he lives

MY DEAR PEOPLE-

What a week!!!!!  This week in Spain is just about the most famous week there is.  'La semana santa' is like having Easter the whole entire week.  But instead of the Easter bunny coming and leaving eggs and candy, all the Catholic Churches pull out their GIANT idols and they march them around the streets of Spain and worship them. Jerez has one of the bigger processions in Spain so we've seen our fair share of Jesus statues.  Just to help everyone understand, these people pay to CARRY these humongous Jesus statues (that weigh about 2,000 pounds).  The whole country stops working, gets all dressed up, and follows these statues around wherever they go.  It starts on Monday and goes through Christ's suffering and death and crucifixion throughout the week, until Sunday where they bring out the resurrected Jesus.  The statues really are beautiful to look at and so well made, but it makes me sad because these people just love to see the bloody, dying Jesus.  They come from all parts to see him on the cross and suffering and then no one comes to see the resurrected Jesus-which is the most important part of it all.

I know that Christ died and suffered FOR US and that he did it out of pure love.  It's true that he died, but it's also true that he was resurrected and that HE LIVES.  He lives today and he lives for us.  He loves us so so much that he went through the most horrible, unbelievable pain so that WE might have peace and joy.  I know that he is the savior of the world, the prince of peace, and our older brother.

It's very common in Spain to become catholic the week of Semana Santa and worship the idols and cry when they see Jesus, but when the week is over, they go back to their normal lives like nothing ever happened.  Easter is something that can be celebrated every single day!!!!!  Christ lives!!!  And we can be grateful every single day for his suffering and resurrection.  Because of him, we can be freed from sin and from death.  I love Jesus Christ and I am so eternally grateful for him and his sacrifice.

Hermana Spangler