How to Do Holy Week: Mary is the Model, by Suzanne Carrillo

This Holy Week, as we join spiritually in the cross of our Redeemer, let us keep the Blessed Virgin Mary as our model.

We often hear our Lord’s words repeated: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” but not always in the context of Our Lord’s Passion.  The fact is, our sins crucified Our Lord, and therefore afflicted Our Lady’s heart with unspeakable sorrow. Therefore Our Lord asks His Father to pardon our sins against His mother, too.

Many miracles were performed during Jesus’ time to prove his validity as the Messiah.  St. Alphonsus De Liguori teaches that God worked many miracles at a time when there weren’t many proofs of Him being the Son of God, so He furnished them.  The same is not true for us day, two thousand-plus years later.  There is no need for God to work miracles since now He requires us to see with the eyes of faith: “Blessed are those that have not seen and believe,” He said to the doubting Thomas.  …