I am so sorry this is so late, with everything going on and just plainly, I have been tired and no internet connection, so though this is late, I hope many will still read this entry and the next few ones coming through.
Good Friday, was interesting for me, truly it was. Woke up after Camille woke me telling me that I slept through the alarm, for I was getting up early to call JR to wake him up. I felt really bad that I never woke up to it. Everything in the morning was going great; Camille and I got us ready with praying the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. She even French braided my hair, which I miss her and really anyone doing that to my hair, because I never really do much with my REALLY long hair.
Camille was right when saying God shows us that today His Son has died, it was raining pretty much all that day. We got to Saint Patrick’s around 11:30am and that to my lovely adoptive grandmother Camille and I were not soaked to the bone (for it was my fault I did not have an umbrella, left it at home).
It was more packed this Good Friday than the past two years I have participated in Good Friday at Saint Patrick’s. But, thanks be to God I got to sit in my normal spot, I actually feel comfortable where I sit, which is up front, I think that is because it is the closest I can be to the Altar unless I received communion, than that is the closest. Walking in to the chapel (that is what I have always called where the Altar is at) it was so bare and yet, not as how can I say like a morning/joyful day, because they did not cover the Virgin Mary nor Saint Joseph; it might they do not have any material to cover them up. Even with that, the most profound part was the emptiness of Lord in the Tabernacle and Altar stripped, like Jesus was stripped of His clothing.
I saw many of the Friars who were wearing their black capes, which is part of the tradition of the Dominican Order. It is so beautiful, but I kind of wish they would wear them more often, which a good chunk of them do actually. As a tradition at Saint Patrick’s the Dominicans would say the Seven Last Words of Jesus, this year they had three brothers from the House of Studies participate in this tradition, while this gave more time for the Friars to listen to more confessions.
Here is where the kicker comes in, remember when I said I wanted to take the pain from my Uncle, well Jesus decided Good Friday would be that day. It was probably about 1pm or so, I was having a major headache, that came from no where and I was going in and out pretty much consciously; Camille knowing that I have a problem with my sugar going pretty low if I do not constantly have some type of sugar wanted me to take her card and get something to eat, because for health reasons I needed it. I did as she said and found out the closest store was closed that day, I looked up and said, “Really, for the first time this place is closed”.
I literally after giving her card back and trying to sit there and not look like I was going to pass out I got up and walked around the parish. I have to mention this, I am so happy that speakers were placed in the gallery because it echoes throughout the parish center, where I literally finally passed out because I hit my head on the couch arm rest, no joke.
Around 2.44pm I woke up still with a headache and having trouble getting up, but I got up and came back to the spot where I sit, Camille was getting up to find me, because she got worried. At that time there were A LOT of people at Good Friday’s 3 o’clock service, which I was more in conscious than out, thank you Lord for that. I think what stuck me for the service, (yes I should clarify that it is not Mass for there is no consecration, for that was done during the Lord’s Supper the night before) was the homily said by Fr. Thomas OP. “How was it that a carpenter had to die, and I was given eternal life” I am paraphrasing what he said, but he pointed out that He died for us to bring us back to the Father. As I watched and listened to Fr. Thomas I noticed he was speaking and you could see the tears in his eyes, which I have never seen him do before, he was passionate because this was the day Jesus died, that He died for us, to bring us life and dead with sin.
As always with Good Friday is the veneration of the Cross, which was a little different, they used the gate at the communion rail to hold up the Crucifix and to kiss either the feet or the wounds of Christ you had to kneel, which was beautiful and I loved very much liked more. But, one of the fondest memories was of this little boy who was so excited to kiss the feet of Jesus (he was about three or four) that as he knelt he knocked his forehead on the feet instead, he was made of rubber for he lifted up and knelt down again and kissed the feet and smiled and giggled that he got to kiss the feet. Kids do and say the most interesting things really.
After the service JR met up with Camille and I (due to school he could not join us). Camille knew that I needed food and we all decided to go to Bob Evans and have dinner. I tried to eat and drink as much as I could, but the headache would not go away, and I did not know why so, the decision of Camille and JR we did not go back to Saint Patrick’s for the rest of Good Friday activities, which I was not very happy about because I missed it last year too.
Finally when I was in the car I was passed out again, which was unkind I believe for Camille and JR, even more so to JR for I missed him terribly and wanted his comfort that whole day, but the Lord knew I needed to go home and JR is too understanding.
Now the kicker of the headache and everything, my Uncle was doing much better that day, he ate a whole ham sandwich and a full bowl of soup. I think I said to Camille at Bob Evans before about next time I say I shall take the suffering of someone else I need to ask the Lord to be kind to my poor head, for I need it to function, but either way I gave a true thanks to God for allowing me to take some of the suffering and my Uncle was able to eat something and have confidence to eat.
Easter Vigil has become that tradition for JR and I now and that is because last year he was so impressed and in awe with the Vigil Mass. I will not spoil the surprise, but as Fr. Gregory, OP had said in his homily this Easter Vigil, “so no one can be unaware of what we are celebrating”.
Eight people were baptized and one came fully in communion with the Church. It was beautiful for last year there were no baptism, but many coming in full communion, and this year it was the opposite. “Each of their stories is taken up to the mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ” as Fr. Gregory state as well in his homily. Fr. Gregory did an amazing job with his homily there are two quotes that I love that I want to rewrite from his homily.
“Passing through the waters to be taken away from the slavery of sin” and “taste the sweetness of this night of grace, the sweetness of the sacraments, the sweet joy of His resurrection.” It is true that night and this whole week, is a time to taste the sweetness of all the sacraments for He has Risen and he took the heaviest and most grieved punishment; original Sin and our backs were always away from the Father, when He wanted His children not show their backs, love Him with arms open.
I bubble up with joy as I think about the Easter Vigil and I pray that my children will feel that bubbly feeling of sweet joy for the Lord and what He did for us.
He has Risen, Alleluia!
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