I haven't written a post since Good Friday. I have all these thoughts that I want
to share running around in my head. I will begin with some of the things that my
friend and I have been teaching to our fourth grade CCD class (classes about our
Catholic faith) held on Wednesday evenings. My daughter also helps us out but she
had to substitute for the Kindergarten class this week. The Ten Commandments,
The Corporal Works of Mercy, vocations, the liturgical seasons, prayers and the
importance of praying are some of the topics in our classroom discussions. We only
have seventy-five minutes each week with the kids and we try to cram everything
we can into the time we have with them. We have really gone into depth with the
Ten Commandments. They ask a lot of questions and we really try to explain things
in a way that they can understand.
This week we explained how Easter is a season and not just one day. We started with
the beginning of Lent. We told the children that from Ash Wednesday all the way to
Palm Sunday is forty days. Then Holy Week begins on the Monday following Palm
Sunday. We celebrate the Triduum during Holy Week -
Holy Thursday - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday - The Easter Vigil
And then we celebrate - Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Guess what? There is more! Easter doesn't end on Easter Sunday!
We explained about Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday, and so on.
There is so much to learn and share!
Tomorrow, the 2nd Sunday of Easter is also Divine Mercy Sunday. I have posted
the Divine Mercy Chaplet in a previous post but I will type it out again for those
of you who may not have read that blog post or for those of you who would like to learn
how to pray this beautiful, divine mercy prayer.
Did you know that the Easter Season (from Easter Sunday through Pentecost Sunday) is
fifty days? The Ascension is on Thursday, May 25, 2017 and will be celebrated on the
7th Sunday of Easter, May 28, 2017. The last day of the Easter Season this year is on
June 4, 2017, Pentecost Sunday. The daily scriptures walk us through the life, death,
and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jim and I will be married for thirty-four years on Pentecost Sunday! Easter is a joyful
season of miracles and blessings!
Some memories that touched my heart during Holy Week. On Holy Thursday, Jim and I
went to Mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Miles. Our son and six year old grandson
were two of the twelve people that got their feet washed during the foot washing
ceremony performed by the priest. Our grandson had such a serious expression on his face.
He is my little red-headed angel! Three of our grandchildren served as altar servers at the
Easter Vigil. Seeing them serve at Mass is such a blessing, it brings joy to our hearts!
This is an extremely long Mass, almost four hours this year, because we were blessed
with so many people being received into our Catholic church. Fifteen people were
baptized, received their First Holy Communion, and were Confirmed. Seven other people
received their First Holy Communion and were Confirmed, they had already been
baptized at some point in their lives.
Our "little Joan" turned five this week. She is truly a miracle. I know that God healed
her. I will always be thankful for the many prayers that were prayed for her healing
during her illness. The doctors, who worked so hard to take care of her and find out
what was wrong, were never able to accurately diagnose her complete condition.
They told us that whatever she had was very rare (I don't remember the accurate
medical terminology) and have been surprised by her recovery and how well
she is doing!
I wrote a story about her a couple of years ago. I will post the link if you would like to
read it. I get really choked up when I think about how sick she was. I will also insert a
picture of her praying in front of the Tabernacle. She has a special devotion to Mother
Mary and always asks for her prayers. Our God is an awesome God! Pray and have faith! http://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2015/06/mother-mary-mama-mary-and-my-little-joan.html
I know this is a long post but I want to get everything in! The following is how to
pray The Divine Mercy Chaplet -
This prayer is for the whole world.
It is really beautiful when we sing this Chaplet. (I'm singing this as I'm typing)
The refrain goes like this:
For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
How to pray The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy:
(It is easier to keep up with if you have a rosary, but if you don't,
you can count on your fingers.)
1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross and then pray (1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary
and The Apostles Creed.
2. Prayer - (Pray this 1 time) Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in atonement for ours sins and those of the whole world.
3. Pray this refrain 10 times:
For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
You repeat steps (2) & (3) for a total of (5) times.
4. Conclude with (3 times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and
on the whole world.
5. End by making the sign of the cross and saying Amen.
It is a beautiful, peaceful prayer. I find myself humming or singing it a lot. I also pray
it if I wake up during the night.
May God Bless you and keep you safe wherever you are, wherever you live.
Many blessings to you and yours during the entire Easter Season!
Bye for now, Sharla
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