Rejoice heavenly powers!

The power of this holy night
dispels all evil,
washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence,
bring mourners joy;
it casts out hatred,
brings us peace,
and
humbles earthly
pride.

from the Exsultet

Good Friday: He endured our sufferings

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,
our sufferings that he endured,
while we thought of him as stricken,
as one smitten by God and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our offenses,
crushed for our sins;
upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,
by his stripes we were healed.

Isaiah 53:4-6

photograph by Jill Johnson
read some of Sr. Jose's reflections on her life's path
in an exceprt from A Woman's Path by Jo Giese

Sister Jose Hobday, OSF
+

Born to Eternal Life

April 5, 2009

"Travel lightly -- God will replenish it all!"
(A quote from Sister Jose during a sharing on simple living with our JustFaith group)

for a beautiful photographic image of Sr. Jose see:

John Zeuli's Photograph

For more, including some of Sr. Jose's quotations see:
Spirituality & Practice - Resources for Spiritual Journeys

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A Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday Reflection

Icon by
Tatiana Grant
Iconographer

Why is the crowd in the Palm Sunday story so excited? Jesus has no military, economic, or political power.


Why is there a sense of excitement as we begin to enter the Holy Week experience? Shouldn’t we be ready to give up? [After all Jesus is about to be killed.]

Shouldn’t we be discouraged by the human situation today – by war, violence of all sorts, selfishness, failure, injustice, discrimination, poverty, etc.?

Do we really want to or need to remember the pain and the sorrow that we see in the passion of Christ?

There was an excitement in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus and there is an excitement as we process with palms. Why?

Is it a sense of excitement because God is among us and part of our human situation?

Is it a sense that God is with us in the midst of all the suffering and injustice?

Is it a sense that God is present in the midst of our deepest longings and dreams?

Is it a sense that God is present in the midst of our deepest struggle for what is right?

Is it a sense that God is here in the midst of the great story of liberation and freedom?

Is it a sense that God is calling us to work for liberation and justice?

Is it a sense that apparent defeat is not the final word?

By Fr. John Bucki, S.J.. from the Center of Concern's excellent Education for Justice site:

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