He is alive- He is not here

EASTER MEMORY: HE IS ALIVE

RESURRECTION WINDOW.

Easter has many memories associated with it, some of which are connected to the Easter Triduum and its preparations in my work.

However, in more recent years, I am reminded of the special time I had in the Holy Land in 2000. Visiting the holy places, especially those connected to Jesus' journey to Calvary and the tomb are more vivid as the passion is read on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. 

I will never forget the experience I had whist visiting the tomb.  I walked in and it was as though I could hear a voice saying' He is alive- he is not here.  The voice was so clear, so I turned around to see who spoke.  There was a crowd waiting in the queue, but then I realized that it was coming from within me. I will never forget the experience, and each Easter as I hear the Easter story being read, I get a flash back of my trip and feel the certainty that He is alive- He is not here.

Easter begins of course on Easter Sunday and now we enter into the glorious season of Eastertide for 50 days.  As we live out these wonderful days, may we walk with the Risen Lord in our lives.

May Christ be not found in the tomb of our lives but be indeed truly risen- He is alive. Alleluia.

Genesis 9: Noah

EXPLORING GENESIS SERIES.

THE BIBLE: EXPLORING GENESIS ICON.

Genesis 9: God’s covenant with Noah and his descendants.

Chapter 9 is a beautiful chapter in that God in His mercy sets His covenant with Noah and his descendants. The words used in some of the verses are reminiscent of the ‘conversation’ that God had with Adam and Eve in the garden. For example: God reminds Noah to ‘Multiply, fill the earth and subdue it’, God gives Noah everything on the earth, but he reminds him that ‘He who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God was man created.’ (Vs 6).

With these similarities, there is a feeling of starting afresh.  In His abounding generosity, God goes even further. God also sets a covenant with Noah and his descendants, (and us), and promises never to destroy the earth again, of which the rainbow will be the sign. (Vs 9-17). 

In these days of drought, we have not privileged to see the sign of the covenant, which God established with Noah very often lately.  Yet, we need to call to mind that relationship with our God and His abundant generosity.

Another couple of aspects also can be reflected upon from this chapter. Verse 6 reminds us of the sanctity of life, and how we are created in the image and likeness of God.  How does this tally with our recent law of abortion on demand or any other law, which does not respect life?

Also, later in the chapter, we see the effect of alcohol has on human behaviour on Noah and his sons.  We may wish to ponder about our behavioural patterns when alcohol is present.  What is our response to someone who has had ‘one too many’? Perhaps the writer is prompting us to remember that we are made in the image and likeness of God.

What are your thoughts on this chapter?               

                 

Easter Traditions

 EASTER EGGS

Easter Eggs: Image by https://pixabay.com/users/Couleur-

The tradition of Easter eggs came from the fact that people did not eat eggs during Lent.  These were saved up and became part of the Easter celebrations. . Decorating the eggs was achieved by first blowing out the contents, but making a small hole at the end of each egg, and then blowing through the contents into a bowl.  The eggs were then decorated according to taste, but most often painted.

The eggs were used in lots of different ways during Eastertide including using the raw egg as shampoo, and later adding it to the shampoo to bring out an excellent shine in the hair and making it healthy.  I have used this suggestion myself and although it is messier than shampoo, it does achieve an excellent shine.

A polish tradition is to take the decorated basket of eggs and other Easter breakfast foods to be blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday.and Easter Sunday.

The Easter egg hunt is a very old custom, and obviously related to the simple reality of free range hens tending to lay their eggs in all sorts of different places.There is also a Christian link in the notion of Mary Magdalen in the garden looking for Christ 'They have taken my Lord, and I know not were to find him'.

EASTER MENU

The traditional dish for Easter Sunday lunch is Roast Lamb, into which spears of rosemary have been stuck. Rosemary is identified with the 'bitter herbs' mentioned in the book of Exodus as part of the Passover meal.

The traditional dessert was Simmel cake associated with Laudate/Mothering Sunday.

In more recent times, people have taken to serving fish/salmon as the traditional Easter meal.   I much prefer Roast Lamb myself.

In Australia, pavlova and/or cheesecake became a traditional dessert, although with people being more health conscious, other alternatives such as fruit salad or Easter biscuits with coffee are served.

Opening Prayer Series: Easter Sunday

OPENING PRAYER SERIES: EASTER SUNDAY

THE MASS: OPENING PRAYER SERIES ICON.

OPENING PRAYER.

The Opening Prayer of the Mass for Easter Sunday reads as follows:

Let us pray

(that the risen Christ will raise us up)

God our Father,

by raising Christ Your Son,

You conquered the power of death.

and opened for us the way to eternal life.

Let our celebration today raise us up

and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for my life during this week, the following reflection questions emerged: 

1. What does Christ's resurrection mean for you?

2. How has Christ conquered the power of death in your life?

3. How will I walk the way of eternal life during this week?

4. How will I bear witness to Your resurrection in my life this week?

5. What steps will I take during Eastertide to retain the renewal I carried out during Lent?

6. What difference does the Holy Spirit living within me make to my life? 

Christ, the Son of God was willing to obey the will of His Father to die and rise so that the whole human race could be saved. Christ died and rose for ME.  In the words of the psalm let us live out during Eastertide.

'This is the day the Lord has made,

let us rejoice and be glad'

Traditions associated with Good Friday

Traditions associated with Good Friday

There are a number of interesting traditions associated with Good Friday. These are as follows:

HOT CROSS BUNS:

The traditional food for Good Friday is the Hot Cross bun, which originally were spicy fruit buns marked with a Cross on the top. They were served hot from the oven.  The origin of hot cross buns is associated with the day of fasting and abstinence decreed by the Church.  (see Fasting and abstinence posts in this series for full details) Hot cross buns were simple yet were filling enough for the two snack meals required on this day.

In some churches, hot cross buns are distributed after the liturgy and the funds raised are given to charity.

BLACKSMITH TRADITION:

Because of the action of the soldiers in nailing Christ to the Cross, blacksmiths would not shoe horses on Good Friday, as it entails hammering nails into the horses' hooves.

TRADITION OF THE CROSS:

The cross is traditionally said to have been made of wood from the ash tree, which is why that tree is said to quiver slightly. Ash was commonly used to make spears because of its 'springiness' and straight grain. However the wood of the Cross seems to be an issue for discussion with various results being put forward.

PLANTING

Good Friday is said to be a good day for planting seeds since Christ's blood fell on to the soil and blessed it on that day.

PERSONAL TRADITIONS 

On Good Friday I have some personal traditions which I look forward to as part of my Holy Week ritual. 

1.            Attendance at Morning Prayer with the Dominican community. It takes about an hour but it is always such a precious time for me and each year there always seems to be something fresh about it. Some years are more florid than others depending on the number and ability of the community to sing.  Sometimes, those in the community who do not think they have a singing voice surprise themselves as they make the effort. I wait with enthusiastic expectancy to hear the Lamentations, whether they be sung in Latin or English.I also have the privilege to attend Morning Prayer on Holy Saturday and Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.

2.            Attend Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday.

3.             Eat Hot Cross buns: For most of my life we came home from Church from the solemn Liturgy of Good Friday. Mum quickly put the oven on and in went the hot cross buns. Mostly the hot cross buns were homemade but occasionally mum used to buy them.

4.            Attend Prayer around the Cross in the spirit of Taize: For the last 9 years I have played the organ/piano for the prayers around the Cross in the Spirit of Taize. Sadly, I will miss this privilege this year.

Good Friday is always a quiet, spiritual day. It is always fills me with great gratitude that Christ died for me.

Why is Good Friday called Good?

GOOD FRIDAY

WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS:

WHY IS GOOD FRIDAY CALLED GOOD?

The Old Anglo-Saxon name for Good Friday was 'Lang Fredag or Long Friday.   It was called 'long' because it created the sense of being great and significant.

Good Friday is called Good because it is the day: that:

• our salvation was won for us by Christ on the Cross.
• sorrow, solemnity and mourning occur in the Liturgy.
• represents it being 'God's Friday'.
• the good thief rebuked the other thief dying with Jesus and Jesus granted him ' today you will be with me in paradise'.

FASTING AND ABSTINENCE ON GOOD FRIDAY.

The Church decrees that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday  are days of fasting and abstinence for all adult Catholics from 14-65 years.  It is only a minimum requirement laid down by the Church, but fasting, prayer and almsgiving are essential tools in our journey of conversion of heart in this season of penance. For health reasons, the Church does not expect the sick and infirm to fast and abstain.

What does the Church mean by fasting?   The Church's expectation of fasting means to eat much less than would normally be eaten on these 2 days specifically, by eating one main meal and two light snacks. A traditional main meal dish on Good Friday is either fish or vegetable casserole. Hot Cross buns are usually served as the light snack.  It is highly recommended that we maintain fasting by not eating between these snacks and main meal on these two days.  Abstinence requires that we abstain from all meat and meat products.

WHY IS GOOD FRIDAY ESSENTIAL?

 Good Friday is vital to every Christian as it is the day Christ gave His life for humanity so that salvation may be won for all. 

May this Good Friday bring you new meaning and appreciation 

for the eternal life won for you by Christ's death on the cross.

Spy Wednesday Wednesday of Holy Week

WHAT DOES SPY WEDNESDAY MEAN?

Although the term Spy Wednesday is not a liturgical designation, Wednesday in Holy Week was often referred to as 'Spy Wednesday'.  This was probably because, as Scripture tells us, that 'Judas 'kept looking for a way to hand him over'.  Matthew tells us too that after he had betrayed Jesus, that he went back to the Chief priests and flung the money back into the temple.  Perhaps this can be interrupted as some remorse, but Judas felt the guilt so much that he went and hung himself.

Although Judas is known through Scripture to have unsavoury characteristics in his behaviour, we can take heart that he was a failed disciple.  We too can be like Judas- at least some part of us- we can fail and betray Jesus by our behaviour and choose not to be a worthy disciple.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SPY WEDNESDAY

On this Spy Wednesday, let us ponder the areas of our lives that could be aligned to Judas' behaviour in being a failed disciple.  What are the 30 pieces of silver that we use to betray Christ?

Let us turn to Christ.  Unlike Judas, we can choose to admit our faults/sins and through the grace and the mercy of God in the sacrament of Reconciliation/Penance hear the beautiful words of absolution that Christ offers us.