Tuesday After Easter 2011

John 1: 1-18
The vast darkness was illuminated by the light of  Christ.  Afterwards, and for all time, no amount of darkness can quench that light!

Vast Darkness

The Light of Christ

Photo © Mrtolc | Dreamstime.com

Easter Monday 2011

Just as two disciples (one of them called Cleopas) finally recognized the risen Jesus as He walked with them on the road to Emmaus, Jesus disappeared from their sight.

Luke 24: 32-43
 "Then they said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?'  They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem.  There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, 'Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'  Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognized him at the breaking of the bread.

They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you!'  In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost.  But he said 'Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts?  Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed.  touch me and see for yourselves;  a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.'  And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet.  Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, 'Have you anything here to eat?'  And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes."

The Resurrected Christ 

© Jaroslaw Baczewski | Dreamstime.com

(Stained Glass in a Catholic Church in Dublin)

*Note: Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.

Easter Sunday 2011

Matthew 28: 1-6
"After the sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary (Mary of James) went to visit the sepulchre.  And all at once there was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it.  His face was light lightning, his robe white as snow.  The guards were so shaken, so frightened of him, that they were like dead men.  But the angel spoke; and he said to the women, 'There is no need for you to be afraid,. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here for he has risen, as he said he would.'"

Jesus, the Risen Lord!

© Giedrius Blagnys | Dreamstime.com 

( Photo of a stone mosaic of the resurrected Jesus Christ )

*Note: Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.

Good Friday 2011

Matthew 27:45-50*

"From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you deserted me?'  When some of those who stood there heard this, they said, 'The man is calling on Elijah', and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he dipped in vinegar and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.  'Wait!' said the rest of them 'and see if Elijah will come to save him.'  But Jesus again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit."

Jesus Crucified

© Irisangel | Dreamstime.com 

[According to the photographer Irisangel, this unfamiliar image of Christ is a "...photo of a very old art print that dates back to at least 1915 of a painting that was done in 1874 by Gabriel Max. The image shows the face of Jesus Christ Our Lord with crown of thorns and eyes that seem to open as you watch (click on photo to enlarge). There is a tear on his face." ]

*Note: Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.

Holy Thursday 2011

After breaking bread with his disciples and after singing psalms they left for the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26: 36-40*

"Then Jesus came with them to a small estate called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Stay here while I go over there to pray',  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him.  And sadness came over him, and great distress.  Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful to the point of death.  Wait here and keep awake with me.'  And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed, 'My Father' he said 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by.  Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.'"

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane

(This photo is of a fine art painting of Jesus © Loveliestdreams | Dreamstime.com)

*Note: Bible verse used in this post is from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.

Palm Sunday 2011

Matthew 21:1-11*

When they were near Jerusalem and had come in sight of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village facing you, and you will immediately find a tethered donkey and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.  If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, "The Master needs them and will send them back directly".'   This took place to fulfill the prophecy:

Say to the daughter of Zion:

Look, your king comes to you;
he is humble, he rides on a donkey
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.

So the disciples went out and did as Jesus had told them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, then they laid their cloaks on their backs and he sat on them.  Great crowds of people spread their cloaks on the road, while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in his path.  The crowds who when in front of him and those who followed were all shouting:

'Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heavens!'

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil. 'Who is this?' people asked, and the crowds answered, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee'.

Jesus Entering Jerusalem Celebrated on "Palm Sunday"

[This Photo of the Fresco in the Parish Church of Zirl, Austria was taken 11/17/2007 by "Flying Pharmacist"  who uploaded it to Wikipedia who considers the image to be in the Public Domain as follows:  "This is a faithful photographic reproduction of an original two-dimensional work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years."]

*Note: Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.

Ash Wednesday 2011

It was a year ago I began this Blog, wanting something to do during Lent.  It has been a fulfilling experience even though my entries lagged at times during the summer months.   This year Ash Wednesday begins 3 weeks later than last year and we still have snow and ice dams on the roofs and piles of snow waiting to melt when our daily temperatures get above 30F.  Moderate or major Spring floods are predicted for most flood plains  and places near the Red, Minnesota and Mississippi rivers.  The floods may be historic. Many communities have been filling and stockpiling sand bags for a month or more in preparation.  It's only a matter of time... 

For we Catholics, Ash Wednesday and Fridays are meatless during Lent.   We must "sacrifice" and eat fish like the yummy looking grilled salmon and steamed vegetable plate shown below:

© Jacek Chabraszewski | Dreamstime.com

(Photo Purchased by Humble Blogger for Use Here)