Holy Thursday 2024 at Work
(re-post)
It's Holy Thursday. It's also a work day. Lately, I've been able to
finish up in time to get to Mass Holy Thursday night. Hope you can too.
Meanwhile, most of us likely have to work during this Holy Thursday.
Maybe your work consists of the "usual" stuff, as mine will. But in the
midst of it, maybe we can all recollect ourselves from time to time to remember what's coming up in just a few hours: Good Friday.
We might remind ourselves that Our Lord's Passion begins tonight with the Agony in the Garden. After
Holy Thursday Mass, the custom of reserving the Blessed Sacrament at
some place of honor - typically a side altar - reminds us of this. It
provides us with an opportunity to spend a few moments with Him as He
enters into His Agony. That's why we decorate the altar with candles and
flowers. It recalls the Garden of Gethsemane.
Question: How's your habit of recollection during the work day?
I've struggled with this my whole life. Sure, it's gotten better. But
it's not quite "there" yet. Some days still pass with hardly a nod to
God. But I keep at it. Holy Week's the perfect time to really keep at it, of course. Let's all do that on this Holy Thursday. Agreed? Isn't this the least we can do for Our Lord?
With that in hand, perhaps we can now consider going an extra mile.
After all, Our Lord walked the Via Dolorosa for us. We all know the
state He of His Body as He put one foot in front of the other, so that
He could offer the supreme sacrifice for each and every on of us. Surely
we can push ourselves a bit more on this Holy Thursday.
In that spirit, here's something I recently read that offers us
questions we might consider as we approach Good Friday. Maybe we can
consider one of these as we take a breather from our labors. We all take
breaks from time to time to re-energize. And it only takes a brief
moment or two try to answer one or more of these questions, related to
the Cross:
The Cross throws light upon every essential question that confronts
us. It is the interpretation of all things: How do I partake of the
Redemption? Why do the innocent suffer? Why do I have to suffer? How do I
profit by suffering? How should I view the goods of this earth? How
should I view the evil in the world? What is sin? Does it really offend
God? What effect does sin have upon the sinner? How do I fit prayer and
penance into my life? Why do I have to do penance? How do I make my life
worthwhile in the eyes of God? What is the meaning and purpose of life?
How do I maintain peace of soul amidst the trials and temptations of
life? What is peace? What is true love?
Here's a stab at "How do I fit prayer and penance into my life?":
Lent afforded us the chance to do this in special ways, even at work. Did we?
Were there moments, even during the busiest days, where we paused,
recollected ourselves and uttered a prayer - either of thanksgiving,
intercession, petition? Did we practice mortification at times during
the day - denying ourselves legitimate pleasures in reparation for sin?
Each of us should be able to answer this question quickly and simply.
Our answers will naturally reference the Cross, if we're thinking with
basic Catholic sensibility.
While many of those questions can be a bit intimiating, especially to
those of us who haven't spend a lot of time studying philosophy or
theology, they shouldn't be. Look at them in the light of the Cross.
That allows even the most unschooled of us to meditate meaningfully on
such important and profound subjects. Our Catholic Faith doesn't depend
Today at work, surrounded by the special graces Holy Thursday brings, we can enter more deeply into those truths of our Holy Religion. By recollecting ourselves we can strengthen our faith. Let's seize these precious moments, no matter how busy or pressing our work.
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