Good Friday
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Posted:Mar 21, 2008 12:24 pm
Last Updated:Mar 22, 2008 5:03 pm 4039 Views
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When I was younger we would hold the stations of the cross in the afternoon at Church.. meditating on the via dolorosa-- the road Jesus was forced to walk unto his crucifixion. Then there would be the reading of the passion.
Today I ponder the cross. Somehow we as Christians have lost sight of the cross. My doctor has a crucifix above the door of every examination room of his office. It's a symbol of the man who suffered for us this day- Good Friday.
Do we really need this cross? Many nuns and people who devote themselves to Christ wear the cross around their necks. It reminds them of the Jesus they are following. No life is a bed or roses and Jesus took the high road... the road that forgave the persecutors, the murderers, the ones that did not understand. That's the road he took. He left us with an example to take the same road to the cross. Do we embrace the rough road and the cross when it comes our way? Or do we shrug our shoulders and take the leisurely road of loving oneself? Afraid to climb up to the cross do we sit on our fanny and do nothing but whine and complain?
Today Jesus comes close to me as I contemplate my own death. Will I embrace his cross for me when that hour comes? If I am not in the habit of walking the via dolorosa, of making sacrifices along the way; then how can I be ready for the real battle on the day I am presented with the challenge?
I pray now for my own salvation and willingness to mount the cross.
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Holy Thursday Evening......
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Posted:Mar 20, 2008 8:00 pm
Last Updated:Mar 22, 2008 12:05 pm 4074 Views
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I attended the Lord's Supper this evening in a Church nearby.
The focal point of the evening for me was the washing of the feet. There was a re-enactment of the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus. When you think of it, it was a very humbling thing for Jesus to kneel down and wash his disciples' feet. In the society of his day not even a slave would undergo such a task. It makes me think of how I personally need to humble myself more and more and not get so high up in my estimation of myself. Jesus washed his disciples'feet to set an example for them.
Ohhh how we all need to come to Jesus; to wash one another's feet; to set before others the example our Lord gave us. How we need to humble ourselves more and more, and not forget the great sacrifice Jesus gave us on the cross.
Let us allow Jesus to wash our feet and humble ourselves before him.
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Black Church pulpits.....Oh how we need them
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Posted:Mar 20, 2008 1:39 pm
Last Updated:Mar 20, 2008 2:27 pm 3852 Views
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Barak Obama's retiring pastor's words are bringing back the ugly days of yesterday when white and black Americans were hardly on the same page. My time in the West Indies I think gives me the right to say a few words on this.
I was there in the 60s watching the burning rubble in Detroit when racial riots marred the United States. I went through similar scenes in Trinidad-- it was all the same thing-- racial tension.
America does not need this stuff again. God forbid that it has not gotten past this stuff. Heaven only knows what is in store for all of us if this stuff should re-ignite. For the love of God let us move forward not backwards.
Give me that Martin Luther King again and again. And give me more of those black church pulpits that rang out the love of God with the eloquence of King and others. Please.... let peace reign in our hearts and the mighty prophetic words of our preachers black and white!
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Women's breast cancer misdiagnosed
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Posted:Mar 20, 2008 11:16 am
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 4:42 am 3915 Views
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Today I took a moment of silence and prayer for all the women I have known with breast cancer.
What shocked me out of my skin the other day was the province of Newfoundland in Canada where the government announced that over 100 women in that province who underwent breast examination died because of faulty diagnosis. I am appauled that these women went untreated and died because the lab results either showed no problems or in some cases there were women that underwent masectomies when their breasts were perfectly normal. How on earth could this happen? Will there be an end to so much suffering on this issue? Let us pray for all who are suffering from some form of cancer... and pray also for better facilities that treat this disease,
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The Resurrection of Jesus.... How do we celebrate
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Posted:Mar 19, 2008 8:29 am
Last Updated:Mar 22, 2008 1:36 pm 3909 Views
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Since finding Madonna House back in 1971 I have enjoyed so much how they traditionally celebrate Christ's death and resurrection.
For weeks during Lent it is traditional to fast and pray. Holy Thursday is celebrated with Mass as it was the first time Jesus gave us this means of remembering him at the Last Supper. Then Good Friday we gather in the chapel for readings from the scriptures about our Lord's death on the cross-- followed by the kissing of the crucifix to remember his great sacrifice for our salvation.
Easter Sunday is the greatest feast day of the year. The women traditionally make lots of food according to the Ukrainian tradition. Their foundress, Catherine Doherty was from the Ukraine. The food is very rich and it has much meaning and significance. My poor memory cannot recall all the names of the food... but it is rich in eggs, sugar and flour. The bread has fruit and nuts and icing. It symbolizes Christ's rising from the dead. Then there is a kind of cottage cheese rish in just about everything and tastes out of this world.. Halupcha or something like that. Of course there is always the traditional hams and other meats.
After the Mass on Easter Sunday we then go down to eat. The prayer is said over the food and then we begin by breaking the eggs. Coloured eggs that and others have made are broken in this fashion. One holds up an egg and comes to his/her neighbour and says "Christ is risen!" and slams the egg agains the egg of the neighbour. The neighbour then says "Truly He is risen!" and one goes on doing this until all the eggs are cracked. I think it symbolizes Christ's breaking death by coming out of the tomb. Is this not a wonderful way to celebrate Christ's resurrection? I do think so.
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"Let us pray together for the continuation and survival of this great community of love and prayer and for all those Christian communities around us wherever they are... that they may continue to remember Christ's great sacrifice for us. Without our traditions little or nothing would be left of Christianity.
A very Happy and meaningful memory like The Resurrection of Jesus Christ should never ever be forgotten!
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Putting Christ into Easter... not chocolate eggs
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Posted:Mar 18, 2008 7:00 pm
Last Updated:Mar 25, 2008 9:39 am 4236 Views
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While I know there is a relationship between eggs and easter, but for heaven's sake it is just not THE STORY. Jesus and his resurrection is the headlines-- not hunting for chocolate eggs!
Today on radio there was a news item about a Catholic teacher who had made a 5 foot, 50 pound chocolate easter egg that was to be raffled for raising funds for easter seals.
Well... The Catholic school system fought for a long time to get the kind of special status that it presently enjoys regarding its ability to practice and preach its faith under government supported funding.
I find it remarkable that from my own teaching days in both systems there is barely a shred of difference between the two. While in the Catholic system I tried for many years to encourage an atmosphere of prayer and reflection on the scriptures as well as encouraging students to fast and think about people in the Third world developing countries -- especially during lent.
I know that this easter bunny story is an isolated incident but I guess I am most saddened that the stores and indeed our schools have once again commercialized a sacred time and story... the greatest event in our history.... Easter, the time of Jesus' resurrection and the opening of the gates of Heaven for us who wish to follow him.
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Hard to believe American Housing Market Collapsing
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Posted:Mar 18, 2008 8:27 am
Last Updated:Mar 19, 2008 7:36 am 4029 Views
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I have always held in high esteem the American banking system. How on earth could a large financial corporation like the banks lend out huge sums of money with little or no down payment? How could they not see something like this coming? How in conscience could they do this to the entire American Banking system?
I am in shock today as I read and liste to the news about what is happening. I am also alarmed that our own Canadian banks cannot boast being outside of this calamity-- at least there is no guarantee given that we depend on the United States for up to 75 per cent of our trade.
I am hoping and praying that the U.S. can come out of this great difficulty. Enough is enough. This is the country that has given out millions to Germany, Japan and others following the War and now far too many of its people are in abject poverty and without meaningful work. What on earth has happened to this great nation? May God bring it back to its rightful place.
Let us all pray today for the United States of America!
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Please send some sunshine!
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Posted:Mar 17, 2008 3:26 pm
Last Updated:Apr 20, 2008 9:50 pm 4242 Views
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Our Canadian weather this year has been pathetic! Friday night in the area where I live we had a huge dump of snow and cold weather. I thought winter was over. Further east in Toronto and on the Atlantic coast it was even worse. People were evacuating schools and shopping malls as the danger of collapsing roofs was a stark reality-- and no joke!
So I am appealing to all in southern climes to send us some warm weather. Climate change is fast becoming a reality even for the non believers. So let us not just pray for good weather but also act on all the many ideas that are coming from the green revolution. It's our planet and we need to care a lot more!
God bless and send us some warmer weather!
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I believe in Atheists
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Posted:Mar 17, 2008 2:52 pm
Last Updated:Apr 20, 2008 1:52 pm 4080 Views
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I could not help but listen to an interview on radio today with someone who wrote a book about atheism and atheists. I can only comment that such people do exist and they are as close to us as we can ever imagine. Their numbers are on the increase.
When I went through the seminary we were methodically grounded in the old proofs for the existence of God-- coming from Augustine and others. Sadly, they don't do a lot for me.
T^he real proof for God's existence is the life that I have led-- more importantly during the darker times when I walked through the valley.
God is as real to me as my closest neighbour. Umpteen times has he rescued me like the lone sheep in the gospel. He does leave the flock to come and get us! Countless times has God come and taken me and carried me on eagles' wings. Countless times does he appear in my life today. So many times when I have gotten myself into trouble has he left his busy post to come and rescue me.
Yes I do believe in Atheists.. and I pray for them every day. The moment we leave our intellect behind and bathe our intellect in our heart and listen attentively to HIS WORD in holy scripture--- we may then be nearing the presence of God. But look out! God has no human definitions and does not limit himself to any dimensions and categories. His love is beyond all telling.
Let us together thank God for our FAITH and let us pray for all believers and non believers as the hour of the celebration of our resurrection comes.
God bless to all.... and Halleluiah!
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