Some years my “Keep Singing” article for the Palm/Passion Sunday Bulletin was titled “Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.” It basically drew a parallel between an actual trip to the Holy Land and attendance at all the liturgies of Holy Week: from Palm /Passion Sunday, through The Triduum and to Easter Sunday. These liturgies are the story of the final days of the earthly journey of Jesus in Jerusalem, Gethsemane and Golgotha. These liturgies are your opportunity to travel to these times and places, too─without the danger, the inconvenience of travel, and the expense. Participation in these liturgies is a journey together of our faith; our confirmation of belief, unified in the Community of Christ.
Many people have now experienced the movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” I personally recommend the movie as an artistic expression of the story we know so well. If you have the opportunity to experience the musical and scriptural story of the Passion by attending a production of ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Theodore Dubois, it also is a spiritual, emotional and musically moving interpretation of the Passion story, too. Both experiences, the film and the musical, are emotional and thought-provoking. Just imagine, then, the effect of actual worship of God in the midst of this story of our faith! This is what it means to attend and participate in these liturgies.
When we travel, we travel prepared: we pack our suitcases carefully with the items needed for our journey, we leave our homes ready for our return, and we attend to the details that make our journeys meaningful. My suggestion is to take the same care in preparation for this journey of faith: to read the scripture; to be rested in order to truly focus and hear the Word; to prepare your spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation; to plan “attendance first” to the liturgies─and let other stuff come second. When we prepare well for a journey, we will make the most of it.
May the Passion of Christ be your Passion, too.
God bless you and keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
Many people have now experienced the movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” I personally recommend the movie as an artistic expression of the story we know so well. If you have the opportunity to experience the musical and scriptural story of the Passion by attending a production of ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Theodore Dubois, it also is a spiritual, emotional and musically moving interpretation of the Passion story, too. Both experiences, the film and the musical, are emotional and thought-provoking. Just imagine, then, the effect of actual worship of God in the midst of this story of our faith! This is what it means to attend and participate in these liturgies.
When we travel, we travel prepared: we pack our suitcases carefully with the items needed for our journey, we leave our homes ready for our return, and we attend to the details that make our journeys meaningful. My suggestion is to take the same care in preparation for this journey of faith: to read the scripture; to be rested in order to truly focus and hear the Word; to prepare your spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation; to plan “attendance first” to the liturgies─and let other stuff come second. When we prepare well for a journey, we will make the most of it.
May the Passion of Christ be your Passion, too.
God bless you and keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
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