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Father Marko Ivan Rupnik In fact, everything that exists and moves in the Church – the sacraments, doctrine, institutions – draws its strength from Christ’s Resurrection. (Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa,  Life in Christ ,  67) Even though the Church continually invites Catholics to live in the Resurrection of Christ, many of us cling to our suffering. As a result, our spirituality is focused mainly on the Crucifixion even though we celebrate our release from prison liturgically every year. The candles we light at the Easter Vigil symbolically illuminate our path forward, showing us how to move through the darkness of our sin and suffering to victory with Christ. continue reading

It was at Easter in the 1970's that I first met my wife. I received a phone call from the local convent asking me to drive three Dominican sisters and their friend to Heathrow. It was at the last minute so I had no time to change out of my working clothes. The three nuns sat in the back seat and their friend, a young doctor who was working in a hospital  next to their convent in KwaZulu, South Africa, sat in the front seat next to me. When she finished talking to her friends she finally deigned to look at me and  asked me whether or not I was the gardener! When I said that I was not the first person to have been mistaken for the gardener, she carried on talking to her friends unaware of my reference to Mary Magdalene's meeting with Jesus immediately after the Resurrection. In fact it was only last Easter when I reminded her of our first meeting and how I replied to her question that, after almost forty years she finally picked up on my reference to Mary Magdalene. read on....

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.   Suddenly Jesus met them.  “Greetings,”  he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.   Then Jesus said to them,  “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:10 There is a moment at the Easter Vigil where the whole atmosphere seems to be transformed from tranquil, dim and somber to one of joyful euphonious illumination. It was here that this scripture found me and resonated the joy present for these women... Read More

For my first time as a Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Coordinator, I attended the Easter Vigil. We welcomed four, fine women into the Church, where they received the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. We also witnessed the baptism of 17 people!!! Yes, it was a long evening, but a wonderful experience to witness, as well. Our celebration at the Easter Vigil, began the Easter Octave; an eight-day celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. Easter is so important, so vital to the essence of the Catholic faith, that we need eight days to soak in the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice, mercy, and salvific power. Remember Christ’s Sacrifice During the Easter Octave Easter is the most important day on the Christian calendar, as it marks the fulfillment of God’s plan for redemption of His people. Christ conquered death and sin with His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Think about that for a moment. Without the Resurrection, we have... Read more...

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When our older daughter was about two, the Easter Bunny came to visit for the first time. A basket containing colorful jelly beans, yellow marshmallow chicks, and a chocolate Easter Bunny had magically appeared overnight! Guess what she wanted for breakfast.   https://reflections911.wordpress.com/2016/03/24/chocolate-bunny/

We remembered our Lord's execution on Friday. After Jesus was dead, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body. He and another man wrapped the body of Jesus in a burial cloth and spices, placing it in a nearby tomb. The next day was a solemn sabbath, so they were pressed for time.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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Easter is almost here, Alleluia! How has your Holy Week been? Have you been walking with Jesus this week? Come over to Veils and Vocations to learn how to live Holy Week with Jesus!

From   The Gospel of John   (2003) directed by Philip Saville Gospel of the Mass during the Day,  John 20:1-9 The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Mark 16:1-7 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 

My husband talks in his sleep. I may not get a lot of sleep some nights, but I always get entertained. Like the night when we happened to both be lying on our sides, turned toward each other. He opened his eyes, gazed at me intently, and said, “You look like . . .” As I was thinking  Now what ? he completed his sentence. “. . . a turtle.” I look like a turtle? Squinting and staring at me more intensely, he asked, “How’d you do that?”   https://reflections911.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/living-in-another-reality/

I am writing this on the morning of Good Friday so I am in the throes of feeling the grief at Jesus being betrayed and left by his disciples to die on the cross. I am feeling the hatred that He must have felt during the Way of the Cross. I am feeling lonely, rejected, and just downright sad. Continue reading here.

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“The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.” – USCCB The single celebration of the Easter Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil. The liturgical services that take place during the Easter Triduum are: Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord Continue reading.

The question which naturally arises on this night, on the eve of Christ’s death, is where do I stand? Do I stand among the righteous, pure, self-sufficient ones or do I stand with the poor in spirit,  those captive to their woundedness, and oppressed in the face of their innate sinfulness? Do I need saved and am I humble enough to ask for help? If I can’t, then Jesus died in vain, the power of his crucifixion is wasted on me and I will be unable to rejoice on Easter Sunday. continue reading

Launching Free First of many e-books Dear Friend, Happy St Joseph’s Day  Launched on Monday 19 March 2018.  Joseph and child Jesus Glad you are here.  I did it!!! Yeah!!! Add caption You are going to  love  my  free e-book.  There is some prose but mostly poetry prayer. Seek preview here 

As we observe Holy Week, we might ask ourselves a question, "Are We Politically Correct Like Pilate?"  Saint Mark’s Gospel tells us that he was certainly a biblical version of the ‘go along to get along’ crowd. When he asked the throng what to do with Jesus, he clearly demonstrated that he knew Jesus was blameless. We got further confirmation of culpability when Pilate cited the jealousy of the Chief Priests for the arrest of Jesus. In washing his hands of the entire affair, he showed his lack of conviction and profound failure to take a stand. In this final period of heightened anticipation, will examining our consciences find us similarly weak-spined? By scrutinizing our actions in relation to prominent issues of the day, we might find an answer that does little to vindicate us. Here, then, is an opportunity to search our hearts and find His Truth. 1. Are We Politically Correct About Abortion? 2. Same Sex ‘Marriage’, a Leading Politically Correct Issue 3. Leaving

Why are we blaming society when we ourselves dismantled the village? In the essay  In the absence of ‘the village,’ mothers struggle most  by Beth Berry, the author decries the loss of “the village” (by her definition, “referring to the way of life inherent to relatively small, relatively contained multigenerational communities”) and calls it an “injustice.” The author writes that the loss of the extended family hurts mothers the most. Motherhood is, by all accounts, a lonely occupation, and an exhausting one. I wouldn’t know – I do not have children and have had, throughout my life, little inclination to motherhood. Yet I agree with her premise that the loss of an extended, multigenerational community does hurt mothers and by extension, children. Read more:   Writer Jeanne Grunert - Blog

Growing up, I heard a lot of stories about World War II. The most bizarre one I ever heard, however, took place on our own shores. It involved the man who would one day become my father-in-law. Jake (not his real name), was drafted into the army and sent to fight in Europe. Before he left, he arranged for his salary to be deposited into his brother’s bank account. His brother agreed that when he came back, the cash would be waiting for him. But if he didn’t return, there would be no question where the money was supposed to go, and there wouldn’t be any problems about a will and probate. When he came back from the war, Jake asked his brother for his money. And it was gone. His brother had spent every penny. https://reflections911.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/on-trust-and-forgiveness/

Life has gotten in the way a little bit.  I've neglected to post here in quite a while.  If you would like to catch up with my articles you can do so here: Being Catholic ... Really  (Lenten articles and my attendance at SLS18 FOCUS Conference in Chicago) And also at: CatholicMom.com  (My interview with Sister Bethany at SLS18, and other randoms thoughts) Have a joyous and blessed Easter!