Holy Days

What are you doing for Holy Week?

Christians know the life of a disciple will not be easy. Christ did not mince words about this -- telling his disciples they must take on life's sufferings as in the form of capital punishment that would later be used to take his life: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9:23).

In word and deed, Pope Francis continues to encourage Catholics to reach out to the poor and not succumb to a consumerist mentality where what we have is deemed more important than who we are. The season of Lent provides a special opportunity to take the Holy Father's words to heart and live them out more fully.

The Church's liturgical season of Christmas is one of its shortest, but also one of its most unique. Within it is the eight-day celebration of the Lord's Nativity -- known as the Christmas octave -- as well as other feasts pertaining to the manifestation that Jesus is Lord of the nations. And there are feasts of several saints, many of whose stories contain special significance to the season.

A friend -- we'll call her Barbara -- once confided to my husband and me: "I hate to admit this, but, deep in my gut, I'm dreading the holidays. Every year around this time my kids' behavior just disintegrates. Visiting with relatives is always the worst part. The kids are overstimulated at one house, then bored at another.

It's no longer as simple as a sleigh ride through the woods to join the whole family at grandma's for Christmas Day. Nevertheless, many of us make a trek, sometimes several times annually, to celebrate our holidays together. These days, we battle traffic, hectic work schedules, kids' commitments, crowded airports and icy freeways to get there.

For Kendra Tierney, a Catholic author and mother of 10, the Advent season leading up to Christmas is like preparing to give birth.

Advent prepares us for Jesus' coming at Christmas and for his coming into our lives afresh. And no one knows how to get ready to welcome Christ better than the saints.