9781644135945

The Easter Cycle
Holy Ghost within our souls, we would be zealous in the service of the Church and energetic
in subjecting our own spirit and in seeking to lead a holy life.
Prayer
May the outpouring of the Holy Ghost cleanse our hearts, O Lord, and may they be made
fruitful by the intimate sprinkling of His dew. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ember Friday
In the church of the Twelve Apostles, the church of the penitents, the Mass for Ember Friday
is celebrated. It is a day of penance and a day on which to give thanks for the remission of sins.
“Thy sins are forgiven thee” (Gospel). Today we celebrate the Mass in the church in which on
Holy Thursday the penitents were reconciled with the Church after having been absolved from
their sins. During Easter time we have received rich and powerful graces. Have we fully cooperated
with them? Must we not still reproach ourselves for our many sins, our infidelities, negligences,
faults, and imperfections? Today we attend the Holy Sacrifice to express our contrition, to make
amends, and to do penance. We are like the paralytic mentioned in the Gospel, who was totally
paralyzed. His friends tried to bring him in on a stretcher and lay him at the feet of Jesus. But
“when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they
went up upon the roof and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst before
Jesus. Whose faith when He saw, He said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. . . . Arise, take up thy
bed and go into thy house” (Gospel).
“O children of Sion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God; because He hath given
you a teacher of justice and He will make the early and the latter rain to come down to you as
in the beginning. And the floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with
wine and oil. And you shall eat in plenty and shall be filled; and you shall praise the name of the
Lord your God, who hath done wonders with you. And My people shall not be confounded
forever. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel” (Epistle). This prophecy of Joel has
been fulfilled in us. All our sins have been destroyed by the sacrificial death of Christ; we have
been redeemed. We are children of God, loved by God with a divine love. Therefore, “let my
mouth be filled with Thy praise, alleluia; that I may sing alleluia, alleluia” (Introit). This day is
marked by great rejoicing, for the Holy Ghost has indeed been given to us. He is the teacher of
justice. “He will teach you all things and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have
said to you” ( Jn 14:26). He lives in our soul and leads us to an upright, God-fearing life. He is
given to us as the love which joins the Father to the Son, the Son to the Father, and us to both of
Them; He elevates us so that we can have a certain participation in the life of the Holy Trinity.
He is the fructifying rain which brings forth in us a multitude of spiritual and supernatural
goods. Have we not good reason for rejoicing? Today we have seen wonderful things. “Praise
the Lord, O my soul; in my life I will praise the Lord; I will sing to my God as long as I shall
be, alleluia” (Offertory).
“Alleluia, alleluia. O how good and sweet is Thy Spirit, O Lord, within us, alleluia. Come, Holy
Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.”
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