Tonight as I was sitting at St. Luke's Catholic Church waiting for Holy Saturday Mass I closed my eyes and just sat in the silence. I had the time to listen to the silence of the church before the crowds came.
I became aware of the beauty with my eyes closed. The fragrance of fresh flowers around the altar. There were hydrangeas were so beautiful. The lilies and pansies were placed around the altar. There were forsythia branches around the tabernacle. There was a deep purple clothes wrapped around the flowers in front of the altar. The simple beautiful was amazing.
The lights in the church were low with only one light over the ambo (where the Readings are read) was lit. The priests, altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers and the 3 candidates who decided to join the Catholic Church. The new Easter candle was lit and carried into the Church. All of the congregation had candles and the entire church as aglow with the light of the new Easter candle. The church was dark and in came the light of Easter. I love this part of Mass. The readings are from the Old Testament. The music brings you to the time before Jesus. The candles are the symbol of the light to come. The Church is waiting for the light to come into the world.
The readings were finished and as we began to sing the Gloria the lights of the Church were turned on. This is so beautiful. The hidden jewel of the Church and congregation had the light shining on them. The Gloria is being sung by all. The Mass was wonderful.
A young woman decided to come fully into the Catholic Church. She was baptized with the Holy Water in the Baptismal Font. This young woman is a person with special needs. Watching her making this choice and her Godmother and parents stood with her. She was making the choice.
I was brought into the Catholic Faith at birth. I had to go to CCD (Sunday school - on Wednesday nights) because my parents made me. I was baptized as an infant, my 1st confession and 1st Communion were completed in my 2nd grade. I made my Confirmation in 7th grade. I went through the motions for the Sacraments of the Catholic Church without realizing the importance of them. I have always gone to Church, but I was going through the motions. My children have been brought up in the faith.
It took until 4 years ago to finally realize the importance of my faith. The beauty of the faith.
Back to the young woman choosing to come into the Catholic Church on her own. There were 2 other people making their 1st Communion with the young woman. All of them made their Confirmation. The joy in all of their faces. They made the choice as adults to come and join the Catholic Church.
This was the last Holy Saturday Mass our children were part of. Since Erika was in 3rd grade she was an altar server for the Holy Saturday Masses. Max came to be an altar server at Holy Week services in 4th grade. Manny and I had a child part of the Holy Weeks Masses and Good Friday services for 13 years. Max is a Senior and will be heading to Iowa State University in the Fall. With both of our children Manny and I were complimented. The pride and joy I feel with these compliments. Max is wonderful with the younger altar servers. He looks so reverent at the Altar. I have great joy for all the years my children have volunteered at St. Luke's as altar servers and extraordinary ministers. I have great sadness because this is the last time he will be volunteering at St. Luke's for a while.
The pride and joy of a parent. I feel only deep love for my children.
Easter comes in the Spring because it is a new beginning. Easter is a time to bringing in the Light of Christ. Spring is the time of rebirth. The two are linked together.
Happy Easter everyone!
I became aware of the beauty with my eyes closed. The fragrance of fresh flowers around the altar. There were hydrangeas were so beautiful. The lilies and pansies were placed around the altar. There were forsythia branches around the tabernacle. There was a deep purple clothes wrapped around the flowers in front of the altar. The simple beautiful was amazing.
The lights in the church were low with only one light over the ambo (where the Readings are read) was lit. The priests, altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers and the 3 candidates who decided to join the Catholic Church. The new Easter candle was lit and carried into the Church. All of the congregation had candles and the entire church as aglow with the light of the new Easter candle. The church was dark and in came the light of Easter. I love this part of Mass. The readings are from the Old Testament. The music brings you to the time before Jesus. The candles are the symbol of the light to come. The Church is waiting for the light to come into the world.
The readings were finished and as we began to sing the Gloria the lights of the Church were turned on. This is so beautiful. The hidden jewel of the Church and congregation had the light shining on them. The Gloria is being sung by all. The Mass was wonderful.
A young woman decided to come fully into the Catholic Church. She was baptized with the Holy Water in the Baptismal Font. This young woman is a person with special needs. Watching her making this choice and her Godmother and parents stood with her. She was making the choice.
I was brought into the Catholic Faith at birth. I had to go to CCD (Sunday school - on Wednesday nights) because my parents made me. I was baptized as an infant, my 1st confession and 1st Communion were completed in my 2nd grade. I made my Confirmation in 7th grade. I went through the motions for the Sacraments of the Catholic Church without realizing the importance of them. I have always gone to Church, but I was going through the motions. My children have been brought up in the faith.
It took until 4 years ago to finally realize the importance of my faith. The beauty of the faith.
Back to the young woman choosing to come into the Catholic Church on her own. There were 2 other people making their 1st Communion with the young woman. All of them made their Confirmation. The joy in all of their faces. They made the choice as adults to come and join the Catholic Church.
This was the last Holy Saturday Mass our children were part of. Since Erika was in 3rd grade she was an altar server for the Holy Saturday Masses. Max came to be an altar server at Holy Week services in 4th grade. Manny and I had a child part of the Holy Weeks Masses and Good Friday services for 13 years. Max is a Senior and will be heading to Iowa State University in the Fall. With both of our children Manny and I were complimented. The pride and joy I feel with these compliments. Max is wonderful with the younger altar servers. He looks so reverent at the Altar. I have great joy for all the years my children have volunteered at St. Luke's as altar servers and extraordinary ministers. I have great sadness because this is the last time he will be volunteering at St. Luke's for a while.
The pride and joy of a parent. I feel only deep love for my children.
Easter comes in the Spring because it is a new beginning. Easter is a time to bringing in the Light of Christ. Spring is the time of rebirth. The two are linked together.
Happy Easter everyone!
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