1.
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
(Luke 23:34)
Do you really believe God has forgiven your sins? Do you take time on a regular basis to confess your sins so that you might enjoy the freedom of forgiveness? Do you need to experience God’s forgiveness in a fresh way today?
2.
“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Luke 23:43)
Have you staked your life on Jesus? Have you put your ultimate trust in him? Do you know that, when your time comes, you will be with him in paradise?
3.
“Dear woman, here is your son.”
(John 19:26)
What does Mary’s presence at the cross evoke in you? Why do you think was it necessary for Jesus to suffer physical pain as he died?
4.
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
(Mark 15:34)
Have you taken time to consider that Jesus was abandoned by the Father so that you might not be? What does this “word” from the cross mean to you?
5
“I am thirsty.”
(John 19:28)
How do you respond to Jesus’ statement “I am thirsty”? What does this statement suggest to you about Jesus? About yourself?
6.
“It is finished!”
(John 19:30)
Do you live as if Jesus finished the work of salvation? To you have confidence that God will finish that which he has begun in you?
7.
“Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”
(Luke 23:46)
Have you put your life and, indeed, your life beyond this life, in God’s hands? How do you experience God’s salvation through Christ in your life today?
"Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing" has always been one of the few bible verses that stuck in my head. I only recently understood the full meaning of it. Jesus was not speaking about the soldiers, he was speaking about you and me. If we understood what our sins did, we would not commit them. Of course, we will always sin because we are human, but the frequency of our sins is ridiculously high.
ReplyDeleteHas God forgiven my sins? Well, I sure hope so. If God has not forgiven my sins, then Jesus would not have died on the cross. That was the whole purpose of him coming to Earth right? Jesus dying on the cross was for us, it saved us. But what does that mean? The price of sin is death. Every time we sin, we die, and so does our soul. Well clearly we are all still alive, even after we sin. We live because He died. All of those sins we committed, nailed Jesus to the cross. You and I made Jesus suffer and die. Sorry if that makes you feel like trash, but it's true. But here is something to make you feel better, Jesus did not have to do it. He did it out of love for you. Well that was nice of him.
I've realized that I need to go to confess more. Going just in school is not often enough. Once when I was waiting to go into confess, there was a man and women by me. The women was nervous for confess. So the man said, don't be nervous, one of two things will happen: either you will be forgiven or you will die. Since nobody has ever really died in the confessional, there is nothing to be afraid. Jesus did not die just for some sins, but for all sins. Confession is a great thing; you become free from the shackles of sins. You become healed, renewed, and saved.
Do I need a fresh experience of God's forgiveness? We probably all could answer yes to that everyday. God's forgiveness is always there, we just have to ask for it. We can never have too much forgiveness, but we can avoid it through fault of our own. A priest told me that the words we should think of when we think Holy Week are "For You". It was all for us. If we remember this, we can experience forgiveness.
My brothers and I used to argue which was more important: Christmas or Easter? I know realize that was an ignorant conversation. There is no question. Easter is the holiest and most important day of the year. You know it is a good day when the son of man rises from the dead after he died from taking on the sins of the world. He gave us his body and blood, so that we may live with him. Through his resurrection, he gave us freedom and eternal life. He conquered sin and death. Without all of this, our faith is nothing. How do you beat that?
Justin, this is beautiful. I also agree that Easter is more important than Christmas because he gives up his life for ours. Isn't it a strange thought to think that when Jesus came to this world he knew this is how he was going to die? That he was going to die on the cross for us? How do people not see that he loves us? Jesus is forgiving to us because he loves us. He loves us more than anyone ever will. That is amazing.
DeleteJustin,
DeleteI liked your usage of questions to start out some of your paragraphs. It gives your readers a sense of what this paragraph will be about, and also it allows them to recollect on the topic at hand. I also like how you added a part about confession because this is a time when a lot of people try and utilize the confessional and receive forgives for their sins they have committed. Also, the question on whether Christmas or Easter being more important than the other is always a good topic of debate. I believe Easter is more important because it saved us from sin and allows us to enter into heaven, but without Christmas the journey of Catholicism may have never taken off as it did without the birth of our Lord. So, it is always a good question to bring up when discussing liturgical seasons. Great Blog!
Justin, your blog is great! I loved your rhetorical questions you used throughout your paragraphs. Just like Reilly, I also believe that Easter is more important than Christmas. Although Christmas is really important and special, Easter is a time to give thanks to God for giving up his life for ours, because of his sacrifice we are able to live life. Good job!
DeleteJustin,
DeleteYou did a lot of reflection when you wrote this. I think you put most of the other blogs to shame as far as length. I thought it was funny that you mentioned you and your brothers fighting over which holiday was more important. Good job on your blog this week!
I have chosen Jesus's last words, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Luke 23:34) these are my favorite words that Jesus has ever said. After Jesus was prosecuted, humiliated, and nailed to a cross he still has the ability to forgive the people who did it to him. We, ourselves, must open our minds to that same idea. Jesus, in these few short words, makes a statement that will last in people's lives forever. We ourselves must forgive, and ask others for forgiveness. God forgives our sins because he loves every single one of us in a very special way. In the bible it reads, "“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9). All the parts of us that are against God's words will be cleaned by the power and love of God. We know this because God gave us eternal life, Heaven. While praying, I ask God to forgive me of my sins and ask him to forgive the ones who have sinned against me. Even if I cannot get to reconciliation to tell my sins to a priest, I can confess to God personally and I know that he can forgive me because he loves me. I can feel god's forgiveness and love in a special way today, and every day after that, by expressing my forgiveness to others who have sinned against me. When I forgive, like Jesus did by saying these words, We are following in the footsteps of Jesus; like we are meant to.
ReplyDeleteHoly Week is the climax to the liturgical year because this is when Jesus gave his greatest gift to us. Jesus came from heaven to spread his message and than fully accepting and knowing his death. This is an example of Jesus's true forgiveness. Jesus showed us the ultimate sacrifice and set examples for us people. Jesus shows his true for the love of everyone, including the people who hurt him and who continues to hurt him. Jesus showed love and showed us how to love.
Reilly,
DeleteI believe that your blog was very good this week. You chose the quote that most people can recollect as some of the last words that Jesus spoke before he died. I like how you centralized your blog around the idea of forgiveness. It is important that we always forgive others because we never know when we might need their forgiveness as well. Good blog!
Reilly,
DeleteAwesome blog. As you said, Jesus forgave us even during his humiliating time and that is why we are here today. I loved your main idea of forgiveness. Your conclusion was great and I completely agree with your views on why Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical year.
I like how you made the point that we must ask others for forgiveness, that was not something I brought up in my blog. Your argument was also strengthen by the use of an appropriate bible quote. Your last paragraph also served as a great conclusion about love and that's why Holy Week is the climax. The love to forgive others. Without love, everything else is meaningless.
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ReplyDeleteThe statement I am choosing to write about is "I am thirsty." I chose this statement because I think if we really look into it, it holds a deeper meaning than just the fact that he wants something to quench his thirst.When he said these words, his executioners took a sponge and some stale wine and put it on a stick so that Jesus was able to quench his thirst. At first, he refused to drink the vinegar wine, but on the second offering he chose to accept it. Jesus hung on the cross in the scorching heat for three long hours. Even before this, he was brutally beating at the pillar as scripture tells us. So, when it came time for him to die, he must have been very parched because of the absence of any water for a long period of time.
ReplyDeleteI believe the hidden message in this statement is that Jesus is human. He allowed himself to be humanized even at his most troubling times. He is both God and man, but instead of saving himself and escaping his pain and suffering he persevered, and suffered for us. He continually sacrifices his comfort and his life so that we may be able to rest easy and live in eternal life with him at the end of time.
Also, another reference this could mean is that he is thirsting to see his father in heaven, and spend eternal life at his right hand. I think if we strived to live half the life Jesus did then we all would be saved and spend our lives in paradise with all the Saint and Angels.we must always thirst for the love of God, which he unceasingly gives to us countless time after countless time.
Holy Week is the most important and busiest time of the church year. We prepare our hearts and souls for the day that Christ died on the cross for us. Throughout Holy Week, we celebrate Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, with Saturday being the Easter vigil. On these days, we remember the passion death and resurrection of Jesus. Without Holy Week, we would not have the ability to achieve eternal life in Heaven. The church tells us that we only need to attend mass once a year, and that is on Easter Sunday. Why is that? This is the most important day of the church calendar. It is the day that the gates of heaven were open all the souls of the suffering could enter into a life of eternal happiness.
Dan,
DeleteWhen I first read the blog, I knew the one that I did not want to do, and it was this one. Your blog really opened my eyes to the meaning of this statement. I never would have thought about Jesus' humanity from this passage, but you make a valid point. You also bring up his thirsting for God, which is what we should all have. Your Holy Week argument finishes strong with the fact that the one mass we should all attend is Easter. Great blog!
Dan,
DeleteI really enjoyed the blog because I though about that statement in a whole new way after reading you blog. I never really thought about it presenting Jesus' earthly side instead of stopping his suffering. Good blog.
Dan,
DeleteI think that this quote is very similar to the one I did. They may seem shallow at first but when you really look into the deeper meaning, they are incredible. You did a fantastic job of interpreting the different meanings. I found it interesting when you pointed out that he is thirsting for his father in heaven. After many years of suffering on earth, knowing what was in store for you in the afterlife, I would find it very hard to endure. Great blog!
Dan,
DeleteThis was a beautiful way to put it. I always thought that by him saying this that he was till human, but I never thought of him being thirsty for the father. That was a beautiful thought. We have to be thirsty for God's love to fully live our lives. I loved your views on this!
The quote I chose is “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Luke 23:34. This is one of the quotes Jesus said during his sacrifice for us. In this quote, not only is Jesus talking about forgiving the soldiers who hurt him, he is talking about forgiving all of us. Because of Jesus, we are able to live today. He gave His life so we could live our life. Since Jesus said this at his most suffering hours, in today's world we are able to forgive others like Jesus did during this time. He gave us the opportunity to forgive others when they hurt us, just like the people hurt Jesus. I truly believe that God forgives my sins. The feeling after confession is breathing taking and I truly believe it's the feeling of Gods forgiveness of what I have confessed. I try to confess my sins to God on a daily basis but it can get hard. With so much going on daily, it's hard to remember and it's hard to have time to reflect on what I have done personally with God. I never really realized that I didn't take the time to reflect my sins personally with God. This is something I hope to work on harder and to accomplish daily. I love the feeling the freedom of forgiveness gives so hopefully if I do this everyday, I will feel that feeling more often. I know that God loves me and even if I cannot attend confession, I can do this personally with him with the same exact feeling. Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical year for many reasons. Although Christmas is important, Holy Week is the time of the year where Jesus gave his life for ours. He is the reason we are here on this world today. With this quote, people can finally see who Jesus forgave during his most awful hours. We are able to love everyone too, because Jesus loved everyone even though they hurt him. After reflecting and choosing this quote to blog about, I see the full meaning of this quote and why Holy Week is the most important time of our liturgical year.
ReplyDeleteAllie,
DeleteThis quote is a standout in our religion. It can be interpreted in so many different ways. You not only pointed out that Jesus was referencing to the soldiers, but also to us. While Jesus was on the cross, he was thinking of us. It is hard to go to confession, but it gives us a wonderful feeling. This is what Jesus must have felt like when he was choosing to be selfless on the cross. I also try to reflect on my days with God, but sometimes it can be hard. Good blog!
Allie,
DeleteYou did a fantastic job explaining your quote, the world would be filled with so much sin and hate without Jesus making it possible to forgive others and receive forgiveness from God. I enjoyed your experience with confession, I know we talked about it at confirmation and it is hard to do, but if we can say no to Satan and go to confession, then we will be able to feel that feeling all the time.
The statement that I have chosen is "My God, my god, why have you abandoned me?" This is always a statement that has stuck out to me when I think about Jesus' suffering. At times, we have all felt abandoned by God or someone that we love. This is human nature. By saying these words, Jesus shows that he is just has human as the rest of us. The unbearable pain that Jesus was feeling could make anyone feel like God's back was turned against them. But, the fact was that God sacrificed Jesus so that He could save us. He put Jesus through the pain and torture so that we may never have to suffer. The fact is, God did not abandon Jesus. He was there to strengthen him through carrying the cross, the pounding of the nails, and the excruciating time hanging on the cross. God is always there even we do not see Him or feel Him. He always has a plan for us, just as he had a plan for Jesus.
ReplyDeleteA quote from the Book of Deuteronomy states, "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you He will not fail you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6). Just as Jesus had told us so many times to not be afraid, God was telling him to be strong. Jesus' statement on the cross also applies to our lives today. When things do not go our way, we often blame God and the world. We feel that we are all on our own in this life and that God is abandoning us. These are our tests to show the faith we have in God. Jesus was tested as he hung on the cross for three, never-ending hours and persevered through because of His trust in God.
Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical year for many reasons, one being Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus gave His life for us during Holy Week and asked for nothing in return. This act was so courageous and selfless. Also during Holy Week, the most powerful of all the sacraments was instituted. Jesus' body and blood was given to us so that we may celebrate in memory of him when he is gone. The biggest event of our liturgical year, the Resurrection, is celebrated as the peak of our faith. Jesus rising from the dead was the most wonderful thing that could have happened after all the sadness and despair cause by His death. Imagine if someone you loved died and rose from the dead like it was no big deal. Being alive at this time must have been a crazy, faith-strengthening experience. For this reason, Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical year.
I like how you chose a quote that nobody else has yet. You a great argument by relating to readers about times when we question if God is there, if he knows our pain. Jesus was betrayed and denied by his friends. He did all of this because his father told him too. We wonder I Jesus knows our pain, but the real question is do we know Jesus' pain? You finished by talking about the Eucharist and putting the resurrection into perspective, which strengthened your argument about Holy Week being the climax!
DeleteI think the quote you chose is often times misinterpreted by many people, people who don't know the quotes real meaning. You did a great job interpreting this quote, and bring out its true meaning. I really liked how you said Jesus showed that he is just as human as the rest of us!
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ReplyDelete"It is finished" may not seem that important to someone who does not have a good understanding of Jesus, but it is probably one of the most important things he said during his passion and death. If someone did not know about Jesus and his life, say would not know that these words were the conclusion to his work on earth. Although "it has finished" literally means that Jesus's life has finished, he also gets the point across that he has redeemed humanity from sin. Jesus's whole life was dedicated to his father, and turning the world back to him. This was not enough, however, Jesus knew he must suffer and die to save us and "it is finished" is the completion of his goal on earth. This quote also signifies the end of Jesus' earthly life, but marks the return to his divine form. This quote can be interpreted in many ways, but the most important meaning is the completion of Jesus' earthly task of redeeming us.
ReplyDeleteThe whole church year is important but there are times that have a much greater significance than others, one of these times is the Holy Week, especially Easter. The church year is a cycle of preparation, advent prepares us for Christmas, and lent prepares us for Holy Week. Although advent and lent are important, nothing extremely significant happens, other than a few feast days, and recognition of miracles or other important events in the story of the Catholic Church. There is also ordinary time, but once again nothing too important occurs. The decision comes between Christmas and Easter, Easter being the clear choice. Christmas is extremely important because with out it Jesus would not have became man and saved us, but the Holy Week and Easter are even more important as they take us through the final stages of Jesus' journey to save us, with Easter being the climax. Easter is the climax because Jesus has now made it possible to obtain heaven and is leaving it up to us to develop our faith and make sure we are in good terms with God.
Johnny,
DeleteWe picked the same quote, so I saw a lot of similarities between our blogs. I agree that many people may see the quote as unimportant and may not understand the bigger picture. You did a good job interpreting many of the meanings behind this statement. I liked how you talked about the church year cycle in the concluding paragraph. Good blog.
ReplyDeleteAs Jesus was suffering on the cross, he made a series of short and somewhat simple statements. Although they seem easy to understand, many people do not realize the deeper meaning behind them. When Christ yelled, "It is finished!" to his Father above, his mission looked to be accomplished. But was the task at hand truly finished? Let's take a deeper look into this short statement that stirs many controversies and unanswered questions.
In my eyes, this may be the most important quote in the whole Bible. The first task finished was saving humanity from sin. Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word for “it is finished” is tetelestai, which means “paid in full." When Jesus uttered these words, he was paying the debt of humans. He was completing his ministry, providing humans with the redemption they need to reach eternal life. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Because of what He did on the cross, our debt to God was paid, and the only thing standing in between us and Heaven is the confessional.
Another interpretation for the statement deals with his suffering. The anguish, pain, and misery is over. His life as a human is finished. From the moment he was born, he always had a tough time. People back then usually had little to eat, and had to take up their father's occupation. Jesus worked as a carpenter until he started to take action. With his death, he escaped the beatings, lashings, spikes driven through his limbs, and his miserable crown of thorns. He escaped the ridicule and harassment that was directed towards him on a daily basis. As yet as he hung on that cross, he still had the heart to forgive.
The last interpretation deals with the power of sin and Satan. It is over! By the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, all sins can be forgiven and heaven can be reached. No longer would mankind have to suffer the “flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). By confessing our sins, we now can walk with the Lord in eternal life. Jesus finished death and brought life in himself. Tetelestai was Christ's final cry of victory on this Earth.
Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical year for many reasons. One, it is the time that Jesus rises from the dead into new life. His ministry on earth is finished, and it is a time for rejoicing. Two, the good weather comes back out. The climate is warm and sunny, and people just seem more cheerful. Last but not least, our church gains thousands of followers. The sacraments are completed, and Jesus' ministry grows stronger than ever.
Charlie,
DeleteI really enjoyed your blog this week. I love how you spoke of the different interpretations and how His three words can mean so many things. The Greek translation is my favorite, and I never thought to go into that much depth. Your blog was very interesting and you did a really nice job.
I chose the quote "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Their quote is most relatable to me because it goes to show that this is the peak of the liturgical year. It is showing that all the work that Jesus put into coming to teach us was done and that we had what was necessary to reach heaven. Heaven was now attainable to us which was one of the main reasons Jesus taught us all that he did, so that one day we could make it to heaven. It was finished technically speaking but in reality it was only the start. Growing up in a Catholic community we were always taught that this was the most important holiday but when you are young you do not understand this because why isn't Jesus's birthday the most important? Easter is because that day Jesus got us eternal life.
ReplyDeleteI try to live as if Jesus finished the work of salvation by showing through others that I am a child of God and encouraging others to follow him. I do not think it is ever actually finished, this quote merely means that the job Jesus had to attain salvation for us has been achieved but there is always so much work that must be accomplished. I know that my path which God knows where I am going is still happening and I am confident that he will finish it. Everyday we are one step closer to being what God has created us to be. In the peak of the liturgical season I think that the plans God has created for us come to life even more when we look at all that God has given up for us. Although it seems like the end, it is only the beginning of so many new and better things. Holy Week is when everything that the Church and God have been working for is accomplished. Jesus attained eternal life for us at the end and that is our ultimate goal as Christians, to get the heaven.
I like how you chose this quote. I never considered that Jesus might have said these words because we had what it takes to someday reach heaven. I like how you mentioned that we have all been taught this is the most important holiday, because Christmas often times is looked at as the most important.
DeleteI chose the quote, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing." I chose this particular quote for several different reasons. This is the quote of the seven that I am most familiar with and have always been told about. After being beaten, betrayed, and put to death Jesus said these words. He was beaten and made fun of by the soldiers, but in his last breath forgave them. He was betrayed by one of his closest friends, Judas, but in his last breath forgave him. After all that pain and suffering he went through, Jesus forgave everyone for what they had done. He gave his short lived life, and endured all the pain to save our lives. Often times in our own lives, we make it hard to forgive one of our friends for doing something wrong to us. We need to be more like Jesus and forgive those who have wronged us, even when it becomes hard. I truly believe God has forgiven all of our sins, if we are truly sorry for committing them. Whenever given the opportunity, whether at school or confirmation I receive the sacrament of reconciliation. I need to do a better job of confessing my sins on a daily basis, rather than only confessing them when given the opportunity. I, like all people need to experience God's forgiveness in a fresh new way today. Receiving God's forgiveness never gets old, and benefits your life tremendously.
ReplyDeleteHoly Week is the climax of the liturgical year because it is the time in which Jesus makes his greatest sacrifices for us. All year Jesus gives us many different gifts and blessings. All year Jesus makes many different sacrifices for us. None of these, however, are greater than dying for us, raising from the dead, and ascending into heaven where we will hope to live eternally with him someday.
Frank I agree that that was a quote of significance. Jesus gave up everything for us and I believe you hold a vary strong argument.
DeleteFrank,
DeleteI think our blogs related a lot to each other this week! I like how you talked about the soldiers and Judas also betraying Jesus and Him forgiving them. Good Job!
Frank,
DeleteI like the personal touch in this blog. You talk about confessing your sins more often and that's also something I need to work on. The topic of forgiveness is often difficult for many because many hold grudges and stay angry, but you do a good job of explaining how Jesus forgave those who wronged him and how we should too. Good job this week.
“I am thirsty.” By christ saying this he is expressing that we are all thirsty for the sake of righteousness. As he died for our sins to open the gates of heaven he said this because if we do not stay thirsty for Christ then we shall never enter heaven and Jesus dying for us would have been pointless. I am not thirsty for Christ. I do not look for Christ in my life. I need to be thirsty and learn to embrace gods love and understand what Jesus has taught us.
ReplyDeleteHoly Week is the climax of the liturgical year because it is when Jesus instituted the Eucharist and died so we may someday enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus offered his own body and blood so we may be cleansed weekly at mass and encounter him more through his teachings.
Doug,
DeleteI honestly like how you were brutally honest with yourself in your blog. I think our blogs help us in that way. You made some good points in your last two sentences. Good Job!
Doug,
DeleteYour blog was very concise and to the point this week. I thought it was interesting that you brought the Beatitudes into your writing. You did a nice job explaining why Holy Week is the climax of the liturgical season. I hope this week's blog has inspired you to embrace Christ's love.
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Luke 23:34)
ReplyDeleteI have loved this quote ever since I was little; it’s the self-sacrificing lesson that everyone in this world should learn, to put the actions of others before your own. I truly believe that these are the last words of Jesus Christ as he hung on the cross. Jesus Christ had many lessons that he taught, but one I think that is over looked is the power to forgive others and put away your pride. I see it all the time, our generation is too hung up on their ego, to worry about another human being. Plain and simple, we need people to be more self-sacrificing, because our society is selfish. Jesus Christ gave up his life for the actions of us, should we not model his words?
I truly believe God forgives my sins. That is the reason Jesus died on the cross, for our sins. Yes, I do believe God forgive my sins and the acts I do that are wrong or unjust, but I keep that between God and I. I do not confess my sins to a priest, because I tell God what I believe I have done wrong in my life.
I see many people are comparing Christmas and Easter, and the fact that which is better or more important. Why do we need to have an order of which crucial day in Jesus Christ’s life is more important? They go hand in hand. Holy Week is a week to reflect on the lives we lead, and to be more like Jesus Christ, our self-sacrificing Savior.
The quote that spoke the most to me was "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46). I am always baffled by the sacrifice that Jesus made. He knew what was to happen to him, but he accepted his sacrifice and continued on with strength. He trusted the Lord, Jesus was fully aware of the suffering, but He took up His cross anyway and died for our sins. Jesus suffered and died, for us, so that we may be in eternal happiness with Him. He died for us, lowly sinners. He knew our sins, but through His death, He set us free and opened up the gates of heaven for us.
ReplyDeleteOnly recently have I been able to fully devote myself to God. I never trusted and have struggled putting my faith in Him that everything happens for a reason and it is all apart of God's plan. However, I have had some incredible religious experiences and now I realize that God's plan is more magnificent than I can ever imagine. I can not worry myself with trivial things, and I have fully given myself to God.
Personally, God's salvation is revealed to me through other people. Watching others grow in their faith and seeing God work within others and in myself is beautiful. Jesus is everywhere and inside everyone of us, and there are times when I can really feel his presence and know that He is there with me.
Holy Week is the definite high point in the church year. All year long we talk about Jesus's sacrifice and each mass is reliving the Last Supper through the Eucharist. Holy Week is when this actually happened, it allows reflection and a more in depth look of what we celebrate for the rest of the year. I got my feet washed this year at Holy Thursday mass, I was originally dreading it, but the experience was very spiritually moving for me. I imagined myself as one of the apostles, and it helped me put into perspective what that time must have been like and I will carry that with me for the rest of the year. Easter is also the most important church holiday. Yes the other holidays are important, but none of them compare to Easter. Easter is when Jesus died to give us salvation and then rose from the dead to promise us new life with Him after death. There is nothing in the entire liturgical season or even the world that can top eternal salvation.
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ReplyDeleteThe Bible quote that I chose is “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) This is what Jesus said to the men that were hanging on crosses to the left and right of him. Within those words is a very powerful message for many people today. The whole reason that the Catholic people live the way that they do is because they are trying to get into heaven. Jesus forgives everyone of their sins just like he forgave the two criminals. Without his forgiveness, all of us would go to hell. Many times, getting to heaven is put on hold for Americans such as ourselves. In other places, such as the Dominican Republic and Haiti, God is the only reason they are still alive. Without the hope that they will one day get to heaven, they would not be able to live. People of wealthier countries should follow this example. The fact that God has blessed many of us with great homes, families and food should just be more reason to lead a holy life and work toward the ultimate goal of heaven.
ReplyDeleteHoly Week is the climax of the liturgical year because during that time Jesus died for our sins which is the foundation of the Catholic faith. On Holy Thursday, Jesus instituted the Eucharist which is celebrated at mass on a daily basis. Without the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the gates of heaven would be closed. Easter is a time to recognize the sacrifice that Christ made to wipe away our sins.