Make a Holy Week Retreat
Dear Friends in Christ,
Earlier this month Pope Francis encouraged us to embrace what remains of this Lenten period by discovering the proof of God’s love and mercy in the Cross of Christ.
“The Cross of Christ is the supreme proof of the Love of God for us: Jesus has loved us “until the end”, meaning not only at the final moment of his earthly life, but until extreme limit of love,” he said. “If in creation the Father has given us the proof of his great love by giving us life, in the passion of His Son He has given us the sum of all proofs: He has come to suffer and die for us.” Pope Francis, Angelus Address, March 15, 2015
As the graces of this season slowly prepare us to draw towards its pinnacle with the Paschal celebration of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, we arrive at the Cross as the center of these holiest days in the liturgical cycle. Just as the Cross was absolutely central to Christ´s life and mission, it too holds a central place in our life and mission as Christians.
Why did God make the Cross so central to his Son’s life? Why did God make the Cross so central to our lives? And how can we carry our crosses as courageously and fruitfully as Jesus carried his?
These are the questions we will tackle throughout this coming Holy Week. Taking 10 minutes each day, I invite you to reflect, to meditate, and to pray with Christ in finding the answers. Watch or listen to a Retreat Guide video and make your own Holy Week Retreat amidst the reality of your daily lives.
MAKE A HOLY WEEK RETREAT
Take a Retreat Guide video each day during Holy Week.
Palm Sunday – Trouble With Trust: Introduction, Trouble with Trust: Trust Dies in the Garden of Eden
Holy Tuesday – Trouble with Trust: Trusting More
Holy Wednesday – Colors of the Cross: Introduction, Colors of the Cross: Colors of Humility
Holy Thursday – Colors of the Cross: Color of Love
Good Friday – Colors of the Cross: Offering Up
Holy Saturday – The Tomb and the Pearl- A Retreat Guide for Easter
Easter Sunday – Cure for Discouragement – A Retreat Guide for Easter (available April 4)
I pray and hope you will find these videos helpful for either making your own personal retreat throughout Holy Week or using them with others.
Here are some suggestions people have shared with us on how they are making Retreat Guides part of their life of prayer:
Using them during part of family prayers each evening
Taking time to share with a work colleague over a lunch break
Inviting family and friends over for dinner and discussion
Planning a time for reflection in the parish or with a small bible study group…
As you enjoy spending more time with the Lord this Holy Week, I will be praying you receive many graces of perseverance in faith and the courage to be open to his graces in accepting the transforming power of the Cross.
This coming week, please pray for me as I make my 8-day annual silent retreat, and I will have you and your families especially in my prayers.
God bless
In Christ,
Lucy Honner
Director, RC Spirituality Center
Lucy@rcspirituality.org
P.S. Have you shared our Retreat Guides with your friends? Please don’t keep this resource to yourself! Share our current Retreat Guide for Lent – The Widow’s ‘Might’ with family, friends, and your parish small group.
