A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
I am an incorrigible procrastinator. As a result, yesterday I missed not one but two of the liturgies I was hoping to attend. But God knew my good intentions and took pity on me by suddenly providing me- and a couple of students- with very last minute tickets to the Papal celebration of the Passion of Our Lord in St. Peter's Basilica. Armed with the red tickets, we went straight to the guards at the gate at the front of the intimidatingly long line of tourists trying to enter the basilica. When I asked if this was also the line for the Papal event, he said yes but then proceeded to just usher us in since he saw we had tickets and would never get in on time without his help. We rushed through just to wait again at the bottle neck at security where an African priest next to us politely asked if he could go ahead because he was late to prepare to be part of the ceremony. I was delighted to see the same priest was the one selected to bring the crucifix to the altar (pictured above). Johnny, the student I was with, and I snagged diplomatic corp area seats thanks to a Lebanese friend of mine I ran into on the way into the basilica who has a diplomatic ID card, thanks to her work for the European Space Agency. The Passion reading was extremely long, but beautifully sung- in Latin- by the Vatican choir. Pope Francis read the prayers of the faithful (Oratio Universalis) and the Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, delivered the homily in Italian (the back of his head is pictured in the foreground above. He is 89 years old and has held his position at the Vatican since 1980!).
Liturgical: Good Friday of the Lord's Passion For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Station Church: Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
Video of the dramatic stations of the Cross at the Colosseum with Pope Francis
Sanctoral: Ludovico of Casoria, Italy +1885
Human: Good Friday traditions around the world
Natural: All about the burial spices
Quote: "Jesus, I keep asking you for many things, but there is only one thing that I need, and that is the ability to love. I will fall often in life, but with your love, I will be able to pick myself up and go forward, even as you did. For you know what it means to fall. Your life was a constant descent for our sake: from God to man, from man to slave, from slave to crucifixion and the tomb. Like the seed that falls to the ground and dies, you came down in order to lift us up from the earth and bring us to heaven. You, who raise us from the dust and give us new hope, grant me the strength to love and to begin anew." --Pope Francis, from his reflections for the Way of the Cross on March 29, 2024
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