On Wednesday, July 1, the Solemnity of Jesus’ Precious Blood, brought together the Franciscans of Jerusalem in Gethsemani. The Custos of the Holy Land, Br. Pierbattista Pizzaballa presided over the Solemn Mass in the presence of the Custodial Vicar Br. Dobromir Jaszta and monastery guardian, Br. Benito José Choque.
Gethsemane is one of most emotionally powerful places mentioned in the Gospel. The sumptuous basilica covered in mosaics houses the rocks of garden of Agony on which Christ’s drops of sweat fell. This episode of the Passion is narrated in the Gospel of Luke: His “sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22: 39-46).
While solemnities of the “Body and Blood of Christ” were consolidated after the Second Vatican Council, the Solemnity of the Precious Blood survived in Jerusalem and it is celebrated in the same place.
In his homily, the Father Custos emphasized that blood represents both life and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, men offered sacrifices up to God, while in the New Testament, it is God who made the ultimate sacrifice for humans. He concluded that it is no longer the blood of justice but of God's mercy, a sign of his love.
The feast of the Precious Blood of Christ, marked the opening of discretorium conference once again.
The discretorium, the Board of Directors of the Custody, meets monthly throughout the year, and at the beginning of each summer, a one-week conference is held.
This will be an opportunity for the friars of discretorium—named “discreets”—to meet all of the committees and services of the Custody. Each of the leaders will present a progress report. It is in the light of these reports that the discretorium will then make its choices: whether it be to strengthen certain committees, or to restructure them, or even to support certain businesses or projects, etc. In the weeks following the conference, prospective changes are published within the fraternities.
May our prayers accompany the discretorium during this holy work week.
N.H.
Gethsemane is one of most emotionally powerful places mentioned in the Gospel. The sumptuous basilica covered in mosaics houses the rocks of garden of Agony on which Christ’s drops of sweat fell. This episode of the Passion is narrated in the Gospel of Luke: His “sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22: 39-46).
While solemnities of the “Body and Blood of Christ” were consolidated after the Second Vatican Council, the Solemnity of the Precious Blood survived in Jerusalem and it is celebrated in the same place.
In his homily, the Father Custos emphasized that blood represents both life and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, men offered sacrifices up to God, while in the New Testament, it is God who made the ultimate sacrifice for humans. He concluded that it is no longer the blood of justice but of God's mercy, a sign of his love.
The feast of the Precious Blood of Christ, marked the opening of discretorium conference once again.
The discretorium, the Board of Directors of the Custody, meets monthly throughout the year, and at the beginning of each summer, a one-week conference is held.
This will be an opportunity for the friars of discretorium—named “discreets”—to meet all of the committees and services of the Custody. Each of the leaders will present a progress report. It is in the light of these reports that the discretorium will then make its choices: whether it be to strengthen certain committees, or to restructure them, or even to support certain businesses or projects, etc. In the weeks following the conference, prospective changes are published within the fraternities.
May our prayers accompany the discretorium during this holy work week.
N.H.