Weeks before Holy Week
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Next Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Lent, and before you know it, it will be Passion (Holy) Week. It won't hit most of us, until we find ourselves in Church to attend one of the Passion week's services, probably Holy Thursday. Please do think of what our Lord Jesus Christ went through in his humanity, during His Passion week, culminating with Good Friday, His death on the Cross, and then His Resurrection. You all know why He died, and for whom. Yes, He died for all of us, so that we can get into Heaven when our time comes. He rose from the dead to redeem us, to make Salvation possible for us.
We mention that so casually as if it was the most natural thing in the world. But it isn't. The notion of one person giving his/her life for another was not popular then, and still isn't so widely practiced. In rare instances we read of beautiful examples of people laying it on the line for one or more other people. For example, a Chaplain to the Marine Corps, Fr. Vincent Capodanno who gave his life for those he served in Vietnam (1966-1967), whose story I just finished reading in "The Grunt Padre" by Fr. Daniel L. Mode published in 2000. CMJ Marian Publishers. Fr. Capodanno was awarded the Medal of Honor (posth.) and a Purple Heart. This book is well written and I found it a very moving and inspirational story.
Another notable case is that of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, a Franciscan priest who was incarcerated in Auschwitz concentration camp, for his anti-Nazi publications. He ministered to other prisoners, including conducting Mass and delivering communion using smuggled bread and wine. He died when he traded places with a young married man who was to be slaughtered in retribution for an escaped prisoner.
There are many people in the Armed Forces who have great courage and honor, but they are not all recognized for that individually. It makes me sick, at times, to hear or read about veterans who live in poverty, jobless after they return from whatever war. Although I am a veteran also, I did not serve in a theater of war, so I did not share their experiences. From what I have heard and seen, many return home so bewildered and disturbed from years of seeing death on an ongoing basis, that living even with relatives is a trying question. They deserve more help than they are getting, so please continue to pray for all Veterans, and of course for those now fighting to preserve our freedom.
These are the thoughts that go around in my head as Holy Week nears. Palm Sunday is about two weeks away. On that note, please pray a lot, as this world is in a great deal of trouble!
St. Francis of Assisi, let us be bearers of peace and a bring good will to all.
F.Schaeffer, OFS
March 8, 2024