Good Friday

[DiscerningSoul]

I went to our parishes service for Good Friday and even said an intention.
But I started to cry right when I venerated the crucifix.
Tring to hold back tears was hard, and I wasn't the only one, a gal in front of me had tears running down her face.

So the service was really nice and after I stayed to help set up for the vigil, and it just felt so awsome being in the Lord's home even thou he had been taken out of the tabernacal.

I have been more and more touched by God's loving hand, and I just feel so overwhelmed with emotion.

OK enough about my Good Friday, Please share your expirances!

Jessica
[url="http://www.xanga.com/adiscerningsoul"]http://www.xanga.com/adiscerningsoul[/url]

PS: I have pictures on the blog of the covered crucifixes(Just look under "photos")

[Maggyie]

Our Good Friday service is always so well done. We have seven seminarians from our parish, so they were the servers and took turns holding the cross for the rest of us to venerate. We sang quite a bit of Latin - that's always wonderful! And the church was packed. I think it took half an hour for everyone to venerate the cross.

[Piamaria]

I'm at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, CA. A friend's Uncle is a monk here and he arranged it for me The Liturgys have been beautiful and reverent. I especially love the Tenebrae Service. It is very quiet now. Everyone keeping to themselves. Just ate a light meal and now I am waiting... Such an empty feeling between this long night and the joy of tomorrow. I guess that's what it is to keep vigil.

Peace friends.

[alicemary]

I had to work today, this evening, so could not attend the services. Often my thoughts were on the Passion. Now is the waiting until the Ressurection.

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='DiscerningSoul' post='1232886' date='Apr 7 2007, 09:14 AM']I went to our parishes service for Good Friday and even said an intention.
But I started to cry right when I venerated the crucifix.
Tring to hold back tears was hard, and I wasn't the only one, a gal in front of me had tears running down her face.

So the service was really nice and after I stayed to help set up for the vigil, and it just felt so awsome being in the Lord's home even thou he had been taken out of the tabernacal.

I have been more and more touched by God's loving hand, and I just feel so overwhelmed with emotion.

OK enough about my Good Friday, Please share your expirances!

Jessica
[url="http://www.xanga.com/adiscerningsoul"]http://www.xanga.com/adiscerningsoul[/url]

PS: I have pictures on the blog of the covered crucifixes(Just look under "photos")[/quote]

I'm like you, after venerating the crucifix, I started crying as well. I stayed to pray for awhile in front of the tabernacle, and tears just rolled down while I gave thanks. This has been one of the best Easter weeks ever for me. I don't know if it is because of the anticipation of entering or not, but I am loving every minute of it. I am looking forward to the Easter Vigil tonight (it is Easter Saturday here in Singapore) and although I am happy that my sister-in-law is coming to Easter Sunday Mass with me tomorrow, sometimes I prefer it alone, when I can just be with Our Lord and not think about another person. I am so looking forward to the cloister!

Thanks for sharing that with us!

[puellapaschalis]

Last year I was in tears after venerating the Cross, this year my stiff upper lip stayed in place (Brit . Rather interestingly, we had not one but [i]three[/i] crosses to choose from at veneration - only it seemed that as everyone was lining up for the larger one (which had been part of the 'This is the wood of the cross' ritual), two servers were dispatched to direct people to the smaller ones. I've never been better at ignoring hand gestures in my life.

An empty tabernacle is a horrific thing. It's like a hole in the heart.

However, at least here, there are only a few more hours to go. And just as we know that the Vigil will come and end this, we also know that our time in this [i]vale of tears[/i] will also come to an end. He did this for us: at our very first opportunity, let us praise Him unceasingly.

PP

[cathoholic_anonymous]

My Good Friday was too real for comfort this year. Two of my friends are suffering terribly with mental illness and other things. Last night I found out something...awful. I can't discuss it on a public forum.

But although I felt terrible, I was grateful that Jesus had permitted this to coincide with Good Friday. It was good for us to be reminded that this pain has already been borne.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

The Triduum in the cloister is very beautiful and physically very demanding! From the Mandatuum to the Vigil, the emotions, thoughts, silence flow one from the other. I'm not sure what my favorite part is? I must admit that coming to my 5AM "guard" and seeing the tabernacle there with just 2 candles and nothing else after all the beauty of the flowers and candles of the night before is very impressive. We continue our hours of adoration/rosary even without the blessed Sacrament present. Having private prayer/meditation in a pitch dark choir is also very moving.
It's the waiting, waiting that strikes me the most. The waiting to receive the Holy Eucharist from Wed AM to Holy Thursday evening. The waiting through the morning of Good Friday as we sing the psalms and lamentations and then the silence. The long waiting from after the Good Friday veneration of the Cross until the next community gathering which is supper at 6PM. We never have this much of a block of time on any other day. We're just "waiting".
And then of course, Saturday IS the longest day of the year. Although there is much to do to get ready for the Vigil it's still a long day of expectation.
I'm liturgy directress and head chantress so I have little opportunity to be lost in my own devotions, recollections or feelings. My role is one of service to both the community and the Church! But isn't that what JESUS was telling us on Holy Thursday?
So far, the liturgy has gone very well. That is, except for the fire alarm that went off during Holy Thurs. Mass! It wouldnt' shut off! The soup was boiling over!
We posted some pictures on our [post="www.monialesop.blogspot.com"]blog[/post] if you would like to see them.

A Blessed Vigil and Glorious Easter to you all! Now I've got to go and get the cloister ready for the blessing of the fire! I'm the offical monastery pyromanic!

[SisterAli]

On this beautiful day...I began a novena to JPII for my debt situation and my upcoming retreat with the Sisters...and also a novena to St. Joseph. And of course the Divine Mercy Novena...anyways...

When I got back from Church on Friday from the service I had a message saying that this particular person would send me a donation towards my debt! Praise God!!!!! I will feel a HUGE relief in my heart, when this debt is completely GONE!

Thank you Jesus!

God is so merciful.

[Divine_Mercy504]

[quote name='SisterAli' post='1233746' date='Apr 7 2007, 03:58 PM']When I got back from Church on Friday from the service I had a message saying that this particular person would send me a donation towards my debt! Praise God!!!!! I will feel a HUGE relief in my heart, when this debt is completely GONE!

Thank you Jesus!

God is so merciful.[/quote]


How Wonderful!

[Tina44]

My emotions were strong as well. We had a Tenebrae service on Wednesday night, with confessions. We were given small wood chips that we could write our intentions on, and they were stuck to the cross with adhesive tape. At one point, the deacon had to hammer them into the wood because they wouldn't stay, and at the sound of the hammering, I just lost it completely and could picture our Lord being nailed to the cross.
Holy Thursday, I was crying towards the end of Mass. The whole idea of our Lord suffering the agony and being led away as a "criminal", and the fact that He knew what was going to happen.....it was just too much for me to handle. Almost like, here I am, wondering and doubting about my vocation, and Jesus Christ willingly gave up his life for me! It was very overwhelming! I stayed with the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday night for over 3 hours, crying for most of the time, and we had Night Prayer at midnight.
Then, on Good Friday, we had Mass at 3pm. Of course I was crying the entire time. I could not imagine, for anything, how our Lord was able to endure all that suffering for us. And I kept thinking to myself, I am not worthy!!
But today, we celebrate His glorious Resurrection!! I went to the Easter Vigil Mass last night and there was one thing in the Gospel that hit me. The part where the angels are at the tomb and say to the women, "Why are you looking for the living one among the dead?" Christ is always with us, he is alive! In a sense, we were crucified with Christ. His love for us transcends all limits. I could not get my mind wrapped around the idea of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and now Easter. It is just amazing!!! He is Risen!!! ALLELUIA!!!!

Happy Easter to all!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Tina' post='1235027' date='Apr 9 2007, 02:11 AM']My emotions were strong as well. We had a Tenebrae service on Wednesday night, with confessions. We were given small wood chips that we could write our intentions on, and they were stuck to the cross with adhesive tape. At one point, the deacon had to hammer them into the wood because they wouldn't stay, and at the sound of the hammering, I just lost it completely and could picture our Lord being nailed to the cross.
Holy Thursday, I was crying towards the end of Mass. The whole idea of our Lord suffering the agony and being led away as a "criminal", and the fact that He knew what was going to happen.....it was just too much for me to handle. Almost like, here I am, wondering and doubting about my vocation, and Jesus Christ willingly gave up his life for me! It was very overwhelming! I stayed with the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday night for over 3 hours, crying for most of the time, and we had Night Prayer at midnight.
Then, on Good Friday, we had Mass at 3pm. Of course I was crying the entire time. I could not imagine, for anything, how our Lord was able to endure all that suffering for us. And I kept thinking to myself, I am not worthy!!
But today, we celebrate His glorious Resurrection!! I went to the Easter Vigil Mass last night and there was one thing in the Gospel that hit me. The part where the angels are at the tomb and say to the women, "Why are you looking for the living one among the dead?" Christ is always with us, he is alive! In a sense, we were crucified with Christ. His love for us transcends all limits. I could not get my mind wrapped around the idea of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and now Easter. It is just amazing!!! He is Risen!!! ALLELUIA!!!!

Happy Easter to all![/quote]

Your words found an echo in my heart - thank you for expressing it so beautifully!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1233312' date='Apr 7 2007, 09:13 PM']My Good Friday was too real for comfort this year. Two of my friends are suffering terribly with mental illness and other things. Last night I found out something...awful. I can't discuss it on a public forum.

But although I felt terrible, I was grateful that Jesus had permitted this to coincide with Good Friday. It was good for us to be reminded that this pain has already been borne.[/quote]

I am sorry for your friends - I will keep them in my prayers.... and for you, for whatever awful thing has happened. Rest in the comfort that Our Lord loves you.