Today begins Holy Week – the most solemn and important week in the Christian calendar. Will our lives testify to the importance and significance of this week?
             As Christians, we have to appreciate how significant this week truly is. It is the week in which we remember that Jesus, although wholly innocent and without sin, accepted his suffering and death so that through his resurrection we who are sinners might live in the hope of everlasting life. What a remarkable declaration of faith! What a remarkable declaration of the unconditional love of God for each one of us! If we had a thousand lifetimes, we could never merit or deserve such a precious gift. All we can do is make our best effort to conform our lives to the life of Jesus Christ as our expression of gratitude to him for what he has done for us.
              How will you spend this week differently so as to demonstrate your appreciation of the importance of this week?  Will you begin each day with a simple prayer of gratitude to God for God’s great love for you? Will you end each day with a prayer of gratitude to God for the good things that happened during the day while also asking forgiveness for the times that you were not faithful to what God expects of you? If it is your custom to have beer, wine or alcohol at the end of the day, will you give that up for this week? Will you do something good for another person this week – visit a friend who needs support, visit a sick person, prepare a meal for an elderly neighbor, or help a colleague at work without being asked? Will you attend Mass on Holy Thursday at 7:30 p.m.? Will you participate in the services of Good Friday and make an extra effort to fast and to pray that day as you remember the death of Jesus? How will you celebrate Easter Sunday? Will you have attended Mass at the Easter Vigil, or on Easter Sunday itself? What will you do this week to make this week different and so demonstrate that you understand and appreciate how important this week truly is?
             The Church declares that this is Holy Week. Will it be a holy week for you?
 
                            Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J