Holy Week
Hi! This is John Nemmer again. I would like to speak with you about Holy Week. Now, Holy Week is the last week in Lent. It’s the week that changed the world forever, beginning on Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. It is a time of great sorrow and great joy - sorrowful because we remember Jesus willingly suffered the most horrible death for us. However, it is also joyful because He triumphantly rose again from the dead, destroying Satan’s power once and for all. He opened the gates of Heaven for us so that we may live with Him in joy forever.
Jesus showed us how He truly loves us during that first Lenten week. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday where He knew He would be killed. On Holy Thursday, at The Last Supper, He gave us His Own Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist. On Good Friday, He paid for our sins by suffering and dying for us. Through Holy Saturday, He descended to the dead. On Easter Sunday, He rose again triumphantly in glory.
We should always give thanks to God for everything He’s done for us during Holy Week. He didn’t have to come down to earth to die for us in reparation for our sins. He is God, the second person of The Holy Trinity. So it was a choice born out of love. He is love itself and has so much divine love for us, He humbled Himself and became the final Passover Lamb which was sacrificed for our sins. This is why we call Him the Lamb of God at Mass every Sunday. The Church only requires us to go Mass on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday during Holy Week, the rest we give of ourself. The Mass celebrates the same sacrifice that Jesus offered for us on the cross on Calvary. However, if we can go to The Last Supper Mass on Holy Thursday, or if we can go and remember our Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, or celebrate at The Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday, it’ll fully help us to remember those most precious mysteries.
So let’s try to do our very best to give Him thanks daily during this Holy Week and He will be so pleased with us. May the saving love of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the help of the Holy Spirit, and the glory of God the Father be with you all!
Amen!
John Nemmer
John is a regular writer for SGYM3 and shares insights and prayer language from the heart. He is a parishioner at St. Greg's and you can find John faithfully at Mass every week with his loving family. Feel free to say "hi" when you see him!
