Holy Week is just around the corner and I think it might be the busiest time of the Church’s year, rivaling and possibly out-doing Christmas. It gets so busy that sometimes, I know I’m guilty of this, we forget to relax and take it all in. Notifications, deadlines, and scrolling can wait: this upcoming week is about reflection and the invitation from Jesus to slow down and pray with and for Him and us.
It’s not always easy to slow down. Stillness and silence can be uncomfortable, even unsettling, but being alone with our thoughts and extending that invitation to Jesus is the way Holy Week meets us right where we are. It could be a few minutes of quiet in the morning before checking your phone, or going on a walk without any distractions, or reflecting on the questions in your life and letting yourself be content with not knowing every answer.
This is a time to reflect on all that Jesus has done for us: everything He’s taught, everything He sacrificed, everything He left behind to prepare us for reunion with Him eternally. It’s a time to notice things we’d otherwise miss. It’s a time to be more present toward the people around us. It’s a time for us to walk in our faith and fully embrace each step of that journey. I know in my own faith journey, the most difficult thing as a planner, as someone who loves to be in control, is to give that control up and let God or others take care of it. Accepting that I don’t have to have everything figured out right now and allowing myself to “give it to God” (as my mom would say) is not only a challenge, but it’s rewarding, at the beginning of Holy Week especially, to be fully immersed in conversation with God and allow Him to remove the everyday burdens.
As the week unfolds, every new day offers a new chance to enter more deeply into that stillness, to be more attentive. There is something powerful in simply showing up: to prayer, to Mass, to quiet moments where we allow ourselves to be present instead of distracted. It’s a time to walk more closely with others. Holy Week is not meant to be lived alone. Whether it’s reaching out to a friend, being more patient with family, or offering kindness where it’s needed, these small acts reflect the love of Christ that we’re remembering this week. In slowing down, we begin to notice not just our own hearts, but the needs of those around us: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
And as we move closer to the end of the week, we’re reminded that the story doesn’t stop at sacrifice—it leads to hope. It leads to Resurrection, new life, new chances. It’s a story of redemption and strength through the Savior of the world who endured unimaginable horror for us. But we can’t fully experience that hope without first allowing ourselves to sit in the stillness, to acknowledge both the weight and the beauty of what this week represents.
This week, my goal isn’t to have a “perfect” Holy Week, but a present one, as fully present as I can be with my faith, my family at home, and my House of Brigid family here in Dublin, as we look forward to celebrating a wonderful Easter season together!
