A couple of thoughts heading into Holy Week.

Here we are on Palm Sunday and I don't know about you, but we made it! 

Ben turned his palm frond into a fishing rod and pretended to catch fish... until his father caught him. 

JF kept making his into a circle and sticking his face through it... until his father took his away and placed it next to Ben's.

Resa acted like hers was a broom... until I took hers and put it next to the boys'. 

JP just shook his in the air, like a little boy in Jerusalem. 

(And L spent the night at her grandma's so hopefully she is behaving wonderfully.)

"I will sing of your mercy that leads me through valleys of sorry to rivers of joy."

Jars of Clay, The Valley Song

One of the things I love so much about this week is how solemn and beautiful it is. The liturgies with their silence and darkness and candlelight, the readings from Scripture - Isaiah's Suffering Servant and the psalmist calling out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"especially, the music asking us "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" and it's something about that "oh-oh-oh-oh" that is so haunting and always makes me cry... all of it works together to prepare us for the gifts we recieve on Holy Thursday of the priesthood and the Eucharist, the sorrow and shame (our shame) that comes on Good Friday, the loneliness of Holy Saturday, the magnificence of Easter Vigil, and the JOY of Easter morning. 

I love Holy Week.

I have a special love for converts, reverts, and fallen away Catholics. There is nothing I love more than my God and His Church and I want nothing more than for everyone to feel the same. I want you to be Catholic so you can experience all the gifts it offers: the Sacraments, the saints, the feasting and the fasting, the redemptive suffering, the respect for life, the answers to all the questions which are all steeped in charity and clarity and reverence for God. 

I love that in Holy Week new Catholics are welcomed into the Church and old Catholics return. If you are a convert or a revert please know that I am SO HAPPY for you!!! I am praying for you and I hope that my silly little blog and I can help you live our your faith joyfully and in a community. 

Thanks for being here, guys. God bless you.