Holy week 2014 e newsletter

Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia LAUDARE, BENEDICERE, PRAEDICARE “TO PRAISE, TO BLESS, TO PREACH” Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia 801 Dominican Drive Nashville, TN 37228 www.nashvilledominican.org vocation@op-tn.org

“It is Lent…And since you, an innocent lamb, came before John in the attitude of a sinner, so draw us also to the waters of the Jordan.

To the Jordan will we go to confess our sins and cleanse our souls.

And as the skies opened to announce the voice of your Father, expressing his pleasure in you, so, having successfully overcome our trial and lived austerely through the forty days of our Lent, may we, O Jesus, when the day of your Resurrection dawns, hear once more in our innermost hearts the same heavenly Father’s voice, recognizing us as his children.”

-Blessed John XXIII

Holy Week 2014

Dear Friends, As we enter into these solemn days surrounding the Paschal Mystery, we reflect upon this great cause of our salvation and sanctification. Even more, as we contemplate the great love that compelled Christ to embrace his cross for our sake, we desire to respond in love. May both our Lenten sacrifices and our Easter celebrations flow from this love poured forth from the heart of Christ on the Cross.

In Christ, The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia

Holy Week Meditations in Music and Art Click on the images below to view a vimeo

The Cross is my sure safety Images of Christ on the Cross set to the hymn Crux mihi certa salus

Our Lady of Sorrows Images of Mary throughout the Passion of Christ set to the hymn Mother of Sorrows

Meditations for the Triduum Visit our facebook page for meditations on these solemn days of the Paschal Triduum.

A Professed Sister’s Reflection “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.” Romans 6:4 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass brings us to the foot of the Cross, where we stand with Mary and John. In the tabernacles of our churches, Christ’s Body is reserved and receives our reverent acknowledgement each time we genuflect.

As our hands pass into the holy water font, we recall our passing from death to life through our baptism into Christ.

It is this death-to-self that we represent symbolically during our profession ceremonies with a solemn prostration. Kneeling in the sanctuary we express symbolically the fact that we are laying down our lives, as we prostrate ourselves before the altar and place our scapulars over our heads. At this time the bishop blesses this most distinguished part of our habit. Given by Mary to the Order of Preachers nearly 800 years ago, the scapular is worn as a pledge of her patronage. Our vows of chastity, poverty and obedience constitute the means by which we are bound to Christ in a spousal relationship. The prostration conveys this mystery visibly, and the blessing of the bishop makes our scapular a sacramental.

In recognition of this blessing, the Sisters kiss their scapulars upon entering and leaving the presence of our Lord in the chapel. This sign of devotion acknowledges all that our blessed scapular represents. It is no ordinary a piece of clothing, but a symbol of our consecrated lives, blessed at the moment we gave ourselves over to Christ by vow. Kissing our scapulars, we ask our Lord that we may not only die with Him, but also live for, by and in Him. I remember well the first time my oldest brother visited the Motherhouse. He had many questions about what he saw during his visit, but his curiosity was most aroused when he saw us kiss our scapulars as we entered and exited our chapel.

As with so many sisters before me, after my death the paper bearing the words of my vows, which I wrote and signed on the day of my Profession, will be placed in my hands, as my body lies at rest prepared for burial. -Just before the casket is closed and the funeral liturgy begins, the Prioress General will gently draw up my scapular and place it over my face, reminiscent of that first prostration which I made at my profession of vows.

It is all about the beautiful mystery of self-gift and conversion from death to life.

We seek to die with our Savior and mysteriously we are clothed by Him. At the foot of the cross we receive the grace to die to all that separates us from the love of God, and rise to new life in Christ.