Short Catechism for Holy Week

Allow me to remind you, my beloved blood relations, about what you might have forgotten about what the Church (still) teaches the faithful for a truly blessed and spiritually uplifting Holy Week, the holiest days in the Roman Catholic faith - when our Lord Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday to prove the following points:

1. God's power, love and mercy is more powerful than death.

2. There is life after death. But there is also condemnation for those who reject God's offer of eternal life. Spiritual death is much more terrible than physical death because it can lead to eternal damnation.

3. By rising from death, Jesus gives us hope, that there is indeed a purpose for our existence here on earth. We were truly made in heaven, born on earth and destined back to heaven. St. Paul declares that ". . . Jesus our hope. . ." in 1 Tim 1:1. In St. John's gospel , Jesus says that He is "the way, the truth and the life - JN 14:6, and that He is the only way to heaven and if we follow him, coupled with His mercy, we too will reach heaven.

I can't emphasize enough the healing power of the Sacrament of Confession. I can only tell you in all humility that those who sin the more are most often those who believe that they do not need confession, either because of pride or because they feel that their sins are too grave to be forgiven. However, Jesus death on the Cross outpoured so much mercy that no sin is too big that can't be forgiven.

Confession heals. It reconciles us with God and brings us back to the state of being God's child, similar to the ever famous Bible story of the Prodigal Son found in St. Lukes gospel - Lk 15:11-32. When people are able to let go and let out those which hurt God and others, we feel happier and lighter and whole. Jesus knew this from eternity. That is why one of this first things He said to the Apostles hiding in the Upper Room, after He rose from the dead was:

"Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you. " Then he breathed on them and said: "Received the Holy Spirit. If you forgive peoples sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

If sacramental confession is not needed, why did Jesus have to say this?

In the confessional box, it is God who waits for us. The priest is made an instrument so that God can utter those words of absolution: "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

Please make an examination of conscience before entering the box.

"To Do" List:

For Holy Thursday:

• No fasting and abstinence required.
• Attend the Mass of the Last Supper where there will be a ritual washing of the feet of the 12 Apostles.
• Bisita Iglesia to at least 7 churches, for the adoration of expose Blessed Sacrament and commemorating the Stations of Cross.

What is the Biblical significance of Holy Thursday?

• Jesus perfects and fulfils God's covenant with man, the covenant established first with Adam and Eve, then with Noah and his family, then with Abraham and his tribe, then with Moses and the people of Israel, and with David and the Kingdom of Israel, by saying: "This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood which is poured out for you (Lk 22:20)."
• Jesus institutes Eucharist by giving us His body and blood for us to eat and drink, to show our acceptance of God's covenant and to sustain and nurish us spiritually because Jesus said that He is the bread of life which came down from Heaven, and that those who do not eat the bread of life will not have life in them (See JN 6:25-71)
• The Eucharist, taken from the Greek "eucharistia" which means thanksgiving, fulfils the Old Testament thanksgiving offering-sacrifice called the "todah", which offers to God ritually clean, unblimished and prime produce offerings as a thank you for His blessing. No wonder St. John the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God, who takes the sin of the world", when he baptized Jesus in the Jordan.
• Jesus, being the eternal High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, institutes the new order priesthood in the New Covenant, perfecting the Old Testament priesthoods of the first born male child and the Levites after the "golden calf" worship in Exodus 22, because it is only through the priesthood that the eternal thanksgiving sacrifice to God can be made.

For Good Friday:

• Fasting and abstinence required. Fasting is denying yourself food. This is a case of the spirit dictating the physical body. By abstinence, meat is avoided but expensive seafood like lobster, salmon, cod, etc, should also be avoided.
• Attend Mass where there shall be the veneration of Cross and where the Church prays from all the problems in the world - from liberation from war, unity - including the union of all peoples under one universal and catholic faith.

Biblical significance of Good Friday?

The 7 Last Words should be a good point for deep contemplation:

• Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
• Eloi, Eloi lema sabactani - My God, my God, why did you abandon me.
• I thirst.
• Woman behold thy son, son behold they mother.
• Today you will be with me in paradise.
• It is complete.
• Father into they hands I commend my Spirit.

I can go on saying a lot about these words. Suffice to say that up to last moment, Jesus was still pouring out His mercy to man.