"Christ died for me"--what DOES that mean to me? (plus the readings for this week!)

Ok Ladies--wow, can anyone believe it? We are already in the final weeks of this amazing season of Lent.  This week's upcoming Gospel reading is the very looooong one, taking us all the way through Jesus' Passion, beginning with the Last Supper, through His agony in the garden on the Mount of Olives, to His arrest, His "trial", condemnation, crucifixion, and death. SO much to take in. SO much to ponder. SO little time to consider the events that, unbeknownst to everyone in the world, would herald the "end" of an era of man-utterly-condemned...and usher in the era of man-beloved-restored-and-redeemed.

But these are painful readings to take in all at once. The culmination of God's pursuit of each one of us seems to suddenly spiral out of control--deteriorating rapidly from man's triumphant cries of "Glory Alleluia Hosanna!" on Palm Sunday to the seething and truly venom-filled shouts of "Crucify HIM!" less than a week later. But, we already know the end of the story: the conviction of God's absolute unfathomable love for us, HIS unending and ever-deepening call to us to RETURN TO ME...no matter WHERE you are!--cannot be dampened in the least. The first and second readings, as well as the beautiful Psalm 22 bring out the cries of real physical suffering--AND the steadfastness of faith to endure to the end... in trust and true HOPE for what faith KNOWS God is doing. Even through the pain. Even through the utter darkness of unbelief.  Even to...and at...the point of death.

SO! With so much to review in only two days before class, we are asking that everyone take the chance AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to read through the Scripture passages for Palm Sunday. However, the question to ponder for class is different this week:

What does it mean to YOU when you say to yourself "Christ died for ME"?  How does that change your perspective on...God? For your self? For others?

Here is the link for the readings (from the USCCB):

Palm Sunday readings Cycle C April 14 2019

And here is the listing of the readings:

Gospel(The Solemn Entrance): Luke 19:28-40
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel: Luke 22:14-23:56

AS always, pray before you read. And read them in your own bibles as well--to get a feel for the context in the before and after sections, as well as the in-between ones that might be missing in the lectionary.

Can't wait to see everyone!

love
maggie