Prayer Library Prayer

2008 Holy Week

For use the week of March 17 — Holy Week (two offerings):

A Reflection for Passover in Preparation for the Easter Season
by Rev. Gerard T. Broccolo, STD

Passover ("Pesach" in Hebrew) is one of the most important Jewish holidays, with both historical and spiritual meaning. This is the solemn observance of the Hebrews' Exodus from slavery in Egypt through the "Red Sea" (that is, the Sea of Reeds) into the Promised Land.

The word "passover" refers to the fact that their liberation occurred after God "passed over" the houses of the Jews while afflicting the Egyptians with a 10th plague. The Jewish people use unleavened bread for this celebration as a remembrance that they had no time to leaven their bread during their hurried exodus from Egypt. Each year Passover is celebrated for a full week, beginning the evening before April 20th in 2008. This observance of their liberation from slavery to enjoy prosperity in their own homeland reminds them of God's continuing care for them even today.

Christians believe that Jesus' Last Supper with his family of disciples occurred at a Passover meal; to symbolize that now he was to be their sacrificial lamb, and by his death and resurrection, all people could be delivered from the slavery of sin to a new life in the Holy Spirit.

All of us, even if we are not Jewish or Christian, will do well to recognize what God is doing in our lives, on our behalf, in ways sometimes hidden, sometimes subtle and sometimes quite obvious. When we begin to discover God's movements among us today, both in our individual lives and in our lives with each other, we find the courage to let go of whatever addictive behaviors may enslave us, and we somehow manage to find our pathway through change and transition to the next chapter on the journey.

This is a fitting time of year to recommit ourselves to some specific passage from slavery to freedom — to a new way of being in this world.

God is with us, so that one day we may find ourselves in God.


An Easter Reflection
by Rev. Gerard T. Broccolo, STD

As the Lenten season ends, the Easter season begins. What we have reflected upon over these past weeks has been the ongoing process of coming to new life, both as a community of believers and also as individuals. Through our Lenten journey together, we have come to a new plateau for life, a new way of being in this world.

Therefore, this now is not a time to revert back to the way we were, to old habits in our attitudes and behaviors, but rather, to stay the course in being faithful to the fresh potentials we have sensed within ourselves. During this Eastertime, we live with the awareness that we are God's people who have been called out of darkness into his wonderful light. We receive God's own Spirit so that we can be salt of the earth and light of the world – at least within each of our small circles of daily influence upon others.

Gracious and loving God, we have journeyed with your People through this season of Lent and Eastertime. We have made a sincere effort to identify those attitudes and actions in our lives that need to be cleansed if we are to be effective instruments of your love for others. We acknowledge that others will know that you care, by how we treat them.

Guide us and give us courage as we struggle to let go of what is deadly and to come alive to what is life-giving for others.

We pray that you have mercy on us and grant us peace of heart – forever. Amen.

Alleluia!