On the eve of Palm Sunday

Dear Friends,

We have now been on general lockdown for almost three weeks. Every day we continue to receive the devastasting, heart wrenching and distressing bulletins of deaths, both in France and throughout the world. It is becoming ever more concerning, anxiety is growing. Many among you have written to us, thanking us for setting up the blog, and taking the opportunity to let us know about someone close who has the virus, often in a rather worrying situation. This is why, although we may not be able to reply to each of you individually I want to reassure you of the closeness of our prayers. We are with you...

In a few hours, Holy Week will begin. It’s the first time in 2000 years that the vast majority of Christians will not be able to come together to celebrate Jesus at Easter. Even during the persecutions, Christians got together, albeit in hiding. There has never been a situation like the one we are in now. All priests will celebrate alone, some facing a camera or some kind of webcam. In Rome too, the pope will celebrate alone, in an empty St Peter’s Basilica, just as the immense square was empty last Friday as he prayed and blessed the whole world beneath the beating rain. These strong, images of embracing the world remain etched within me as they may also be within you.

In seeing the Pope, I thought of Jesus, entering his passion: what troubling solitude...a Mystery of liberty and profound solidarity with all human beings, his brothers, to whom he would show God’s “Love until the end”: no human being is left alone, each is held within his hand and “will never be torn away” (Jn 10, 27-29)! Some words of comfort… “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God.” Said Saint Paul (Rm 8, 39). Here is perhaps our only support to get through this time: when everything appears to crumble, what remains for always?

This is why we want to enter this important week with you, accompanied by words full of strength and comfort: you’ll find here a text written by Roger, it is an extract from the introductory meeting of the Holy Week retreat in 1998, two weeks after Florin had passed. His depth and intenstity are moving, and surprisingly appropriate in these times: “I will not let you become orphans.” (John 14, 18). “I am with you for always.” (Matthew 28, 20)”. It is with Roger’s text that we will pass through the large entrance “porch” that is the celebration of Palm Sunday and the Passion. It will set us on the path of Grace for the Revelation that will illuminate this whole week.

We are also planning to post information on this blog during the Three Holy Days to nourish you each day. If you have subscribed to the blog, you’ll get automatic alerts. This is our way of spending Holy Week with you. As for our house at La Roche d’Or, we can celebate the Easter Triduum together, while respecting the necessary distances- which we do with the utmost care given the fragility of many among us - but as we do this, we do it with you and for you, intensly united with each of you...

Dear Friends, let me repeat that our presence is with you, in Mary, the visitor of those who are most distant. May she keep you in her confidence. In the current circumstances, from the bottom of my heart I wish you a Holy Week experience filled with the constantly renewed strength of the consoling Spirit.

F. Olivier Sournia

French to English translation by Debbie Garrick and Cécile Simon