In today's Gospel reading Jesus makes one final and veiled Revelation of himself and so sets into motion the events that will lead to his imminent arrest, trial, suffering, and crucifixion.
We will celebrate this reality on Sunday when we celebrate Palm Sunday. We will begin Mass outside of church with palm branches, and process into the church in the same way that Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. We will then proclaim the Passion account and so begin a week long journey through prayer into the Holy Days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, ending with the fullest Revelation of the Lord's Glory on Easter Sunday.
I want to extend a sincere invitation to you and your family: give serious consideration to celebrating the three Holy Days leading up to Easter by ending each of the celebrations on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Each celebration begins at 7:30pm and each has a specific focus that brings into relief the whole of the Christian message of who Jesus is, who we are, and the destiny of both.
On Holy Thursday we celebrate the Institution of the Eucharist and re-enact the Washing of the Feet that Jesus performed for his Apostles. On Friday, we focus on Jesus' Crucifixion and are given an opportunity to venerate the Cross in a way that shows both our gratitude and our humility. At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday we make our way through all of Salvation History by remembering the Father's promises given in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in a definitive way through the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus: promises that He made to US!
Give this some thought. I promise you that if you come and celebrate these three Holy Days with us, you will drawn into the great Mystery and Reality that is at the very heart of what it means to be a Catholic Christian.
Peace to you today.
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