Rituals and traditions are important to my own Catholic faith. Some are steeped within the rituals of the Church; some are cultural. Growing up in Chicago, my parents built these traditions into our faith life. On Good Friday every year we observed two traditions. In the morning, my mom and I visited several Catholic Churches to pray and venerate the events in Christ’s life. We always went to the Basilica of St. Hyacinth.
They had a crypt in the lower level of the Church that was set up as a tomb. We prayed there on Good Friday. I remember it being pretty creepy, but as I reflect on that experience, I cherish the image of walking with Jesus in his suffering and death.
I also love the story of St. Hyacinth (in Polish: Święty Jacek). He was born in Poland in 1183. He was ordained a priest in Krakow and in 1217 he joined the Dominican Order. He is known as the Apostle of Poland and had a great devotion to Mary. During his time in Poland in Kijow, he was told that the Tartars had invaded the city. Quickly he seized the ciborium from the Church containing the Blessed Sacrament and was about to leave the church, when he heard: “Hyacinth, you have taken my Son and you leave me behind?” He looked to the marble statue of Mary and Jesus and to his amazement the marble statue was as light as a feather as he carried it to safety across the Dnieper on to Krakow. It is said that he walked over the surface of the waters of the Dnieper.
This image of St. Hyacinth gives us a pretty good indication of the love that St. Hyacinth also had for Christ. This love also manifested itself on Good Friday when my parents encouraged me to be silent from noon to 3:00 pm to commemorate the death of Christ. Who knew that my parents were setting me up for an experience of Ignatian Spirituality? While the silence for me at the time was difficult, as I’ve come to understand my own spirituality, the silence is what I cherish. In experiencing the silence as an adult, it gives me pause to contemplate the life and death of Christ in a very prayerful and loving way.
It allows me to contemplate the love I’ve received and the love which I am called to give back to others. It allows me to contemplate my own actions in a broken and suffering world and calls me to show my love to others through my actions. As St. Ignatius tells us “love shows itself more in deeds than in words”.
On this Good Friday, take some time in silence and prayerful reflection. Contemplate the great gift you have been given and pray about how you can manifest your love for others through your actions.
Sue Chawszczewski
Director of Campus Ministry
They had a crypt in the lower level of the Church that was set up as a tomb. We prayed there on Good Friday. I remember it being pretty creepy, but as I reflect on that experience, I cherish the image of walking with Jesus in his suffering and death.
I also love the story of St. Hyacinth (in Polish: Święty Jacek). He was born in Poland in 1183. He was ordained a priest in Krakow and in 1217 he joined the Dominican Order. He is known as the Apostle of Poland and had a great devotion to Mary. During his time in Poland in Kijow, he was told that the Tartars had invaded the city. Quickly he seized the ciborium from the Church containing the Blessed Sacrament and was about to leave the church, when he heard: “Hyacinth, you have taken my Son and you leave me behind?” He looked to the marble statue of Mary and Jesus and to his amazement the marble statue was as light as a feather as he carried it to safety across the Dnieper on to Krakow. It is said that he walked over the surface of the waters of the Dnieper.
This image of St. Hyacinth gives us a pretty good indication of the love that St. Hyacinth also had for Christ. This love also manifested itself on Good Friday when my parents encouraged me to be silent from noon to 3:00 pm to commemorate the death of Christ. Who knew that my parents were setting me up for an experience of Ignatian Spirituality? While the silence for me at the time was difficult, as I’ve come to understand my own spirituality, the silence is what I cherish. In experiencing the silence as an adult, it gives me pause to contemplate the life and death of Christ in a very prayerful and loving way.
It allows me to contemplate the love I’ve received and the love which I am called to give back to others. It allows me to contemplate my own actions in a broken and suffering world and calls me to show my love to others through my actions. As St. Ignatius tells us “love shows itself more in deeds than in words”.
On this Good Friday, take some time in silence and prayerful reflection. Contemplate the great gift you have been given and pray about how you can manifest your love for others through your actions.
Sue Chawszczewski
Director of Campus Ministry
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