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Spiritual journey to live the Paschal Triduum day by day.

by Monica E. Perez Lopez | Source: Catholic.net

+ Living Good Friday... in Jesus heart

 

Day 2. Good Friday

 

In his cross, I find the fortress to bear the weight of mine.

 

 

 

What we commemorate

Source: ChurchYear.net

 

• We commemorate the Passion of Jesus by some traditions as The Veneration of the Cross, The Stations of the Cross and The Preaching/ Singing of the Passion

• We commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus, not just a historical event,but the sacrificial death of Christ

 

To learn more: http://www.churchyear.net/goodfriday.html

 

 

Preparing heart, mind and soul for the road...

Prayer by: Monica E.Perez Lopez

Source: Catholic.net

 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. (Making the sign of the cross)

 

Dear Lord, from the depths of my being I want to meet you and to accompany your heart in these special days on which step by step you show me your immense and eternal love prepared for me even before I was born.

 

   Let me be with you today and enter your heart so that I can understand more fully and deeply your love for me and for every soul.

 

   Help me Lord, to keep my heart open and willing so that I can understand your message of undying love and forgiveness that sprout from your pain and suffering in your dolorous passion and to discover in it as well, the strength and love I need to transform my own life into living presence of your love among my fellow human beings.

 

   Also help me to discover your love in the total delivery of yourself, so that giving your life for my redemption and forgiveness of my sins, I had the possibility of eternal life.

 

   I also ask you to help me discover the meaning of the cross in my life by contemplating You embrace yours. Make me comprehend that by taking up my cross, and attaching it to yours, You bring me closer to the Redemption mystery.

 

   May this day be an oasis for my soul by staying next to you, and today’s meditations, prayers and liturgical celebrations bind me to you in such a way that I might find in your heart inner peace and fortress to carry my cross and help others to bear their own so I can continue by your side at any time with the certainty of your love.

Amen.

 

 

 

Jesus talks to you

 

Read John 18:1–19:42

 

Going deeper

 

• The gift of Christ's death •

Meditation by: Terry Modica

Source: Catholic Digital ResourcesTM:catholicdr.com

 

Over the centuries since his death and resurrection, Jesus has revealed to mystics that those who meditate on his Passion are very dear to him. St. Augustine wrote "there is no more profitable occupation for the soul than to meditate daily on the Passion of Our Lord."

 

  The crucifixes we see today are cleaned-up versions of the horrible torture Our Lord suffered out of love for us. Today, meditate on this love, this tremendous love. He willingly subjected himself to intense pains because HE LOVES YOU and he knew it would do much good for you.

 

  This is a tremendous gift that Jesus has given to you and to me and to everyone who accepts it. Read today's Gospel passage with the realization that every moment of pain he suffered was offered for your benefit so that your sins would not destroy you.

 

  That's how important you are to God! That's how much he cares!

 

  Looking at Jesus on the Cross should cure any low self-esteem we have, because it shows how highly he esteems us. Since he has done this for you, will he not also do everything else besides, if it's truly good for you? 

 

  What sufferings have caused you to doubt yourself, or to think unkindlyabout yourself, or to feel poorly about yourself? Take them to the Cross. Imagine giving them to a soldier. Now, watch him nail them into the hands and feet of your beloved Savior. 

 

  Let these wounds die with Jesus; no matter how badly they have hurt you, he has already taken the brunt of the beatings for you. In the Good Friday services of the Catholic Church, we venerate the Cross by kissing it. Let your kiss be a gift of "thank you" to Jesus.

 

On the gift of sacrificial love that Jesus has given to you. Remember, he subjected himself to intense pains because HE LOVES YOU! He knew it would bring you into the kingdom of God where he wants to spend eternity with you!  

 

 

My heart beat as one with Jesus’ heart 

While looking at a crucifix, meditate about your own cross. How is your cross alike Jesus cross? Can you see how Jesus gets closer to your pain and sorrow through his own cross? Is Jesus asking you to help him cure someone’s heart by making present the love of Jesus through your own love?

 

In your personal diary, or in your personal meditation notebook write your answers.

 

Watch the next video to end your meditation:

To read complete meditation: http://catholicdr.com/calendar/Lent/index.html

 

 

You can also meditate:

 

Read Hebrews 4:14—16, 5:7—9

 

Reflection

Meditation by: Dorothee Solle

Source: This is Holy Week

 

He leaves the bright heavens

comes again

condemned to hang

between heaven and earth.

And there he remains

he absolves the guards

lets the tortured forget

makes hatred subside

teaches the weary to breathe

the trembling to sleep

the dreamers to act

the doers to dream.

 

 

Prayer

O Jesus, stretch forth your wounded hands over your people to heal and to restore, and to draw us to yourself and to one another in love. Amen.

 

 

 

Face to Face with Jesus at Liturgy

 

For today’s Readings: http://www.catholic.net/DailyGospel

 

Source: CatholiCulture.org

 

"It is accomplished; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit." (John 19:30)

 

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. 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.

 

 

Liturgy

According to the Church's ancient tradition, no sacraments are celebrated neither on GoodFriday 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.

 

– 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-figure 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

 

– Part two

The Veneration of the Cross. A cross, either veiled or unveiled, is processed through the Church, and then venerated by the congregation. We joy fully 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.

 

 

To learn more: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2011-04-22

 

 

 

Bringing my family closer to Jesus’ heart

Source: Women for Faith & Family

 

“When you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death, until He comes again.” (I Corinthians11:26)

 

Catholic schools will be closed on Good Friday so the children will be able to participate in family observances of this solemn day. If possible, the entire family should attend Good-Friday services together, or at least make a trip to Church to make the Stations of the Cross. Following are a few other suggestions.

 

• Hot Cross Buns. The familiar hot cross buns are sweet rolls with the sign of the cross cut into it, and they are one of several traditional European breads marked with a cross for Good Friday. According to tradition, these buns originated at St Alban's Abbey in 1361, where the monks gave them tothe poor people who came there. (You may have your own recipe for sweet-rolls to which you can add currants or raisins before shaping and cut a cross in thetop before baking; or you can buy them.) These Good Friday buns were verypopular, and were sold by vendors who cried,

 

Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns! One a-penny twoa-penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give them to your sons! Onea-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns!

 

·       The Three Hours. Some churches hold prayer services during the three hours of Christ's suffering on the Cross. It would be appropriate to observe a period of silence at home, for devotional reading and private prayer (e.g., no radio, television, etc.), especially between the hours of noon and 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

 

·       Each member of the family might choose a particularly unpleasant job which has been put off for a long time - like cleaning the garage or a closet,or scrubbing the bathrooms (we're sure you can think of something!)- to emphasize the dreariness appropriate to the day.

 

·       Good Friday was thought to be a good day for planting seeds (a reference to the Gospel about the seeds which must be planted in the ground to bear fruit as a metaphor for Christ's necessary death and His burial on this day) so if the weather permits, this could be a worth while activity with children. (Don't forget to explain the symbolism.)

 

·       With very young children keeping silence during the Three Hours is virtually impossible. You might help them make a miniature Garden of Joseph of Arimathea in the yard. Mother or Father can teach children about the circumstances of Christ's burial and resurrection from the tomb by telling the story of Joseph, Christ's friend who donated the new tomb where Jesus' body was buried after He was taken down from the Cross. Children can gather small stones, sticks, acorns. etc., for the little garden.

 

·       Older children can be given a drawing or coloring project. Perhaps they could draw one or more of the Stations of the Cross.

 

 

To learn more: http://www.wf-f.org/GoodFriday.html

 

 

Something more to learn, meditate and pray:

 

About the Cross:

http://www.wf-f.org/GoodFriday.html

 

Videos:

Were YouThere When They Crucified My Lord?

Behold The Wood Of The Cross

 

The Stations of the Cross:

The Stations of the Cross with Father Reed

The Stations of the Cross with Meditations on the Priesthood

Living the Passion:

(Click on the names below to see content)

 

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+ Living Good Friday... in Jesus heart

 

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