Happy Easter

He Is Risen! May you have a Blessed Easter!

On Holy Saturday, He Opens the Gates of Heaven

The crucifixion is over and Jesus is in the tomb.....as Catholics we believe that on Holy Saturday Christ descended into Hell to open the gates of Heaven to those gone before. Tomorrow he rises from the dead, Hallelujah 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  

Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell

632 The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was "raised from the dead" presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection.⁴⁷⁸ This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ's descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.⁴⁷⁹

633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell" - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God.⁴⁸⁰ Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into "Abraham's bosom":⁴⁸¹ "It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell."⁴⁸² Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.⁴⁸³

634 "The gospel was preached even to the dead."⁴⁸⁴ The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfilment. This is the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places, for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.

635 Christ went down into the depths of death so that "the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."⁴⁸⁵ Jesus, "the Author of life", by dying destroyed "him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage."⁴⁸⁶ Henceforth the risen Christ holds "the keys of Death and Hades", so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."⁴⁸⁷

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead."⁴⁸⁸

IN BRIEF

636 By the expression "He descended into hell", the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil "who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14).

637 In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven's gates for the just who had gone before him.

---

476 Eph 4:9-10.

Agnus Dei

Today is Holy Thursday and tonight we Catholics commemorate the Lord's  Last Supper. The celebration of the first Eucharist in that upper room. Mass of the Last Supper is held after sundown.

 The priest washes the feet of 12 as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.

This special Mass commemorates the institution of Holy Communion through Jesus's words "this is my body" and "this is my blood"  & direction to "do this in memory of me". At the end of Mass the hosts (which we believe is the consecrated Body of Christ) is removed from the tabernacle and carried in a procession to the lower church where it is placed in the other tabernacle.

After the procession the altar is stripped bare and bells of the church go silent until the "Gloria" at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

Mass will not be held on Good Friday. The Communion for that day will come from these already consecrated hosts that were moved from the church on Holy Thursday. That day is reserved for Stations of the Cross at 3 pm, the hour Jesus died and for readings that account the Passion of Christ. It is very solemn.

Easter time is my favorite time of the church year. It's rich with symbolism and tradition. Tradition that my parents, grandparents, great grandparents.....my family all the way back to the early church, shared in. This tradition makes me what and who I am.

Tonight I will be joining my daughter at the Shrine of St. Anthony for the Mass of the Last Supper.

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 Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. 

Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. 

Agnus Dei, 

quitollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

Translation:

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us

Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

.

Tomorrow is Good Friday and....

I wanted to share this beautiful prayer with you.

O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us
hast willed to be crucified
and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood
for the redemption and salvation of our souls,
look down upon us here gathered together
in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death,
fully trusting in Thy mercy;
cleanse us from sin by Thy grace,
sanctify our toil,
give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our
daily bread,
sweeten our sufferings,
bless our families,
and to the nations so sorely afflicted,
grant Thy peace,
which is the only true peace,
so that by obeying Thy commandments
we may come at last to the glory of heaven.

Amen. (http://catholic.org)

Holy Week Reflection

Thinking back on tonight's Holy Thursday Mass, I can't help thinking about all Jesus went through for us. As I knelt before the Cross, I was thinking, why did You have to have such a horrible torturous death? And then I heard a voice say "Because it was SO horrible.  Would the world remember a death  that wasn't so horrible for over 2,000 years?"

I know He's right but I just wish that someone I love didn't have to suffer such pain and agony.

Some of my non-Catholic friends have asked me in the past why Catholic's crosses have the crucified Christ on it since He is risen. Yes, He is risen. But if not for that image of that horrible, horrible death would we really remember what He suffered for our sins?

Every time I gaze upon the Cross I remember and I think I am not worthy for that sacrifice and suffering.

........and tonight before I go to bed a song is stuck in my head "Jesus Remember me, when You come into Your Kingdom. Jesus, remember me, when You come into Your Kingdom". 

Christmas Reflection

Christmas will be quickly upon us. And as I was thinking what I should feature today I thought it's time to be reminded of what the real meaning of Christmas is. It is about the birth of Christ. The Lamb of God who came down to offer his life for our sins........so today I feature my watercolor ACEO art card called "Lamb of God"

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. This world needs your mercy. Merry Christmas to you and your family from me and mine! BIG HUGS!


Listing: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10182697

It's getting to look a lot like Chrisssss....mus

every where I go...well not really but I wanted to feature something from the Old Farmhouse Gathering Holiday Celebration. I have 3 things in this season's promotion. One was the laughing snowman bottle and the next is this beautiful decorative Christmas Plaque. It's adapted from a Donna Atkin's free pattern. Mary, Joseph & Jesus under the Star of Bethlehem. It's available in my Etsy shop - click here Tommorrow look for the third........ and check out my entire Etsy Shop - JYWheeler.etsy.com for more decorative art, china painting & miniature art.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.........

This watercolor ACEO card seems appropriate today on September 11th...............

Link to the listing

Holy Thursday Post

Today begins the Tridium for the Catholic Church-the three holiest days of the year leading up to Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday commemorates the start of it - the remembrance of the final meal Jesus ate with his friends. Good Friday, the day Christ died on the cross to save us from sin. And Holy Saturday when Christ rested in the grave.

Today's Feature will be an ACEO "Lamb of God"in recognition of the start of the tridium. Painted in Watercolors, this ACEO is available on Etsy in my shop:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10182697

Today's Work --- My Icon Class

I have been taking an icon class every other Monday in Gaithersburg at a Byzentine church. My first icon was of Jesus. It took about 8 months to complete.

Now I'm working on Mary & child Jesus. I am in the beginning stages so as I work on it I will scan it and let you see how it's going. This is the second step. The first is to do the line work. The next step is shadowing the lines.


After Class today I will scan the next step in.........stay tuned folks!