Holy Thursday and Our Work
Last year on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis washed the feet of some prisoners in Rome. Among them were women and non-Catholics. This created a firestorm in some quarters of the Church.
I remind you of this because of the distractions we face as we enter into this most holy time of the year. Whether it's whose feet the Pope chooses to wash, or our preparations for family gatherings at Easter, or the demands of our work, which for most of us won't ease up just because the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter) is upon us, all these distractions ought not command our attention now.
We originally posted the following on April 9, 2009. Perhaps it will help us focus our hearts and minds where they belong for the next few days.
I remind you of this because of the distractions we face as we enter into this most holy time of the year. Whether it's whose feet the Pope chooses to wash, or our preparations for family gatherings at Easter, or the demands of our work, which for most of us won't ease up just because the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter) is upon us, all these distractions ought not command our attention now.
We originally posted the following on April 9, 2009. Perhaps it will help us focus our hearts and minds where they belong for the next few days.
Most of us can't just take off from work during Holy Week. In ancient times, in some places that's just what people did. Their whole lives could revolve around the events of this most holy time. They could focus attention on Our Lord's Passion and Death, finally His Resurrection.
Were things more "ordered" then? You could say that. Work wasn't something set apart from the spiritual life, as it is now. But there's our challenge and our call. It's up to us to make sure our work isn't totally separate from our spiritual life.
Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and finally Easter Sunday: they're here. And we simply won't let them pass unnoticed and unobserved. Whatever it takes, we will continually refresh our thoughts and prayers in a special way these final days before Easter. No matter how busy we are, no matter how urgent or important the work we must get done, nothing will keep us from attending to Our Lord in our thoughts, words and actions. Nothing can keep us from acknowledging the supreme act of Love - the sacrifice of His very life - that he performed for us.
Nothing can be more important for us these days of the "Sacred Triduum" (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter) than keeping our full attention on Our Lord's act of redemption. Keep working, but now, more than ever, pray and meditate, by whatever means necessary. Don't let the world or your work "steal" these most holy moments from you.
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