms?


-

 

[Peripatetic]

His death was important. More than sorrow, I feel joyous, and happy, Im amazed, Im in awe, Im speechless, Im thankful, that God would send his only son to die for our sins, for my sins - and Im worthless and insignificant in comparison, and through the death of Jesus he has lifted me up.

You, sir, just encapsulated the Gospel in one post! Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but if you're going to get only one lesson... that's it! If found this paragraph to be inspiring.

That said, I do become sad during Holy Week... sad that humanity rejected Jesus then, and many still do. Sad that Jesus had to endure great physical, mental, and spiritual pain when He was innocent. I also use this time to meditate at length on what He did and what it means for me. For this week, I try to put myself there... to sort of grieve for the fallen world and my contribution to it. Then on Easter Sunday, it's all celebration baby! Makes it all the more sweet.

 

[Andrea4501]

Thank you for this post.

 

[sjdean]

You should have went to Church last Sunday, because it was Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday is the day of the Lord's Passion. It's called Passion Sunday because the theme of Jesus' suffering and death begins with the reading of the Passion.

To clear up any ambiguity, I have been going to church for Parish Communion every week for about six months and got baptised and confirmed in February. However yesterday was my first Holy Communion - communion without singing.

So yes, I did go to Palm Sunday and heard the Passion.

Before I go on, are you with me up until now? Were you in Church yesterday for the Blessing of the Palms?

Yes indeed, I was there on Palm Sunday as I was every week for the past six months.

 

[sjdean]

You, sir, just encapsulated the Gospel in one post! Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but if you're going to get only one lesson... that's it! If found this paragraph to be inspiring.

Thank you. As a relative newcomer, I mean, my family aren't religious, I haven't fully read the Bible, I've only been going to Church for six months, I can hardly remember all the liturgy and formality of events during Church, yet somehow, I have a way of saying the right things like this.

If only I could feel more confident in saying things, especially prayer in public, I get a feeling I could really help someone.

That said, I do become sad during Holy Week... sad that humanity rejected Jesus then, and many still do. Sad that Jesus had to endure great physical, mental, and spiritual pain when He was innocent. I also use this time to meditate at length on what He did and what it means for me. For this week, I try to put myself there... to sort of grieve for the fallen world and my contribution to it. Then on Easter Sunday, it's all celebration baby! Makes it all the more sweet.

I had a bit of an epiphany yesterday - and even now I still have a tendency to wonder if that epiphany was man made, whereas I should just say, it is the holy spirit isn't it, but that epiphany was along the lines of that holy week is the symbolism of effectively walking with Jesus, almost in Jesus place to the cross and dying to sin and being resurrected in everlasting life.

Im still overwhelmed by the imagery of it all, but if we remember what you said and what Jesus did then I guess we can rightly grieve.

Thanks
Simon

 

[banish'd]

sjdean - Simon,

I only attend the Traditional Latin Mass done by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest here in Oakland, California. That Mass is governed by what they call the, "Propers" and is quite a bit different than the NO Mass that you attend. However, I have my 2010 Sunday Missal here for the NO Mass, because I must take my mother-in-law to church sometimes.

I don't know for sure if I am helping you? Based on your question, evidently your Church didn't teach you about mortification and dying onto yourself?

The whole idea of dying onto yourself is for you to be able to surrender yourself into the hands of God the Father. Which is impossible to do with un-repented sin, self pride, un-confessed sin, and a multitude of other sin natures of mankind.

The patron saint of the (Christ the King) Catholic Church in Oakland is, St Margaret Mary Alacoque. In order for me to stay on track and not give you some bad information I have to stick with our patron saint, and not yours.

Anyway, as a slight form of self mortification St Margaret had a vision from God that we are supposed to lie face down with our face to the ground for an hour on the first Thursday or Friday of every month to share the suffering of Jesus.

I can go up in the choir balcony at church and lie face down, but it's more convient to do it at home. So, what I do is lie face down on the hard kitchen floor at home and use the timer on the stove. During that hour I am in a state of repentance and do not squirm around to get comfortable. Then I fast for the next 2 days, which of course are weekend days. I say my prayers for hours and hours.

After all that my flesh is pretty much under control, and I am ready to surrender myself into the hands of God the Father.

Are you now fasting, repenting, mortifying, and surrendering to God the Father in preparation for Easter Sunday?

Each day this week there will be a church service to help us do that, plus there should be a priest available for confessions. If not, call and make arrangements first, and a priest will meet you in the Booth.


-

 

[sjdean]

Hrm. We believe there are no rules and regulations, that you don't need to do X, Y and Z, that the two first and foremost are basically acknowldging God only and no other, and loving your neighbour as yourself. Went through a few lessons of Galations to that effect. The end thought is that essentially, there's nothing that we can do to be saved, our salvation is through the grace of God only.

I also don't see why repentence should be so special at Easter, I personally like to think of a continuing thing. So while Im not fasting, or mortifying, and Im not sure about the whole lying face down thing or what good it does, I do just get on do the things that I feel I need to do.

Im attending my church services, reading the Bible and praying - repenting to God for sins. I also made a commitment to give up one thing that I consider to be a sin and asked for Gods help through this period of lent, and its worked.

Reading the wiki on "mortification" suggest some people do it as a way of immitating Jesus and what he did. I personally think that sounds horrendous. I am not Jesus, I am nowhere near Jesus, and I feel any immitation or copycat behaviour is mockery. But that's just me, and Im not saying Im right.

You certainly do pose some interesting questions, which I will ask at my church. But Im not sure if I should be offended by you calling the service I attend "no mass", Im not quite sure what you mean by "no mass" either. I quite like my service, and Im sure you quite like yours.

Cheers
Simon

Incidentally let me also make clear that my church is Church of England, which I understand is part of the Anglican Communion which is semi formal, kind of protestantish and catholicish

 

[banish'd]

sjdean,

Sorry, NO Mass is a "Novus Ordo Mass", in the ordinary form. The Latin Mass is in the extra ordinary form. It's Roman Catholic. I thought that the Anglican Church of England is now merged with the Roman Catholic Church? At least, that is what I read.

If the church that you are in is not under the Pope, then I suggest that you get into a church that is. All roads lead to Rome!



-

 

[heron]

People on the forum come from different religious backgrounds. We follow different practices.

Scripturally, there is no requirement to honor this week, except in Jesus' statement to "do this in remembrance of me" -- sharing the last supper that was Jesus' last Passover week on earth. You do that with communion.

But God set up many festivals to commemorate His intervention and relationship with His people, so it is good to have ones that honor His work in our lives, especially Christ's death and resurrection.

Repentance is always a good thing. And stilling yourself before God... humbling. Prayer, of course!

Some Christians take the traditional Seder meal, since Jesus would have done that during Holy week. (On the schedule of that year.)

Three days later Jesus rises from the dead.
The beauty, the majesty, the power of this.
Why should people be upset?

People can't tell each other how to feel! God will give you one insight this week (which sounds quite wonderful, btw), and another the next week. Easter will seem different to you the next year, and the next, if you are letting God work in you.

You don't have to feel or fake mourning on Good Friday, in order to honor it. Just respect the people around you who are somber and would like the time for quiet reflection and repentance.

 

[sjdean]

sjdean,
Sorry, NO Mass is a "Novus Ordo Mass", in the ordinary form. The Latin Mass is in the extra ordinary form. It's Roman Catholic. I thought that the Anglican Church of England is now merged with the Roman Catholic Church? At least, that is what I read.

Thanks for clearing that up. I read it as a strict "NO" (as opposed to "YES") having never come from a Latin or Catholic background, I have no idea what that meant.

As far as I know, it is not merged with the Roman Catholic Church.

If the church that you are in is not under the Pope, then I suggest that you get into a church that is. All roads lead to Rome!

I think that there are people that would respectfully disagree with you. Eastern Orthodox religions for example.

Catholocism is something I did consider, along with other churches, but I didn't want to get bogged down with heavy latin masses lasting hours - or at least, that's what I imagined. Im quite happy where I am for the time being and I feel God working in me, that's enough for me.

And Heron, thank you for your reply. Yes, i wouldn't tell people how to feel. I wouldn't say, I feel happy so you should too. It's quite clearly, a very personal thing, and we're all probably at different stages of our relationship with God.

Its good that people see things differently.

Cya
Simon

 

[banish'd]

sjdean,

The Vatican will announce massive reception of Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church. The Traditionalist Anglicans have already signed a document of adherence to the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church and have symbolically deposited it at a Marian shrine in England.

"Hail Mary full of grace, blessed are you among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus."

Check with your pastor first, but I would suggest getting in step with Rome now during Holy Week. That way you wont have to wait another year for Holy Week to come around again.

Ave Maria!

-

 

[sjdean]

Well Im not to sure what to make of your posts, that essentially, "your church is wrong, mine is right, full stop".

Meh.

I quite happen to like my Church and I believe *I* ( and that is very important ) *I* have found God in the Church that I go to.

The church I go to, is very easy going you come or go for as long or as short as you want. I mean, I really don't think God is up there smiting people for not spending more than 30 minutes in the prayer vigil or for not following some other custom or tradition or ritual, like for not attending parish communion every sunday at 10.00 without fail. I think its more than that personally. Maybe our traditions and customs are just an expression of our faith rather than faith itself.

We had a very powerful service yesterday for Maundy Thursday with a vigil of prayer til midnight in the Lady Chapel. The service I went to was still very powerful and its quite untrue, I went from bouncing off the walls at the start of the week, wondering what there is to be unhappy about. But today Im just really upset with a huge feeling of loss.

 

[banish'd]

sjdean,

I have been a Protestant for over 20 years now. I was just saying that you may be a lot more Roman Catholic than you think you are. That is if your bishop made the switch. Ask your pastor where you stand with Rome.

Truthfullly, the Pope has a lot to offer. As a Protestant I still listen to the Pope.

 

[ChildOfGod97]

Why should people be upset?

"All the houses in Israel will see Him whom they pierced and mourn."


Otherwise, I agree with you, but until the Kingdom Comes in full power, we will all be not completely satisfied. (And likely even not until everything is good and every last person aided.)

What shocks me is as every single year turns and this comes around, evil still persists in the world flaunting what evil did.

But every day is holy, and every day we live in Jesus Christ crucified and Jesus Christ risen.

 

[sjdean]

sjdean,

I have been a Protestant for over 20 years now. I was just saying that you may be a lot more Roman Catholic than you think you are. That is if your bishop made the switch. Ask your pastor where you stand with Rome.

Truthfullly, the Pope has a lot to offer. As a Protestant I still listen to the Pope.

I quite probably am more "Roman Catholic" than I think, although I do not particularly want to get into any kind of regimented sort of religion. The way you talk about lying on the floor and fasting.

I'll give you an example perhaps, the Eucharist. People talk about going there, almost "religiously" as, if the Eucharist is faith itself as opposed to faith leading to the Eucharist as an expression of faith.

And of course I would like to want to go to the Eucharist as opposed to feeling it is some kind of trudging obligation that I resent.

So I guess I kind of dislike tradition and formality, it's like the whole "Numbers" book of the Bible that I thought the death of Jesus had done away with.

Sorry about the confusion over Catholocism, I must have got confused when you said in a previous post

I only attend the Traditional Latin Mass done by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest here in Oakland
.
.
.
The patron saint of the (Christ the King) Catholic Church in Oakland is, St Margaret Mary Alacoque

Cheers
Simon

 

[sjdean]

Im just debating whether I need to go to Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil service tonight. I really want to go, but I've had some contract from friends I haven't seen in ages and i don't know what to do.

On one hand, I've been to every service this week at Church, but it would be nice to have a nice conclusion this evening to take through tomorrow in celebration.

On the other hand, I've been to every service this week, maybe that means I can give it a miss and meet my friends and perhaps celebrate with them instead knowing that if I don't see them tonight, it'll probably be another month before I get to see them.

Argh.

Cya
Simon

 

[childofGod31]

I've been to my first Holy Communion during Holy Week. Everything about me is just buzzing at the moment and I think, I know, yes, I know, I have God to thank for that.

The change in me in a few short weeks has been amazing.

But I understand people get sad and mournful about the death of Jesus on the Cross, and I must admit, I don't know why this should be so.

His death was important. More than sorrow, I feel joyous, and happy, Im amazed, Im in awe, Im speechless, Im thankful, that God would send his only son to die for our sins, for my sins - and Im worthless and insignificant in comparison, and through the death of Jesus he has lifted me up.

Three days later Jesus rises from the dead.

The beauty, the majesty, the power of this.

Why should people be upset?

People are sad because they remember His pain. The cross = the pain.

Just remember, Jesus can only lift you up with him if you ALSO crusify your flesh with Him on the cross.

Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Gal 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Rom 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

We can share in His glory if we also share in His sufferings.

Rom 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

The cross is denying your flesh, your evil desires and living for God.

Luk 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Luk 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

But you cannot endure the cross unless you first develop a daily relationship with God by fellowshipping with Him in your spirit (your heart, your thoughts). Because it is only by the power of God's Spirit that He can transform us inside and "raise up up to the new life". And we call Jesus into our hearts NOT by asking Him with our words, but by asking Him with actions, by surrenderring our lives and will to Him, by submitting to Him. He then comes in and gives a new birth to our spirit.

Otherwise, nothing happens.

 

[sjdean]

Thanks COG31. I think that makes sense. As I say, when I think about the majesty and might of it all, the gift we have been given, it's immense.

Of course Im of the belief that being good doesn't bring you to Christ, but being in Christ brings you to goodness.

I can never be perfect, I will never be 100% sinless as far as I can see, but I can strive to get there, and I can let God work in me, 1 step at a time, and the changes are happening every day.

I will continue to praying and asking for strength to help me, one step at a time.

Cya
Simon

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.