'Do this in Memory of Me'

By Mary Regina Morrell
©Catholic Online 2005

"Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future." ~ Corrie ten Boom

Holy Week, Holy Thursday in particular, is always a time when I am reminded of the important role of memories in our lives.

It begins when I hear Christ's words as he celebrated the Passover meal with his friends - "Do this in memory of me."

I was thinking of that recently when I passed a sign hanging in the window of a local one-hour photo mart: "Memories - Fix Them, Change Them, Color Them. The way they were only better."

In an attempt to sell customers on the idea of restoring old photographs, and perhaps removing Uncle Harry from the picture in the process, this retailer had unwittingly expressed a very sad commentary on our culture.

We live in an age that embraces the maxim, "Have it your way!" - our houses, our cars, our meals, our jobs, our clothes, and even our memories, are subject to manipulation until they are exactly as we feel they should be.

What is seriously detrimental to the human spirit is the subsequent pervasive feeling of emptiness that accompanies our constant striving for perfection - even in terms of our past experiences.

It is true that memories are not always pleasant. In fact, Jesus could attest to the fact that memories are often incredibly painful. But taken together, they tell the story of our past, the joys, the sorrows, the fears, the accomplishments, the obstacles we have navigated to become who we are. To "color" this past reality in order to avoid our pain is to attempt to forget those crosses that have lead to our "becoming."

Sharing our memories can lead to healing for us and serve as buoys for others who are trying to make their way through life.

In my home the "when I was young...'" stories start eyeballs rolling! One year my son bought my husband a birthday card that read: "I know, when you were young you had to walk five miles to be born!''

Sure, when parents and grandparents retell the memories of their youth, the tales are likely to be as tall as Paul Bunyan, but the value of these exaggerated stories is to show children that the lumps and bumps in the road of life are not only inevitable but invaluable as well. The sooner they learn to negotiate around or over them the more capable they become to negotiate through life.

As children of God, the memories of Christ form the foundation of our faith and his most painful memories form the reason for our hope in spite of the lumps, bumps or earthquakes of our lives.

I, for one, am grateful that Jesus never tried to fix his memories.

For Christians, they couldn't get any better than they already are.

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
hhtp://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562-1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

memories, Holy Week, Christ

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »