By Julia Rose
jrose@Marian.org
Today, Good Friday, is one of the saddest days of the year, as we mourn the death of our Savior Jesus Christ. At 3 p.m. on this second day of the Sacred Triduum, the hour our Lord died on the Cross, there is a service celebrated around the world with three parts: the Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
Today is a holiday on Eden Hill. These days, there's a beauty and serenity in the morning fog as it rolls across the landscape, and as the tents erected for Divine Mercy Weekend flutter in the breeze.
Good Friday is also the start of the Novena to the Divine Mercy, as we prepare to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on April 12. Our Lord told St. Faustina, "I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw ... strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death" (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1209). Please join us!
Join us in person or online at the National Shrine today for the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord at 3 p.m. ET and the opening of the Divine Mercy Novena at 7 p.m. ET, followed by First Friday devotions and Tenebrae. Watch here on TheDivineMercy.org, on YouTube at our channel Divine Mercy (Official), and on our Facebook page Divine Mercy (Official).
Join in praying the Novena to the Divine Mercy and enroll and share your intentions!
Don't miss the new, in-person talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, tomorrow at 11 a.m. (ET) on "A Walk through the Stations of the Cross," followed by First Saturday devotions, this time in the St. Faustina Center. Join us here in person or online.
Join us in person (not livestreamed) for Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday at 10 p.m. On Easter Sunday, join us in person or online for Mass at 9 a.m. ET.
Are you joining us for Divine Mercy Weekend, April 11 and 12? I hope so! Download the official program.
Thanksgiving and Easter
“I was just thinking about how Good Friday is a day of Thanksgiving in many ways because, to be thankful, that means you have to recognize that somebody’s giving you something," said Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, director of the Association of Marian Helpers. "It’s hard for us sometimes to really appreciate what Jesus has done for us — taking on our sins so that we could have this possibility of supernatural life.”
And Easter? "Easter is obviously that powerhouse moment of life overcoming death,” Fr. Mark added. “It’s like Jesus disguises Himself in simple humanity so that He can take on this depravity known as death and sin, so the power of His Resurrection can become the power through which He’s going to govern the world and our life.” We just need to be brave enough to place Him in the center of our lives!
Here's Fr. Mark's special Easter message and blessing, on behalf of the Marian Fathers:
A beautiful retreat
At the beginning of Holy Week, the Shrine welcomed a bustling group of 5th and 6th graders from St. Pius X Catholic School in Loudonville, New York. "We wanted the students to have a retreat day, a religious pilgrimage, and experience Divine Mercy during Holy Week," said Andrea, one of the parent-chaperones.
A full day of activities was planned, beginning with lighting candles in the Our Lady of Mercy Candle Shrine! Next they were greeted by Br. Stephen Camara, MIC, for a talk in the Shrine. “When they walked in, they were in awe," Br. Stephen recalled. "Their eyes were wide open, and they were so impressed with the beauty of the Shrine.”
Learning the students had just staged the musical "Peter Pan Jr.," Br. Stephen offered a meditation on the Easter story using Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. "It was a neat meditation, even for me as an adult, and it really connected with them,” Andrea said. “We actually ended up being late for our lunch because the students just kept asking questions. It was really beautiful!”
Over the course of the day, the students took turns exploring all of the grounds, including the Outdoor Stations of the Cross and the Divine Mercy Gift Shop. For many of the students, this was their first time visiting!
Isabella especially enjoyed praying the Rosary as a group. Teddy was particularly struck by the Shrine of the Holy Innocents, where he had the opportunity to pray a Hail Mary with his fellow classmates. “My favorite part is when we had an opportunity to pray for the babies that died before they were born or when they were young," he said.
What an inspiring group of young Catholics! Let’s continue to encourage their faith!
Growing Closer to God
Mike and Monica from Our Lady of Knock Parish in Unionville and Farmington, Connecticut, also paid their first visit to the Shrine! Having heard about it after watching our daily Mass online, they decided to make the drive.
“We’ve gone to other Shrines in Connecticut, but here it's very interesting to see everything," Monica said. "At this very holy time of year, you’re trying to get closer to God, but it’s not always easy.”
After attending Mass, they stayed to pray the Rosary and even walked around for a few hours around the Outdoor Stations of the Cross. And they're celebrating 43 years of marriage! Congratulations!
