Hello Out There! I hope you all felt God's grace and love during Holy Week!
It was a very busy but wonderful week for us. Jim and I went to the Holy Thursday
Mass, the Good Friday Service and the Easter Vigil. Each night was so special.
I loved it all, the scriptures, homilies, music, atmosphere and the smell of incense
are just a few of the memorable blessings of Holy Week. Receiving the Eucharist
during communion and then going to Eucharistic Adoration after the Holy Thursday
Mass was such a blessing it brought tears to my eyes. The Good Friday Service
is always a very emotional and sobering experience. When we walked into the
Cathedral Sanctuary it was dimly lit and all the statues were covered, the Tabernacle
doors were open and it was so quiet, the reality of Jesus dying on the cross just hits
you. There is no opening hymn because the service starts right where it left off from
Holy Thursday. The Easter Vigil begins in the courtyard where the Easter Candle is
lit from the flames of the fire and then we process into the sanctuary and everyone's
candles are then lit. The music is angelic and the readings are powerful. I was blessed
by being asked to read the 6th reading. (Baruch 3:9-15, 32-4:4) I loved reading the
emotional verses of scripture from the Prophet Baruch. The people who have been
taking the RCIA classes received their sacraments during the Vigil. Some received
all three sacraments;
Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
Others received their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. There were a few
that had been baptized and had made their First Holy Communion but had never been
confirmed, so they received their Confirmation.
The Easter Vigil always brings back wonderful memories for me because I received
my First Holy Communion and was confirmed in 1987 in the very same sanctuary,
The Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart.
The Easter Vigil is a very long Mass, about 3 1/2 hours, and it is an incredible, peace-
filled, emotionally moving experience.
Easter Sunday was a beautiful, He is risen, is risen, Alleluia day!
I put a spiral sliced ham in the oven, made a pistachio pudding, pineapple, cool whip
salad also known as "the green stuff" and put it in the fridge. Our center piece was
rice krispie treats shaped as nests filled with green colored coconut and jelly beans.
I put the nests in the middle of my grandma's old depression glass platter and placed
colored green coconut grass, whopper eggs and chicken peeps all around the nests. I
had soaked a pot of pinto beans the night before and they were cooking on top of the
stove. Jim was busy cleaning up the yard for the Easter Egg hunt and he also helped
clean up the house. I popped a casserole dish of red potatoes in the oven and
pulled the frozen rolls from the freezer. My daughter and daughter-in-law brought
the desserts and other sides.
We had three stages for this special day;
1. Say grace and eat lunch
2. Hide and hunt Easter eggs
3. Birthday Party - Our youngest grandchild turned 1 year old on Easter Sunday!
She had a great day!
It was about 7:00 p.m. by the time everyone had left. A super great day and we
were super tired!
Easter Monday began with our usual early morning hour at the Adoration Chapel,
a great way to start the week!
I have to go and fix some supper now but I just had to write this post and say hello to
y'all. I'll write more later.
I'm going to close with the scripture that is in my Living Faith Devotional:
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus
himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented
from recognizing him. Luke 24:15-16
Open our eyes Lord, we want to see you walking with us!
Bye for now,
Sharla
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