10 TIPS FOR HOLY WEEK AND PASCHA

 

1. Make participation at the Divine Services for Holy Week and Pacha a priority.

2. In our homes we should strive to "keep out the world" and enter into the peace, solemnity, and theology of the events of the last days of Our Lord.

3. Make sure to read the last chapters of the Holy Gospels that speak of the Passion, Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ.

4. If you are visiting another parish and wish to receive Holy Communion, make sure that the priest knows who you are and that you are prepared. This should be done in advance by phone, email, or any other way.

5. Last year's palms and willow branches should be placed outside in an area to decay where they will not be disturbed. They are holy and should not be simply thrown out with the garbage.

6. On Good Friday or Pascha before venerating Holy Objects, such as the Cross, Icons, or the Holy Shroud-Plashchanytsia, make sure to wipe off your lipstick or chap-stick. Reminder: we do not kiss the face of Our Lord, His Mother, or the Saints; instead kiss the hands or feet.

7. If you haven't yet made your Confession during the Great Fast-Lent, try to make it today on Palm Sunday or during Holy Week.

8. Try to make amends with those we may be upset with or those who are upset with us, so that on Pascha-Easter we can joyfully sing, "Let us call brothers, even those that hate us, and forgive all by the Resurrection!"

9. Remember to prepare and to bring an Easter basket to be blessed on the Feast of the Resurrection. Let us share in the joy of the Lord's Resurrection with fellowship and love.

10. During Paschal Season, sing or read the Troparion "Christ is Risen-Христос Воскрес" together with your "normal" morning and evening prayers. Let the joy of praising the Lord's Resurrection accompany you throughout Bright Week, the Paschal season, and your whole life.

Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast

The story of Mary of Egypt is remembered and cherished throughout Christendom, east and west. In our Holy Church, however, we remember her twice each year. The first time, her feast day on April 1^st, is our gift to her: we remember what she did, who she was, and who she became. The second time, today on the Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast-Lent, is her gift to us: the gift of her story at the moment when we ourselves must enter the inner desert of our hearts. For what does Lent mean for us? It is that time when we must face ourselves, and face ourselves in the presence of God. Who are we? What do we live for? We fast, pray, repent, and confess. It is hard and we get lost in the wilderness. And we cannot escape the truth of who we are. At this point in Lent, we prepare for Holy Week. And before we can rejoice, we must complete our full sojourn in the desert.

The Life of St. Mary teaches us that the values of the Church are quite different from those of the world. She went out into the desert and had nothing, no friends, no home, no possessions, no clothes and hardly any food and drink. The world looked for pleasure; the satisfaction of the senses, money and power, but St. Mary was moneyless and powerless in the world. Today's Gospel reading confirms the choice of Mary of Egypt, for it says that those who wish to be great must be servants. This is upside down from all the ways of this world. But our Lord preached this and like Him our venerable mother Mary lived this.

Indeed, as we have already said, the Church calls our venerable mother Mary "the greatest of saints". The use of this word "great" may surprise us. In everyday life, we use "great" in other meanings. The world speaks of "great politicians", "a great car", "and a great amount of money". But the Church calls Mary of Egypt "great" and a thousand and a half years after she lived we ask for her prayers, but not for those of any politician or film-star or sportsman. Let us think more carefully before next we utter this word "great".

And as this last week of the Great Fast - Lent begins; let us also ponder on the words of the Mother of God, which led Mary of Egypt to her salvation through repentance and her greatness: "If you cross the Jordan, you will find true peace". These mysterious words are today also addressed to each of us; the interpretation of their mystery is open to the souls of each of us, but only if we ask the Mother of God and our venerable mother Mary of Egypt to guide us. And then we shall find our own "entry into Jerusalem".