We should see this week as a single unit, summed up under the phrase “Paschal Mystery”. It includes the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, as well as his ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit. In fact, all these elements can actually be seen present on the cross on Good Friday.
Though Jesus was in the form of God, he went down to the lowest depths of degradation and humiliation, dying naked and as a convicted criminal. This is the measure of his love for us – laying down his life for his friends – an expression of God’s love. And because of the intensity of the love he showed, he is swept up into the glory of God. This is so that we, too, may follow. But on the way, we also have to be ready to empty ourselves in love for him and to be totally at the service of our brothers and sisters.
He did this in obedience to a divine plan, a plan which would have him go to the depths of human destitution so that God might transform the destitution and lead the human being back to the Garden [of Eden]. Jesus appeared in the form of the sinful human being. He appeared as a slave, choosing the powerlessness of the one who has no will of his own. Jesus went more deeply still into human destitution: he who was son became not only a slave, but also a corpse.
Jesus chose to enter into an utter powerlessness, and in accepting the most ignominious death known to the ancient world, he went to the bedrock of the destitution and disfigurement caused by sin.
And it was there that;
he was met by a God whom he could see as he entered the darkness.
He was met by a God who moved as power in the utter powerlessness of the Crucified.
He was met by a God who was power enough to lead Jesus (and with him humanity) back to the Garden;
a God who gave him his true name; a God who restored to him the lordship proper to the human being (Gen 1:28);
a God who restored him to the glory which was always the Creator’s intention, the glory which in no way contends with the glory of God (as the catechesis of evil had claimed, either God’s glory or your glory), but a glory which redounds to the glory of God the Father.
Paul will put this more enigmatically: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21)
courtesy of http://www.livingspace.sacredspace.ie
The liturgies of Holy Week are as follows;
Confessions for Holy Week are as listed above and as follows;
TOGHER after 7pm Mass on Monday 25th
TENURE on Tuesday 26th from 6.30-7.30pm
TENURE on HOLY Thursday 28th after 7.30pm Mass
TOGHER on HOLY Thursday 28th after 8pm Mass.
FIELDSTOWN on GOOD Friday 29th after 3pm Passion
TOGHER on GOOD Friday 29th after 3pm Passion
DILLONSTOWN on GOOD Friday 29th after 7pm Stations of Cross
FIELDSTOWN on GOOD Friday 29th after 8pm Stations of Cross
DYSART on HOLY Saturday 30th from 12-1pm
FIELDSTOWN on HOLY Saturday 30th from 1.15-2.15pm
Monasterboice Parish 