Palm Sunday

Seeking Peace

A poem by G. K. Chesterton tells the story of the donkey Christ rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The lowly and misshapen donkey speaks the entire poem and, after three stanzas of self-flagellation, brags that he had his hour:

One far fierce hour and sweet
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

However, the glory of the donkey is not only his privileged role in salvation histroy. The irony goes much deeper. The lowly donkey is an unimposing ride, a symbol of peace. It is contrated with the horse. Triumphal entries were usually the stuff of generals who rode their warhorses through the gate of the conquered city. Jesus' entry in Jerusalem is a mock of military might.

"Peace" summarized Jesus' whole life and message and sets the tone for his passion. death, and resurrection. At his birth the angels sang about peace on earth, during his life Jesus promised his follower a peace the world could not give, and "Peace" was the first word of the resurrected Christ of his disciples. also, when Christian missionaries visited homes, they were supposed to say, "Peace." Many think if the Christian faith could be expressed in one word, it would be "peace."

But personal and collective peace is as elusive as it is prized. We find ourselves interiorly anxious and fearful. We watch as our world continues old wars and begins new wars. Peace is what we hunger for more that what we feed on. But the desire to be at peace--with ourselve, with others, with the universe, with God--never leaves our heart.

Daybreaks, Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter
John Shea

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As we begin this Holy Week, please know I offer you all the the peace our Savior can give. I wish you peace at home, at work, and in your community.

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Thanks be to God!

Join GoPoem at Weaving the Hours It's an opportunity to share your gifts with others and meet new friends.

Friendship...

Ten years. Yes, ten years. Can you believe it? We have met for breakfast once a month for ten years. The friendship began in the clinic at which we worked. As we went our separate ways, Lisa to dialysis, Rhonda to OB, I stayed, we chose to stay in touch over breakfast. It's worked. We have grown in compassion, thoughtfulness, humor and sincere concern for one another. I don't know where the last 10 years have gone. We are wiser...so we think. We are more beautiful...so we think. Our lives are fuller...so we think. Our laughter is more contagious and are tears more sincere. We are sisters. Amazing!!!

Friend ship
Loving, caring
Requires give and take
Heart and mind unified
Companion.

It's truly a grand day! I'm wishing you the same!

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Thanks be to God!

Join GoPoem at Weaving the Hours It's an opportunity to share your gifts with others and meet new friends.

Taking Up the Cross

Take a walk with me as we journey through this last Friday before Holy Week begins. The last day before the mundane days of Lent take on the true celebration of who we are as Catholic Christians. The reason we are who we are, the reason we endeavor to walk and live this life of holiness, though it be fraught with pot holes, road blocks, greed, and selfishness. Please reflect on the words of John Shea.

Taking Up the Cross

Taking up the cross comes with the territory of discipleship. Once we begin to be as compassionate and inclusive as Jesus, we rankle other people. They make moves against us and we begin to suffer.

At this moment, we are invited to adopt an attitude toward our suffering. Here is a teenager's rendition of how Jesus suggests we should act:

Jesus was no dummy. He sees the cross coming. Look at what he was doing! He's touching qll the unclean people, eating with outcasts, breaking up the temple money game, criticizing corruption. He wants a better world, but a lot of people are doing real well in the world as it is. They are not going to give up and fade away. This is notnew.

Now Peter--there's a dummy. Jesus lays it out for yim--the cross, the resurrection, the whoe thing--and he says, "No way."

Jesus is not happy.

So Jesus says to him, "Not only for me but you too, Peter."

So now Peter is not happy.

So Jesus tells him--and here's the thing I like--Jesus tells him, "Don't let them lay the cross on you, Peter. Take it up. Don't let them lay it on you. Take it up."

Wow! You gotta love Jesus for that.

When we know the price of following Jesus and are willing to pay it, the inevitable sufferings do not make us victims. We become provocative, taking into ourselves the cost of discipleship.

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Engage the struggle for a better world;
embrace the suffering that comes with it.

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Enough said!! Have a blessed and holy Friday!

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Thanks be to GOD!!!

Saint Teresa of the Andes and Carmelites of Chile

Juanita Fernandez Solar was born to a wealthy family on July 10 1900, in Santiago, Chile. Devoted to her faith and inspired by the autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux, she entered the cloistered community of the Discalced Carmelites ... She was given the name of Sister Therea of Jesus. Her deep spiritual life was revealed in the many letters she wrote while in the convent.

But Teresa's life as a religious was to be short. She died...less than a year later during Holy Week, on April 12, 1920, a few months before her 20th birthday.

She was canonized in 1993.

The Little Black Book
Lent, 2009

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Thanks be to God!

April Fools Day Humor

Art by Mary Engelbreit

With all the jokes and pranks yet to be pulled today, I thought I would offer this one. Sent me by a friend, I hope you will enjoy it and chuckle a bit.

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY

In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.'

Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned."

So it is that we are grateful for a sense of humor. Laughter is healing and beneficial, so today do not loose that sense of humor and be sure and laugh at yourself. Don't take yourself too seriously. Frown lines will develop if you do!

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THANKS BE TO GOD!!