Always celebrating – today Knippmontag
A very peculiar tradition in Cochem is is Knipp Monday - a holiday for every Cochem resident. Once a year, one week after Easter Monday, all the eggs and other goodies left over from Easter are packed into a backpack along with a picnic blanket and off they go to a meadow slope behind the Reichsburg. There one makes oneself comfortable on the meadow, meets young and old and it is eaten in sociable being together, drunk, laughed and played music. According to legend, on this day over 300 years ago, a young castle servant and his sweetheart wanted to meet in the village of Faid. On his way there the servant discovered on a meadow (today's Knippwiese) heavily armed French troops. He crept up unnoticed and learned that an attack on the Imperial Castle was planned. He ran back as fast as he could and informed the Burgrave, who had his men prepared for defense. Thus the attack was averted the next morning and the surprised enemies were driven away. Out of sheer gratitude, the lord of the castle henceforth appointed the Monday after "White Sunday" to a holiday in Cochem. Yes, and because our residents all celebrated Knipp Monday on the meadow - but now can no longer go there - we celebrated it in our house. Sister M.Felicitas
Thursday 20 April
Thursday of the 2nd week of Eastertide First reading - Acts 5:27-33 "Obedience to God comes before obedience to men”. This principle makes all the difference in our life. This principle which should be a vision of life and mission of life. The principle comes from the personal experience of Peter and the apostles who witnessed the action of God in their life and in the life of the People of God. The action of God which dominates all other human actions. The action of God which completely overwhelms the human plans. Human plan wanted to bury Jesus Christ forever, but He is Risen. From this profound experience of God taking control of the humanity, Peter and disciples arrived at this principle. Obedience to God comes before obedience to men. From this principle to the vision and to the mission. Many times, we don’t come to this principle, neither to this vision nor to the mission because we miss the fundamental experience of God’s power in our life. We miss the real experience of God’s action in our life. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize the power of God’s action in my life to make the mission out of the phrase of St. Peter: Obedience to God comes before obedience to men?
Wednesday 19 April
Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide First reading - Acts 5:17-26 This episode of liberating the apostles at night from the prison can be understood in the light of the liberation which Jesus Christ brought to us with His resurrection. The goal was securely locked, and the guards were vigilantly watching at the gates. But the apostles were liberated. Material restrictions are not anymore restrictions for this liberation. This liberation is above that. And they were liberated for a specific purpose. “Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life”. To go to the Temple and to speak about this new Life. Life liberated from the prison and Life to be in the Temple. This is the life with Jesus Risen is offering us. Life liberated from the prison of darkness and sin. Life destined to be in the Temple of God. Let’s reflect: Am I recognizing the Life offered by the Risen Christ to be out of prison of my darkness and to be in the Temple?