Good Friday today!

Today is Good Friday; the famous Friday where our Lord Jesus Christ will be crucified and die for our sins.
He took it above all to take this unto himself.
And we also realize the TRUE love from our Almighty Father who sent HIS one and ONLY son to suffer and die for our sins.
Today will be a day of abstinence and penance; most of the Christians/Catholics alike will be fasting to observe the death of Jesus Christ and to reflect on our own sins.
It is really a very sad occasion; and I remember when I was very young, Daddy bought me this Children's Bible which was really thick and full of pictures and colors (meant for kids) and I read the whole thing; from the Old to New Testament (well, i LOVED reading since young).
When I came to this part of the crucifixion, I was totally in tears and couldn't stop crying.
It was totally inhuman to me!!
Crown of thorns, nailing on the hands!!! Ugggghhhh....even thinking of it now, gives me the shudders.
I couldn't even bear to watch Passion of Christ for that reason.

It must have been the worst ordeal any normal human being can go through.
Most of you may say that well, he is the Son of God. However, also bear in mind, he was also of flesh and blood and is as human as you and me.
His pains are no less than what we experience.
Imagine when you get a small cut and even you will scream and sometimes, even the tingling when your cuts expose themselves to the air, imagine this!!!
And think, he was even continuously whipped inhumanly without mercy and he was forced to carry this huge cross on his back and even went through the humiliation of being stripped naked in public.
*Tears*

And all that, because he Loved us so much.....he thought of that ABOVE all of his sufferings.
Have a blessed Good Friday everyone, just observe today as a day of solemnity and be mindful of all our sins and repent.
Remember and do not throw away Jesus's effort to redeem us and give us new lives!
God bless you...

The Last Supper

The Feast of the Last Supper; or the Passover Night.

This is a painting by the famous painter; Leonardo Da Vinci who took a total of 7 years to complete this piece.

The great artist went to great lengths; searching for the models that fit his imagined and ideal vision of the innocent and pure image of Christ to the image of Judas to portray the apostle who betrayed Jesus.

It took him a great deal and he finally found them; but as I found this interesting story on the painting here

The Passover Night was named where Jesus knew that it will be last night before he passed over to be with His Father (as according to the priest whom I attended mass last night).

Also, it is a celebration of the unity and consecration of the blessed sacrament; the Body and Blood of Christ which he offered at the table.

He also washed the feet of his disciples and encouraged them to do the same to each other; "Love one another as I have loved you"

This act was also re-enacted in the mass every year where the priest will wash 12 selected parishioners' feet.

The priest in this church I attended last night was different in the sense that, besides washing their feet, he even took it to kiss them.

Quote, "When you wash someone's feet, you look at the feet, and not at the face. That case, you are not doing a great job and is unwilling to wash their feet. Also, when you are at service, do it with will and joy and regardless of whose feet are those".

The blessed sacrament was also put up for adoration and silent commemoration until midnight.

Back to the last supper, the above picture depicts Jesus with his 12 apostles and the one that is farthest from Jesus was Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus for ~5 silvers which is the equivalent of $16.96 in today's currency.

Jesus, however, knew his betrayal and mentioned that during the washing of the feet ritual to Simon Peter who refused to let him wash as that he was not worthy of his Lord to do so.

Jesus reasoned that he will know one day what he is doing; and quoted as saying (from the Bible):

"You are clean, though not all of you are"

Jesus mentioned that one of them will betray him; and mentioned that it is better for the man to never be born.

Judas mentioned that, "Rabbi, surely you do not mean me?"

Jesus said, "You have said it"

During Supper, the famous of the blood and body took place where Jesus broke the bread and offered to all his disciples, pronouncing (actually performing the miracle of the transformation of bread) as his Body.

Then doing the same thing, this time to wine (transforming to blood), he once again offered it to his Disciples.

Thereafter, they went to the Mount of Olives.

This is the famous Last Supper/Passover Night captured from what we celebrate or commemorate today as Holy Thursday, which marks the continuity of the Easter Triduum.

God bless all of you!~