The holiest week of the year is almost upon us! What a precious time of year to spend some intimate time with our Lord and what better way to walk with Christ than as the Body of Christ with out Emmaus family!
We will not be meeting at St. Ephrem's for Emmaus next Thursday with it being Holy Thursday, but we have decided go to Mass with each other and with our Lord at the below times and places.
Holy Thursday, 4/9/09 - 7PM Mass at Assumption Parish - What a beautiful Mass - recalling the Last Supper, the Washing of Feet, the Institution of the Priesthood and the Institution of the Eucharist!
Good Friday, 4/10/09 - noon - 3PM at Immaculate Conception downtown. You may come for some or all of the time shown, that will include:
Confession 11:30 - 1:00
Reading of the Passion (noon)
Veneration of the Cross
Communion Service (not "Mass" because Good Friday is the only day each year when the Eucharist is not consecrated)
Reflections on the 7 Last Words of Christ
Stations of the Cross
Note: if you do have to work on Friday, there will be veneration of the cross and a communion service offered throughout the diocese in the evening as well
Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass 8:30PM at the Cathedral in St. Augustine with the Bishop.
The readings take us through salvation history as we start the night in darkness and are given the light to share with others. We'll rejoice with those Candidates and Catechumens who will join us fully at the banquet of the Lord and receive the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation (some having also previously made their first Reconciliation). What a joyous occasion to share with these new brothers and sisters and what an amazing amount of grace!
And then...all are welcome to an Easter celebration at my house Saturday night/Sunday morning following the Easter Vigil Mass! If there was ever a time all year to celebrate, this is it! It will be late as we probably won't get back to the house until 11:30 or midnight, but if you are able to make it and would like to bring a snack or drink that would be great. I am planning to make breakfast! If you are not able to make it to the Vigil Mass you are still welcome to join us later.
If you would like to carpool to the Cathedral, meet at my place at 7:15PM - we'll be leaving at 7:30 since parking can be a challenge.
Call Jennifer at 904 347 5873 or e-mail her at jaschmitz@gmail.com if you have any questions and need directions to her place.
I pray that this Holy Week will be a special time of allowing our Lord to draw close to you and fill every desire of your heart with His love. I hope that YOU (yes, you specifically...reading this right now) are able to walk with us as we encourage one another to walk more closely with Him. May the joy of Easter soon be yours always and may we never cease to praise Him!
with love,
Jennifer
and the Emmaus Core Team
"Men [and women] of Israel [and Jacksonville], listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." Acts 2:22-24
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" 1 Cor 15: 19-20 (all of 1 Cor 15 has to do with the Resurrection - I highly recommend you check it out!)
Our Spiritual Director
Father Ed Murphy (L), Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish. E-mail: ewmurphy@windstream.net
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