Behold the Man!

I hope that this Triduum and Lent is/has brought you many graces! This year I had the special grace to serve as MC (Master of Ceremonies) for the Triduum Masses, which pretty much means I just tell all the servers where to go (in case you were wondering). Holy Thursday is always so special to recall how Christ instituted the Priesthood, the Mass, and of course the Eucharist all on one night! Then, we have a Eucharistic procession into the "Chapel of Repose" where we keep vigil recalling how our Lord wept and sweat blood in the Garden of Olives. He was remembering our sins and asking His Heavenly Father for strength to make the Ultimate Sacrifice. I think about how sometimes I get nervous about some event or appointment the next day or in a few hours, but what must it have been like to know that one of your greatest "friends" was about to betray you, all of your other friends would not stand up for you (minus a few), and you would be put to death in shame when you were completely innocent?! Obviously none of us can really know what Christ was going through totally because none of us are totally perfect as He was. What motivated Him to do this? It could only be that He IS Love! To know that we have a God Who loves us is absolutely incredible! He passionately loves us; that is Awesome!

Well, enough with my rambling! Today God really blessed me in a number of ways. I watched the Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson as I do now every Good Friday. I prayed as I watched it, and Christ showed me some things that I think have really changed my life, or at least have given me the grace to know how to change my life---now it's my turn to do it. I hope you all will take the opportunity to watch this film or to watch it again prayerfully because it can certainly change lives. It is not fun, but it is necessary to remember what Christ did for us so that we can change.

"'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness."