Sunday, March 28, 2010:This weekend we began our preparations for Holy Week on a contemplative note. All of us in our St. Louis community went up to the Carmelite Monastery on Clayton road to participate in a Tenebrae service. The service was open to the public and consisted mainly of praying the psalms. The mood was solemn and one of mourning the passion and death of Our Lord. There was a large candlestick holder in the sanctuary holding 15 candles. A candle was extinguished after each of the psalms and prayers. When the last psalm was read, the last candle was held behind the altar signifying the death of Christ. The room was in darkness. It was such a great reminder of how desolate and lifeless we would be if Christ died and did not rise from the dead! As St. Paul, said, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all" (1 Cor 15: 17-19). Thanks be to God that Christ was raised from the dead symbolically shown through the bringing forth the 15th candle from behind the altar at the end of the Tenebrae service. What a grace-filled evening! To continue our Triduum journey with the Lord, our postulant community will be on retreat from Thursday until Saturday. Please know that you are in our prayers - thanks for yours.
P.S. Let us who have lived with Him, die with Him who has loved us to the end...Have a blessed Triduum!
1 comment:
Thanks for praying for all of us on Holy Week Retreat! Hope your Easter was as glorious as it was for all of us in Boston! =D
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