Welcome to Holy Week
Sending a little early this week so you can get a resource below if you’d like to!
One of the most profound truths of our faith is the reality that we are constantly in a cycle of death and resurrection: “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)
Holy Week hits me at a different place in that cycle every year. I’ve had Holy Weeks that were jubilant – my eyes fixed on the glory of Jesus’ resurrection, overcome with His love and tangible goodness in my life. I’ve had Holy Weeks of sorrow, my heart deeply and intimately united with the suffering of Jesus, His agony in the garden, the betrayal He faced at the hands of his friends, His loneliness and heartache. I’m not sure where you’re at this Holy Week, but I know that Jesus has good and beautiful things for you here, and He’s just waiting for you to open the door of your heart to Him.
If you’re looking for some ways to enter more deeply into Holy Week this year, here are some ideas:
- Read Consoling the Heart of Jesus. I re-read this book every year during the Triduum. It’s organized as a three-day retreat, which is perfect for Good Thursday – Easter Sunday! This book always reminds me that the greatest gift we can give the Lord is our heart, and that, especially this week, we can love Him so well by simply sitting with Him and loving Him.
- Go to confession. As Catholics, we’re asked to go to confession at least once a year. Lent is the perfect time to go, and every single church in NYC is open for confession today (Monday) from 2-4 and 6-9. You can literally go to ANY church and receive the abundance of grace that we are offered through the sacrament.
- Attend Holy Week Services. These are my favorite services of the year! Holy Thursday mass, with the feet washing, followed by late night adoration… truly beautiful. Every Catholic Church hosts Holy Thursday and Good Friday services and I highly recommend attending, especially if you’ve never been before.
- Honor Good Friday. If you’re able to take the day off of work (or a half day) on Friday, I would really encourage you to do so. Even if you can’t take the day off, make time to pray the Stations of the Cross (I love this version from St. Faustina), keep silence for the afternoon, complete the Good Friday fast (two small meals, one large meal), sit in a church, pause at 3pm to remember Christ’s crucifixion, watch The Passion of the Christ, and/or pray the sorrowful mysteries.
- Take part in the Easter Vigil! This is my very favorite mass of the year. It’s glorious. Heaven meets earth. 🥹 If you’ve never been, I cannot recommend it more! If you’re in NYC, reply to this email and come with me 🙂
- Rejoice! When Easter Sunday hits, rejoice. Just like the flowers appearing all over New York City this week, Easter is an annual reminder that the winter ends, the darkness breaks, and Jesus comes bearing light, overwhelming beauty and abundant life. When we unite our sufferings to His, when we trust that He is with us and guiding us and He sees our pain, we can have full and total faith that He will meet us in the Resurrection. We are an Easter People!
Praying for you as you walk into this week! Please email me with your intentions – I want to do a lot of intercessory prayer this week, and would be honored to pray for you.
In Christ,
Jane
Prayer Requests
- For a blessed and prayerful Holy Week
- For all those entering the church
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Jane was born in Australia, raised in California, and is overjoyed to now call NYC home. She graduated from UCSB with degrees in Political Science and Communication and spent the past two years working in criminal justice reform. She is currently an MBA student at NYU Stern, focusing on entrepreneurship and strategy.