The Lamb

"The lamb must be a year old male and without blemish... it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.  They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every home in which they partake of the lamb... the blood will mark the houses where you are.  Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; no destructive blow will come upon you."  Exodus 12

This lamb is one Susan/Hallel took a picture of on the feast day of St Agnes in Rome.  She is Hallel's patron saint for confirmation and her name means Lamb, so on her feast day Jan 21st the lambs are not sacrifice but they are sheered and their wool is used for the plenum which the bishops of the Church wear. 

When we visited Susan/little sister Hallel in late June to say goodbye as she was leaving for France on 4th of July... we all picked out holy cards to make into icons on a block of wood in the basement.... I was drawn to this one of a lamb bound and ready to accept the "slaughter."  It speaks of our Lord and his sacrifice on this Good Friday!  "Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth."

From the beginning our Lord knew that He was here to suffer and die for our sins, so that we who were so far from God could be shown by his example in how we can with the help of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us - come to love and follow Him, and serve Him in our lives and our families!  Come Holy Family show us how to LOVE!

It is 3PM now... I bow my head at the death of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  Lord, I can not take it all in!  How I yell out at the least bit of hardship or false accusation sends me into screaming fits of rage and indignation!  Yet, you with no fault of your own carried ALL of our sins and died for them in the most brutal and horrible of deaths imaginable!  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.........  Forgive us and save us!

The most beautiful sacrifice of the altar -we are saved and fed with your redeeming body and blood!  Thank you Lord with all that is within me!  "Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts!  Heaven and Earth are full of your Glory!  Hosanna in the Highest!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the Highest!"  I hear the company of angels in heaven, the Blessed Mother, and all the saints singing this to the highest heaven at this point of our eternal Savlation! 

The Blood of our Salvation!  We are washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb! 

Very powerful to tie together his coming to earth so weak and helpless as an infant and now today to continue to be weak and helpless in his doing anything to save himself...."Son though he was,he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."  Hebrews 5:7-9

Jesus, may we be lambs in our lives and put others ahead of ourselves and bear all things lovingly and willingly.  WE fall on our knees and praise you without end! WE gain strength by your Spirit within us!  Jesus, may many come to know you as they "see" you in our lives and actions.  Jesus, we put our families and all those that are in our care to You!  Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"This face did not fit anyone's idea of the face of God.  This face suffered,this face bled, this face knew weakness,this face did not lord it over others, this face served, this was the face of a man who had emptied himself of divinity.  In a matter of hours,this would be the face of a dead man.  This is the face of God, so much less than anyone would ever dare imagine, and thus infinitely greater than any god that had ever been imagined.  Veronica, an almost anonymous woman, reverenced this visage of blood, sweat, and suffering as the face of God.  When have I reverenced, and when have I profaned the unexpected or inconvenient ways God has chosen to reveal his face to me?"  The 6th station of the Cross- Veronica and Jesus