Easter Monday 2021

 

Easter Monday Crocus

Photo 52471563 © David Slaughter | Dreamstime.com "This duo of purple crocuses was welcoming the spring sunshine on Easter Monday."

Christ's passion is suggested by the flower's purple petals.  Out of that passion rises the golden stamen of his Resurrection on Easter Sunday fertilizing the earth with his love and forgiveness  for all time!

Easter Sunday 2021

The Empty Tomb!!

Structural Replica of the Tomb of Jesus in Israel in Nazareth. Photo: ID 38216360 © Linda Johnsonbaugh | Dreamstime.com

"When the sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices with which to go and anoint him.  And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising.  They had been saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?'  But when they looked they could see that the stone, which was very big, had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them 'There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here.  See, here is the place where they laid him.  But you must go and tell his disciples and Peter. He is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see him as he told you,'  And the women came out and ran away from the tomb because they were frightened out of their wits; and they said nothing to a soul, for they were afraid..." [Mark 16:1-8]

Note: Scripture passage is from the  Jerusalem Bible copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York,

Good Friday 2021

 Jesus is crucified

(Rome: Painting, The Crucifixion of the Lord painting in church Chiesa Nuova by Scipione 

Pulzone (1550-1598).Photo ID 53017976 © Jozef Sedmak | Dreamstime.com)

Jesus and his mother

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, 'woman, this is your son'. Then to the disciple he said 'This is your mother'. And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.

The death of Jesus

After this Jesus knew that everything had now been completed, and so to fulfill the scripture he said:  'I am thirsty.'  A jar full of vinegar stood there, so putting a sponge soaked in the vinegar on a hyssop stick they held it up to his mouth.  After Jesus had taken the vinegar he said 'It is accomplished', and bowing his head he gave up his spirit" [John 20:28-30]

Note: Scripture passage is from the  Jerusalem Bible copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York,

Holy Thursday 2021

 

Jesus at His Last Supper with His Disciples. His betrayer Judas sits in left front holding a bag of silver coins.

Painting: Philippe de Champaigne - The Last Supper (1648) - Museum Louvre, Paris. Photo:  ID 38919922 © Peeterson | Dreamstime.com.

"As they were eating He took some bread, and when he had said the blessing, he broke it and gave it to them. 'Take it,' he said 'this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, 'This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many.  I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God'" [Mk 14:22-25]

Note: Scripture passage is from the  Jerusalem Bible copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York,

Palm Sunday 2021

The Messiah Enters Jerusalem

Photo ID 69560495 © Pavel Kusmartsev | Dreamstime.com (From "Sacred-Biblical History of the old and New Testament",   Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld St. Petersburg Russia1873) 

"The next day the crowds who had come up for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took branches of palm and went out to meet him shouting. 'Hosanna! Blessings on the King of Israel, who comes in the name of the Lord'. Jesus (had) found a young donkey and mounted it-as scripture says Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, mounted on the colt of a donkey. At the time his disciples did not understand this, but later, after Jesus had been glorified, they remembered that this had been written about him and that this was in fact how they had received him." [John 12:12-17]b

Note: Scripture passage is from the Jerusalem Bible copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York,

Ash Wednesday 2021

Woman wears face covering on Ash Wednesday
Photo 209763492 © Vetre Antanaviciute-meskauskiene | Dreamstime.com

The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday February 17, 2021 for Catholics and other Christian faiths. Ashes (from Palm leaves) are placed on a person's forehead to remind them "For dust you are and dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19)  It extends for 40 days of penance, prayer, fasting and good works ending on Holy Saturday just before Easter Sunday April 4. We've probably had enough penance, being mostly confined to our homes for more than a year because of Coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions.  We do however, need to fast more than a bit because the year of inactivity has widened  our beltlines by 1 to 3 inches! In the copyrighted photo above, purchased for use in this blog, the masked woman's forehead shows a nicely drawn  cross of ashes. This Ash Wednesday our St. Mary of the Lake, Parish in White Bear Lake, MN has decided to minimize physical contact with the parishioner and thus minimize the spread of Covid-19 by sprinkling some ashes on the person's forehead instead of applying the ashes with the touch of a finger or thumb.