This is the 1st of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

This presentation sets the stage of Holy Week by discussing several key points:

• Passover - the feast celebrating the deliverance of the people of Israel from their bondage in Egypt
• Sabbath - the "7th Day" of the week (Saturday) which is dedicated to the Lord, beginning on sundown on Friday and running through sundown on Saturday
• Temple - the great structure, a holy place sacred to the Jews but also a lightning rod for political unrest against foreign rule
• Roman Empire - controlling the unstable region for its strategic position in commerce and military rule, constantly on the watch for rebellion and instability
• Jesus of Nazareth - the great teacher, healer, and prophet - the Son of God who initiates the encounter, knows what will happen, and embraces his mission (like a firefighter who runs toward the danger, not away)

March 9, 2015 - Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church - Green Valley, AZ

Fr. Andrew Ricci

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