And so it begins again. Holy Week is here, starting today with Palm Sunday. Yesterday, we had our annual RCIA retreat for all those coming into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
How blessed we are to be able to journey alongside these people seeking God. I wish sometimes that our group was smaller, that I could get to know each person more deeply, but the Lord keeps bringing large groups of people seeking to be Catholic to our doors.
As we sat together yesterday, it was so great to hear some of their conversion stories, how God has touched them profoundly through the RCIA process, and how they intend to live out this new faith of theirs.
This Holy Week, I hope that we can all take time, personally and communally, to reflect on the mysteries the Church rolls out for us. Where do we fit into the story?
Do we follow Christ’s example from the Holy Thursday Liturgy, or are we more often like someone from the angry crowd shouting “crucify him?” To me, one of the chief joys of our faith is that conversion doesn’t happen just once. Conversion is ongoing, and every day is a chance to re-commit, go deeper, and seek his mercy and love.
Let’s pray that this Holy Week is a time of reflection, quiet, and conversion.
This morning, I was let to pray the Suscipe, written by St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Take, Lord and receive all my liberty,
my memory my understanding, my entire will-
all that I have and call my own.
You have given it all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and grace.
That is enough for me.