Holy Week

Holy Week has always been one of my favorite weeks of the year! Rich in history, tradition, and liturgy, I have been captivated by these services since childhood. This has been my first year "on my own" so to speak, where there was no built in Easter holiday from work or from school. These past few weeks have flown by in such a blur, between traveling, retreat, job interviews and projects - to the point where Holy Week even caught me off guard! As I was hauling loads of laundry and returning phone calls today, I wondered to myself where that quiet space and the time to reflect had gone.

That's when it hit me. Reflection is work in progress so to speak. Without it, we can't grow, spiritually or emotionally. The Christian life calls us to be still, and know He is God. Reflection does not always just happen in our lives, unless we make time for it and turn our focus on the Lord. For the first time, this year I had a taste of how "normal" Holy Week can seem if you don't strive to make time for God. The Church sets it aside as a beautiful time to really re-live the messages in the Gospel - to feel, smell, hear, taste the very experiences, to renew our commitment to Christ, and to our community. As I watched the Dominican priests last night in their veneration of the cross on Good Friday, they slowly walked down the center aisle, stopping to prostrate themselves every few pews. It occurred to me how strange it must all look to someone from the outside - why are these grown men kneeling and bowing dozens of times before just kissing the wood of the cross?

Holy Week is a chance to reconnect with family. Not just our biological family, but our Catholic Christian family. We hear the stories of our forefathers, we gather together, and share a common meal. The rich traditions and liturgies are designed to make us stop and think, to remember, to ponder - to reflect.

And so, on this holiest of nights, when we welcome all of the new members into the faith, I have stopped to reflect. To thank God for all the many gifts He has given me. To enjoy and to celebrate my family - especially my Catholic family. I pray that you all have a blessed Easter!