Holy Week

As we began last Sunday's liturgies, with so many visitors I thought about the week ahead. On Tuesday we had our Diocesan Chrism Mass. It was very beautiful. Our Cathedral is newly renovated and this was my first opportunity to see the changes up close. The Bishop's message to our priests was that they are called to serve as Jesus did. He included the laity in that message as well. On Wednesday I spent the day preparing for the Easter Vigil. For me, this means making name tags, planning seating charts, making additions and corrections to the Vigil "script", washing towels that have not been used for a year, making reserved signs, ...the list seems endless and I wonder how I will accomplish it all and be ready. My goal in all this is to make the actual Vigil go as smoothly as possible for the Sacraments of Initiation. At this point, I am happy to say it is all done and I am home, writing and baking.
Tonight, We will celebrate together at Mass and then come home to color eggs. After that, I return to our Chapel, where our altar of repose is, and stay there until the Eucharist is moved out of the main church area.
Our Pastor has each ministry choose people to have their feet washed. This year we choose two men from our RCIA program who will be baptized Saturday. One man was a "cultural Jew, " as he puts it, the other was a Jehovah's Witness. They are both humbled and excited to have been asked to participate.
Friday is a somber day, with Stations at different times and the Veneration of the Cross at 2:00 pm. It seems every year, when we are proclaiming the Passion, the sky becomes cloudy and dark.
The Easter Vigil on Saturday will be a sight to behold. Eight adult baptisms, four people being received in to the Church and then twenty more for confirmation. I am always awed by this liturgy. The Elect have been asking me if it is an emotional time and I tell them that for me it is, I cry when the first person enters the Baptismal pool and do not stop until each is Confirmed.
It is my prayer that all receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit and are set on fire by the Presence within them.