Were you there when they crucified my Lord? The lyrics of Mahalia Jackson’s famous gospel blues song echoed through many churches during Holy Week. We sing it as a song of remembrance, which takes us back to the suffering of our Lord. We
were
there with joy at his triumphal entry into the city. We
were
there throughout this week in pain with him as the Gospel took us to the night of Jesus’s arrest in the garden and his interrogation in the high priest’s palace. Today, again we
will be
there, with him at Calvary, grieving at his suffering upon the cross. That is the power of the song and the power of remembering. It takes us back to what Isaiah calls “the days of old.” We are there when they crucify the Lord. In all his affliction we are afflicted.
POPE FRANCIS TO CONFER NEW LAY MINISTRIES FOR FIRST TIME IN ST. PETER’S BASILICA
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will confer the ministries of catechist, lector, and acolyte upon lay men and
