Lent – Easter 2020
Lent this year has been most unusual. This holy time of 6 weeks is given to us by God through His holy Church as a gift, where He calls us to repentance, sorrow for and confession of sin and above all to let ourselves be filled with His holiness, which is reflected in living a holy life.
This year it seems that God is shouting to us and all mankind: “Repent and have a change of heart. Come back to Me.” We have felt this most acutely in that most of the world’s bishops have closed churches and forbidden the public celebration of Masses and other sacraments. The faithful are cut off from receiving the most necessary nourishment for their souls, the Holy Eucharist. Unfortunately, these restrictions have seriously affected the celebration of the most holy days in the entire Church Year, Holy Week and Easter Sunday. For us in the parish this means that the Holy Week and Easter Sunday celebrations are not open to the parish. Yet, they will be celebrated more or less privately at the following times:
Palm Sunday April 5th – 11 a.m.
Holy Thursday April 9th – 5 p.m with adoration in the church from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Good Friday April 10th – 3 p.m.
Holy Saturday April 11th – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday April 12th – 11 a.m.
Easter Monday April 13th – 11 a.m.
It’s important that you as parishioners know, that the holy liturgies are being celebrated so that you at home can spiritually take part. Below you will find the readings for the various days, which I encourage you to read. It’s also very important that you pray, especially the rosary to our Blessed Mother. Also the chaplet of Divine Mercy.
These sufferings and deprivations are in God’s mysterious providence for our purification and sanctification. It’s so important to see in the present pandemic a real meaning that comes from knowing that nothing is by accident in God’s Kingdom. Everything works together for the good for those who love God. And this is what Lent is all about – to grow in genuine love for God, neighbour and self.
With God’s blessing on all.
Paul Marx,omi, parish priest
Readings for Holy Week and Easter
Palm Sunday – Matthew 21,1-11; Isaiah 50,4-7; Philippians 2,6-11; Matthew 26,14 – 27,66.
Holy Thursday – Exodus 12, 1-8.11-14; 1 Corinthians 11,23-26; John 13,1-15.
Good Friday – Isaiah 52,13 – 53,12; Hebrews 4,14-16, 5,7 – 9; John 18,1 – 19,42.
Holy Saturday – Genesis 1,1 – 2,2; Exodus 14,15 – 15,1; Ezekiel 36,17-28; Romans 6,3-11; Matthew 28,1-10.
Easter Sunday – Acts of the Apostles 10,34-43; Letter to the Colossians 3,1-4; John 20,1-9.
Easter Monday – Acts of the Apostles 2,14.22-33; Matthew 28,8-15.
Catholic Bible online: http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
Services from Vatican Live on YouTube (Eng): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIsefyl9g9A5SGWA4FvGIA
Daily TV Mass (Eng): https://dailytvmass.com/
Notifications
1 – Good Friday is an obligatory fast and abstinence day (meatless day) for all from 14 years of age.
2 – Collection for the Holy Land taken up on Good Friday has been postponed until the Sunday the 13th of September.
3 – The blessing of food on Holy Saturday is cancelled.
4 – First Communion Sunday has been postponed to Pentecost Sunday the 31st of May.
5 – The parish pilgrimage to Kirkjubøur the 24th of May has been postponed to a Sunday in August.
6 – The ecumenical evening which ususally takes place on Tuesday of Easter Week, is planned to take place on Tuesday after Pentecost, the 2nd of June.
7 – Do NOT forget to contribute to Caritas Danmark’s lenten campaign. You can pay into account: 2191 3487254516
8 – I will be staying in the Faroe Islands until Thursday the 11th of June. I was to otherwise to have left by ferry on Thursday the 23rd of April.
I wish each and everyone a continued fruitful Lent and a blessed and joy-filled Easter.
Paul Marx,omi