Monday the beginning of Holy Week - parishioners around the world - yesterday - encouraged to embrace this week - the Holiest week in the Christian Year - specifically asked to pray more. Contemplating the Passion that was shared in churches worldwide on Sunday - most left for home - their assignment to immerse themselves into Holy Week - more deeply - this year. Today the fire - burning a majority of the Cathedral of Notre Dame - in Paris - shocking the world. If not a religious symbol known the world over - at least a cultural one visited by millions of tourists - pilgrims - yearly. As I write this - thousands in France praying intently that the Cathedral will not be a total loss - that the relics - important to all Catholics - will be saved from harm - preserved for the next generation and beyond. Today when a majority of Bishops will be celebrating the Chrism Mass this evening - blessing the oils used throughout the liturgical year - more prayers - commitments offered - to stand firm in faith - honoring promises made at ordination - promising prayers for our fellow Catholics in France - one body - the true body of Christ - all praying together for our common needs - partners in prayer.
God calls each of us - to Him - to His Son - to Jesus - in prayer - sharing our wants - needs - thanks - for all He has - will do for us. The Cathedral - will be rebuilt - as servants of God - that is what we do. We build our bodies into temples - for His Holy Spirit - we build houses - to hold - protect our loved ones - we build churches - temples - cathedrals - to provide space where we may gather as the family of God - to petition - to praise - to thank - Him - for who He is - what He has done - what He will do - for ourselves - gathered together in this bond of faith - to live out our lives in holiness. Pray for the people of France - pray for the peoples of the world - pray for yourselves - that we may one day worship - in complete peace - harmony.
Deacon Dale
God calls each of us - to Him - to His Son - to Jesus - in prayer - sharing our wants - needs - thanks - for all He has - will do for us. The Cathedral - will be rebuilt - as servants of God - that is what we do. We build our bodies into temples - for His Holy Spirit - we build houses - to hold - protect our loved ones - we build churches - temples - cathedrals - to provide space where we may gather as the family of God - to petition - to praise - to thank - Him - for who He is - what He has done - what He will do - for ourselves - gathered together in this bond of faith - to live out our lives in holiness. Pray for the people of France - pray for the peoples of the world - pray for yourselves - that we may one day worship - in complete peace - harmony.
Deacon Dale
