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Spiritual Reflection
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March 27, 2010 | | | |  | Spiritual Reflection for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
March 28, 2010
How Jesus must have enjoyed celebrating his final Passover with his disciples! For three years, he had been with them, enjoyed their company, taught them, even laughed with them. He knew their strengths and weaknesses, their quirks and idiosyncrasies-and he loved them. Jesus knew the time had come for him to give up his life, but he was still able to share a meal with these close friends.
Jesus knew that these men would fall away when he was arrested. But he also knew that they would turn around and become the leaders he had formed them to be. Peter would weep over denying him, but then would become the rock. James and John would stop seeking seats of honor to give up their lives for the church. And Thomas would have his moment of doubt and stubbornness, but would also become a fearless preacher of the gospel. Jesus also knew that his Father would hear his prayer for them-that they would hold fast to who Jesus is and be protected from the evil one.
We may not have been present at the Last Supper, but we can still use our imaginations to place ourselves there. Imagine Jesus telling you about the gift of his body and blood-and linking that to his ultimate gift of his very life on the cross. See the expression on his face, a combination of love and determination, of sadness and hope. He knows what he is giving up for you, and he longs for you to respond in the deepest way possible
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Even though the Passion happened nearly two thousand years ago, it has lost none of its power. That power is available to us at every Mass-the power to change, the power to love, the power to be raised up with Jesus on Easter Sunday. May God bless you this Holy Week as you recall his love and mercy.
(Excerpt from: The WORD Among Us) | | | | | |
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 Our Lady of Lourdes - In 1858, in a grotto, near Lourdes in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young peasant girl. She revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to drink from a fountain in the grotto. When Bernadette dug at a spot designated by the apparition, a spring began to flow. The water from this still flowing spring has shown remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify. Lourdes has become the most famous modern shrine of Our Lady. |
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