Vicar Takes Holy Week

"We live and die. Christ died and lived!"

Some of the greater gifts I have received.

I have been trying to stay on top of my blog however there has not been anything to spectatular to really share. Summer break really changed the flow of things but that did not stop everything. The video on the left is a 10min recap of what's been happening in Grand Bourg from Cuaresma to Holy Week. To give you a better view of what else has been happening, here are a few additional pieces to paint a pretty picture.

In the video I mention #LiberadoYSinMiedo. The devotional series is written in Spanish and there are English translations below. These reflections have been personally helpful for me during Lent making it much easier to prepare for morning devotions before meetings. It also has stimulated a lot of conversation amongst social groups in  the church. Find #LiberadoYSinMiedo Here!


Marisol and Nic singing = If you click this link, you will find one of my youth and I singing Adele. I included this link because just last year Marisol was part of our catequesis group. This year she asked me how old she had to be to volunteer with this year's catequesis group. Needless to say, she volunteers every Friday and has even assisted in our Taller de Pascua and Holy Week worship services. Not every young person makes the transition from camper/student/ recipient to counselor/ teacher/ giver. Marisol represents the next generation of our youth group coming into fruition.  

In the video I also mention the 20 different devotionals we did with the elementary school and high school. My supervisor had to leave me alone at one point. Needless to say I went rogue and decided to teach my group how to sing one of my favorite Pinecrest songs in English. "Love" song Taller de Pascua

Jueves Santo Lectura:

23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for[a] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

"The Empanada. One of the staples of diets across the Americas are the empanada. This small singular item serves as a snack for some, dinner for others, a gift for parties, or a symbol of home to many. We celebrate life with empanadas as grandmothers stuff these pastries with meats and veggies. They are cheap and accessible, sold on street corners like chewing gum. The empanada. It is a form of nourishment that is a reflection of culture and creativity. Sometimes we overlook the meaning behind something so simple. Sometimes we forget how many different ways it can be prepared, consumed, and distributed. Regardless, the empanada is always made with love.

On our table tonight are empanadas, not as a substitute for the Bread of Life which Christ offers us but as a reminder of the life we have on earth with each other. The empanadas connect us to each other and to the rest of the world around us. When eating the empanadas, think of those around you sharing in this feast and pray for those who may not know where their next meal comes from."

25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

"Yerba Mate. There is nothing more communal than the gourd and bombilla filled with yerba. For centuries hollow fruit and cups have been passed amongst people sharing this divine herb that comes from the earth. Mate is shared with both friends, neighbors, strangers, and family. Some of us swear by it as the thing that wakes us up every morning. Yerba Mate has become symbolic in our culture and across other neighboring nations. Like the wine passed amongst Jesus and his disciples, Mate is the drink of the people.

Tonight we will share Mate with one another like we would do any other day. This cup speaks of a cultural history, a reflection of community, and a unifying life giving taste. When consuming the cup remember those who have no one to share in this cup, remember those who are lonely and thirst. Do not let your compassion end here, but rather let it strengthen you to go out and be a neighbor to someone else. "

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

"Eat. Drink. Remember. Use your voices and your actions to proclaim the good news, the promise of life everlasting. "

Now we are out on the other end of Holy Week and the last quarter of my internship. Consensus shows, Holy Week is still a dope liturgical week and the hardest week of standard clergy work. After worship I slept for a collective 18 hours. To be honest, I could still use a few hours. Not everyone is built for this.

#ReclaimMissionary