Perhaps it was more of the worldly bad news and just personal worries about my kids, but very little sleep last evening. Up early to a very dark and dreary day here- flood warning again. And I was just thinking of the future and sufferings that are going to come. Maybe I’m a bit of a coward or my faith is weak, but it filled me with anxiety and even some fear. I tried to pray but couldn’t. So looked to some of the Catholic/ Christian websites for reading. And this is first article that popped up. I think God gave me my answer! The Christian life is a long progression of letting go of our own wants and desires in order to live in greater union with Christ and to love as He loves. This is a painful purification process for all of us that most often comes about through suffering. Jobs are lost. Successes come and go. Relationships fall apart. Medical diagnosis or old age take away our health. It’s during these times that the Lord is reminding us that we are made for him alone. Suffering is never wasted. The Lord uses it for our deeper conversion and put love in the world where it is most needed. Lent is a microcosm of the reality that we are called to rely on God alone and to die to the things of this world. The Lord often has greater plans for our holiness than we had in mind at the beginning of this holy season of prayer and penance. The Lord reminds us that we are made for Him alone every time our plans fail, in seasons of isolation and waiting, in illness, the death of loved ones, or in other circumstances. As Holy Week is about to begin, I suppose we all must face and even embrace whatever sufferings and crosses we have and will have. Ironically at beginning of Lent , a close friend - a catechist- talked about St. Pope John Paul’s Salvifici Doloris. I was planning to read it during Lent but forgot. Im happy that this article reminded me of it…. I hope I can read it this week. https://www.vatican.va/content/john.../hf_jp-ii_apl_11021984_salvifici-doloris.html With so much going on in thus world where it appears to be on the brink in combination with my children having different issues/concerns in their lives, I can get a bit down. But, I think looking at these through the eyes of the Cross and this Holy Week will give a different perspective. At least this is what I pray for. Good knows my weakness and my sin… I pray these get nailed to the Cross so on Easter there can be true resurrection. I pray that everyone on this forum have the best Holy Week ever. Peace https://catholicexchange.com/christ-uses-our-sufferings-for-good/
Thank you so much miker. You have described so well my own struggles lately. And trouble sleeping and trouble praying meanfully. I feel the cross very much these days. This is a good reminder to embrace it as Jesus did fir His sake and for His Kingdom.
Thanks also for sharing AED… praying with you and for you for a powerful and transformative Holy Week!
Wonderful opportunities to gain plenary indulgences this coming week….. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/246665/how-to-obtain-a-plenary-indulgence-during-holy-week
Thanks purple flower - passed this on to all my contacts. We should take every opportunity to gain plenary indulgences for deceased relatines........ and 'Forgotten Souls'!
Excited and happy this morning for they are doing Confessions after Mass today and tomorrow. It is not always easy to get to Confession whilst camping, so it is such a joy. I never leave confession but feel joy and peace. I am curious to see how many people go, in the old days you would have had to line up for an hour or more. Before the altar they have a large cross twisted with barbed wire with a colth hanging over the arms. I was admiring how artistic it is for their were patches of red, like blood on the cloth and Cross. But when I looked a little later the red was gone. I realised that the sun, shining through the red stained glass had painted the blood there. No accidents with God.
I understand Miker, I have pains and concerns for my children and grandchildren. As for meaningful prayer, some days are diamonds others are stone. But the very act of praying our routine prayers, especially on the days of little lights or consolations, are a great victory over ourselves. “The most beautiful prayer is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort.” ― Padre Pio
Thank you Miker. On Holy Thursday. "A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who piously recite the verses of the Tantum ergo after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday during the solemn reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament. I will be singing the Tantum ergo quietly after Holy Thursday's Mass, maybe I might print it out and get a few of the faithful to sing it with me. I didn't realise it offered a plenary indulgence on Holy Thursday. I remember this Hymn being sung at benediction as a child, the memories came flooding back, so beautiful. Amazingly I remembered the melody and was able to sing it to my husband, after going to your link. Tantum Ergo Down in adoration falling, This great sacrament we hail, Ancient types have long departed Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail. Glory let us give and blessing To the Father and the Son Honour, might and praise addressing While eternal ages run, Equal praise to Him confessing Who proceeds from both as One Amen.
Today is reconciliation Monday throughout our archdiocese. I’m praying that my adult kids will use this opportunity. Every church is the diocese will have priests available for confession today. Such a gift.
That's not happening here. I don't know about other dioceses in Australia. Maybe it is. In our diocese we do not have a Monday Mass throughout the year, this has been the norm for over 2 years. I think this is because they want our priests to have a day off, like the rest of society. However our Nigerian Priest decided he would celebrate Mass on Monday the 18th March in honour of St Patrick in our St Patricks church. This was a once off.
The holy priest who heard my confession really believed in what he was doing. This may sound like a funny thing to write but many priests don't believe and it is easy to tell. They may be bored, or uncomfortable or looking like they wished they were somewhere else, but it's easy to tell. So to get a really holy priest is a great blessing. I went to a young priest one time and he seemed almost embarrassed and very uncomfortable in being there. I wondered if I was imagining it but then a month or two later he left the priesthood.
In the parish I am in twice a week there is no mass and a lady conducts a Eucharistic Service. I am not complaining because there is a huge shortage of priests.
Years ago in Holy Week you would easily wait an hour or two for Confession, pretty well everyone went, even at Christmas, I think people almost considered it part of their Easter Duty.
Wandered through the forest in the steady rain after mass and confesssion this morning. So happy after confession. Saying the rosary in these wild, beautiful places is such an experience, it makes everywhere home. It strikes me that in many of the mysteries of the rosary people were travellers like myself, Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, Mary to the Hill Country to meet her cousin St Elizabeth, the Holy Family to Jerusalem for the Presentation and so on. I am sitting in my caravan in the raing dark watching all three episodes of the Mass of the Ages, wonderful. Four candles burning in front of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, lovely. I had a nice though the other day praying and did something I never did before. I asked Jesus to greet His mother for me. We always ask Mary to intercede with God for us. It never occurred to me before to ask Jesus to greet Mary. A sort time later I had the strong sense of Our Lady being present in great golden ladies that, smiling broadly inclining her head in acknowledgement of her son's greeting on my behalf.
