Holy Week is a week for being mindful. We must set loose the baggage of Lent, and not be deterred by the dazzling sunrise of Easter morning beckoning in the distance.
It’s okay for us to be excited for Easter. We’ve waited so long, after all. In my opinion it’s one of the best feelings there is: the yearning we have in our hearts for the Resurrection as we embark on Palm Sunday. And in a purely logical sense, many of us have Easter celebrations for which we are preparing, and practical considerations to contend with. It’s going to be a busy week, one likely full of happy distractions.
But my friends, we simply must keep our feet on the ground. Let’s not “skip” Holy Week. Resist the urge to flip to the last page of the book, to fast-forward to the final scene of the movie. Don’t rob yourself of the journey. This week is a blessed opportunity. It is this week that teaches us who we are. In the span of the Triduum, we have the birthday of the priesthood, the institution of the Eucharist, the sacrifice on Calvary and so many other vivid and meaningful scenes.
It may sound strange, to advise someone to savor the moments of Holy Week. There are so many violent and heartrending moments, after all. But this is the valley of tears, remember we are not in Heaven yet. And here, in our fallen, sin-filled world, it is the heartrending moments that seem to matter the most.
These are the moments that define us as Catholics. Live them. Cherish them. Be present for each one.
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