What do we recall these holy days but the life-giving love and compassion of one person who changed the world by teaching mankind that justice is more powerful than revenge, that compassion is greater than condemnation, that believing in goodness and truth to overcome evil is a power that can change the world.
Lord, You are near to those
who are rejected and brokenhearted.
Give me the grace not to give up
when others insult me and tear me down.
Heavenly Father, bless me the strength to realize
that I am important to You and created in Your image.
Holy Mary,
help those in need,
give strength to the weak,
comfort the sorrowful,
pray for God's people,
assist the clergy,
intercede for religious.
Mary bless all who seek your help and
experience your unfailing protection.
Amen.
Each year, the celebration of Holy Week and Easter has a unique significance. Each year, the commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus intertwines with our life experience in a different way, drawing us more deeply into this great mystery of our faith while molding us into women and men who resemble Jesus.
Columban Superior General Fr. Tim Mulroy and Lay Missionary Vida Hequilan recorded the Columban Easter Message from Hong Kong. During this challenging time of dealing with the Coronavirus, They remind us that we are all together in one boat as dark storm clouds gather and the Risen Jesus, who has conquered death, will also conquer the stom.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, or Udang Poi, is a huge celebration in the Diocese of Myitkyina, Myanmar (formerly Burma), which attracts thousands of people from all over the country. The three-day celebration includes hiking up one of the mountains in the area called Alum Udang Bum or Alam Cross Mountain which is about 2,800 feet high.
It seems Lord God, that You are leading me to slow down.
Now, I have more time to think and reflect.
It is the Lenten season.
So, what Lord, while this pandemic is on,
do You want me to do?
Yes, there is more time now to pray.
Lord God, I give You thanks,
for You are good, and Your mercy is endless.
Here I stand, at the start of this Holy Week,
this week in which Your church remembers Jesus’ passion and death,
and I am distracted by many things.
Turn my eyes now to the One who comes in Your name
the one who opens the gates of righteousness
the one who answers when we call.
Good Saint Isidore, we are told that your
devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
was so great that you would rise before it
was light in order to be able to attend Mass
before beginning your work in the fields.
Obtain for us, we pray you,
some of that loving devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
There it is that the fruits of our farm labor,
Good afternoon from Pakistan. I certainly am not freezing with the cold. Each day the weather is getting warmer. I am lucky that I have a fan and the electricity cuts are not too severe as of now. My heart goes out to all who are really confined and who have little space for moving around.