Preparing for Holy Week  

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ our Savior, from  the Liturgy of the Palm Sunday, we begin the Holy  Week. The Liturgy of the Palm Sunday marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It reminds us  about the Divinity of Christ, and the sufferings He  went through on the cross, through the betrayal of  human beings. The same people who praised Jesus  and recognized Him as King, even shouted hosanna  for him, were the same who crucified him. When we  gaze upon the cross of Christ, and the aƫtude of  people who shouted hosanna for Jesus and at the  same time crucified Him, we see the ugliness of human aƫtude. Palm Sunday invites us to deeper reflection on the Holy Week.  

Holy Thursday  

The Lenten observances and sacrifices we have been  doing are preparing us to embrace the great mystery  of our salvation. The Holy Week is the week that unfolds the great mystery of Christ suffering, death, resurrection, and Ascension to the Father. All of us have  been purifying ourselves in one way or the other to  embrace the Joy of Easter. We have been preparing  to help our lives suit our vocation as Christian.  

In the Mass of the last supper (as Archbishop Sample once reflected), the Church in the last 2000 years  ago, are gathering once again in the upper room  with Jesus and His Apostles to celebrate a Solemn  Liturgy with Jesus our Savior. In the last supper my  brothers and sisters, Jesus our savior celebrated  Mass for the first time in our world. At that Last sup 

per, Jesus did something very powerful and remarkable. By the Power of His Words, Jesus changed the  substance of Bread and Wine, into the substance of  His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, and ordained  twelve of His Apostles that very day as priests to act  in His Person (Persona Christi) in memory of Him for  the worship of God and for the sanctification of the  people and the world. In that way, the Holy Mass  becomes the source and summit of our lives, the  center of our worship, and the highest of all prayers,  because Christ is the one saying the Mass at anytime a priest is celebrating Mass.  

The Holy Eucharist transforms us and changes us in to the very life of Jesus Christ, especially when we  are spiritually disposed for Christ to change us. Also,  at that last supper at the washing of feet, Jesus  taught us a great sense of humility and care that flows  from Christ to us. By such humble acts of washing  His disciple’s feet Jesus also demonstrated to his disciples and to all of us, the need to reverence God in  the service of another. Jesus reflected the fact that  we are nothing, God is everything.  

Chrism Mass and Sacred Oils  

At Chrism Mass all over the world, all priests renew  their priestly commitments (please keep all of us  priests in your prayers), Sacred Oils are Blessed and  brought back from the Cathedral to all parishes.  They include; the Oil of Catechumen, Oil of Sacred  Chrism, and Oil of the Sick. In our archdiocese, on  April 11^th, Archbishop Sample will concelebrate with  his archdiocesan priests and consecrate the sacred  Chrism and bless the other Oils. For it is with the sacred Chrism consecrated by the Bishop that the  newly baptized are anointed and those to be con 

firmed are signed. It is with the Oil of Catechumens  that Catechumens are prepared and disposed for  Baptism. Finally, it is with the Oil of the Sick that  those who are ill are comforted in their infirmity.  

Good Friday  

On Good Friday, we reflect on the passion of Jesus  Christ proper and His Death on the cross. It is a day  we reflect and gaze upon the cross of Jesus Christ.  That same day we have special stations of the cross  and the veneration of the cross afterwards. In sum 

Mary, Good Friday, draw us to reflect on our own  sins and make atonement for our sins. When we  look at the cross, it is important we meditate on how  much our individual sins contributed to the wounds  of Jesus Christ. For example, reflectively, we see on  the cross of Jesus Christ, our inhuman aƫtude. We  see on the cross; lies against Jesus, hate, lack of love,  Irreverence to God, mockery, gossip, persecution,  misunderstanding, power tussle, unforgiving spirit,  pride, jealousy, envy, and selfish interest etc.… The  Holy Week is asking us to go back to the Lord, repent, seek forgiveness, and embrace a transformative joy of Christ Resurrection.