His Passion and Cross

This passed Sunday we entered into Semana Santa, that is Holy Week, and today we enter into our Lord´s Passion and Death on the Cross. It has really touch my heart in a deep and profound way to watch the people at mass through out the week as well as watching the base prefare for these Holy days. Palm Sunday Mass was celebrated in Manglaralto, where we had a procession through out the pueblo, donkey and all to comemorate Jesus entrance into Jerusalem before His Passion.

Last night, Holy Thursday, was equally beautiful as we celebrated mass once again in Manglaralto. I am always moved when the priest washes the feet of the men in the community, the procession after the Eucharist to repose the Blessed Sacrement for night of Adoration..... We then went to the surrounding towns with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrement for Adoration from 10-12. I went with Jovanka (one of the consecrated ladies), Gabby, and Fernado to Curia. When we first arrived only a two people were at the church waiting for us. So we rang the chuch bell ... waited.. then decided to go door to door and invite the people to come. It was true a beautiful experience inviting them the come and spend an hour or two with our Eucharistic Lord, the night we remember His agony in the Garden. When we returned to the church there was about 13-15 people there. We had a small procession into the church, prepared the alter, sang a few songs (in Spanish of course), read from the Gospel of John about the institution of the Holy Eucharist, and then had a hour of silent Adoration with our Lord. Truly a beautiful time.

And today we remember His Passion and Death on the Cross for us. I spent the morning in Montanita on the beach reading Our Lord´s passion according to the Gospel of John. It was a beautiful opportunity to invite the people to the Passion Play at the Sanctuario and Veneration of the Cross in Manglarato. Montanita is a town greatly in need of His love... so it was a beautiful opportunity, to sit on the beach, reflect, prepare my heart, and also be an instrument in His hands to speak to those He crossed my path with about His love.

The passion play put on by the children was incredably beautiful as well. One little boys, Jamil, has cerebral palsy and was at the play as well. It really touched my heart to watch Him. He was so intently concentrating on Jesus all through out the play... when Jesus fell, when He was mocked, when Veronica wiped His face, when He was crucified. To see Jamil so intently watching touched my heart as you could tell He knew exactly what was going on ... that this was how God showed His love for us all.

We will soon be going to the Veneration of the Cross. I have only heard how beautiful it is because all the people come to venerate the cross. This is beautiful because not everyone that goes to Mass each Sunday recieves Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist because many of them have not gone to confession prior to be able to recieve Our Lord. But to think they all come this evening to Venerate the Holy cross of Our Lord is a beautiful thing to my heart.

I have to go and get ready. May the Lord bless you abundantly with the graces from His pierced Heart through out this Easter Tridium. May you be close to our Lady at the foot of the cross and let her be your mother guiding you ever more close to Her Son´s most Sacred Heart, and may your heart be prepare for this Sunday when we rejoice as He has risen. May the Sacred and Eucharistic Heart and Sorrowful and Immaculate Hearts guide, protect, and intercede for you always.

love and Prayers,
Sara