Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed in him the name which is above every other name. (Philippians 2:8-9)
(Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord - Verse Before the Gospel)
O God, who have called us to participate in this most sacred Supper, in which your Only Begotten Son, when about to hand himself over to death, entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity, the banquet of his love, grant, we pray, that we may draw from so great a mystery, the fullness of charity and of life.
Collect from Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper
Father Joseph Zhang remembers his mother telling him when he was quite small, “Today is Ash Wednesday and we have to fast.”
When he asked her what “to fast” meant, she told him there would be no meals in the house that day.
“We were so poor there wasn’t ever much food in the house, but I wanted to know why this particular day,” he said. His mother told him “If you fast, you will go to heaven when you die.”
This sounded like such a great idea to the little boy that he went out, found his best friend and said they should fast together so that they would go to heaven together. When his mother overheard, she was horrified. She told him to be quiet. He wasn’t allowed to tell anyone he was fasting.
He couldn’t tell anyone he was Catholic. This was China in about 1984 and the church was not “open.”
On Saturday, March 21st, 2015, the two Lay Assumptionist groups from Brighton and Sturbridge gathered at Old English Road in Worcester for a retreat day facilitated by Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A. The focus of Fr. Dennis’ presentations were five frequent themes found in the writings and preaching of Pope Benedict XVI and how they echo frequent teachings of Emmanuel d’Alzon.
Beginning with the need we have as human beings to have God in our lives, Fr. Dennis moved on to the idea of being drawn out of ourselves in loving service to others and of servants of the truth through the person of Jesus who always sees himself as ‘Son.’ Lastly we saw how the Church is first and above all a communion with leadership, being responsible for those in their care, as shepherds with holiness being the ultimate goal of us all.
