Friday Night Freaky Friday

Wow, what a weekend!

Friday night was March's Freaky friday, this time at St. Alphonsus. If you've never been to a Freaky Friday, it is pretty much the the best thing going on for 6, 7, and 8th graders in the greater Grand Rapids area. Just looking at these pictures it is easy to see where this program gets its name:

Bob

Happy Easter

GOOD FRIDAY

I never expected to leave Good Friday services to a snow covered ground! I am back in my home town for the weekend and participated in the Good Friday services at my home parish, Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish. Ever since I was little I always have been impressed with the Good Friday services... something about the striped church and the somberness of the service. A huge contrast to the celebration on Sunday.

Enter Holy Week

As we enter into the holiest week of the year take time to reflect on what we remember and celebrate.

Last night OASIS got a little rough... as you can see by this causality. We thought we were going to loose him but everything turned out ok!

A reflection from www.disciplesnow.com:

Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Isaiah 50:4-7
Although suffering, I shall not be put to shame.

Philippians 2:6-11
Every knee should bend at the name of Jesus.

Matthew 26:14 - 27:66
Peter denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed.

This Week…
Jesus told Peter that he would deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Peter tried to blend into the crowd, but he was recognized as a Galilean. Even if the people did not see what he was up to, it seemed that he could not hide. He would be found out. The rooster crowed. Peter was guilty and he knew it.


For Your Reflection…
Peter is devastated when he hears the crowing of the rooster. It is as if the rooster watched him, heard his denials of Jesus, and cried out for justice to be done.

Imagine the earth witnessing and suffering with every act of injustice: the night stars seeing Judas betray Jesus, the grasses being crushed as Jesus falls to the ground carrying the cross, all the trees feeling the awful pounding of the nails of crucifixion, and the earthquake trembling when Jesus dies.

- Is this point of view far-fetched, or does it contain some truth? Can you imagine the organic planet at unrest with all the violence done to people and to nature? Or do you view most of nature as unfeeling, inanimate matter, more or less disconnected from us?

- So often we think it is "okay" to do something if we "don't get caught." If you see that your decisions affect all of nature, how would it change the attitude of "try to get away with whatever you can"?

Hosting DYMO Staff

We hosted the 2008 DYMO Camp Staff this weekend for their annual planning retreat. It was great to see all the wonderful DYMO people come together and start putting this awesome week together. Even though the snow is still on the ground, DYMO (and summer) is only a couple months away. Make sure you check it out www.dymo.org.

- Bob

the SAME spirit

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit dwelling in you. - Romans

This is the end of the second reading for this weekend's readings. The SAME spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside me... and you! That is pretty powerful when you take a minute to think about it.

This weekend we (St. Anthony's) will be host to this year's DYMO Camp staff for the annual staff retreat. Although work for camp has been going on for many months now, this is the weekend where everything starts to come together. Staff takes the suggestions that CPC came up with and starts to give life to it all. Keep this year's staff in your prayers this weekend!

I ate meat today! OOPS. i completely forgot that it was friday and had some ham for breakfast. I guess its ok to mess up as long as we get back on track!

Have a great week!

Bob

Our New Webpage!

The new webpage is up! Welcome!!!!!