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From the Pastor's Desk: April 10, 2022
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Today we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion – the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Branches of palm, olive or sometimes even budding willow are ancient symbols of victory and hope as well as new life. The procession celebrating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem overflowed with praise and excitement as the onlookers waved these triumphant branches and proclaimed their blessings. Yet, in a few days they will cry out, “Away with Him!”, “Crucify Him!”
With Palm Sunday we enter an important time of transition– the ending of the Five Weeks of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week. I personally invite everyone to make time in your schedules to participate in the liturgical celebrations of Holy Week with our parish, to experience an amazing celebration of Easter.
Our regular Mass schedule will continue until Tuesday. On Wednesday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, priests of our diocese with the bishop and the faithful will gather for the Annual Chrism Mass. During the Mass, the bishop will bless the Oils of Catechumens, the Sick, and will consecrate the Sacred Chrism. A part of the celebration is the Renewal of Commitment to the Priestly Service – a pledge to greater union with Christ and more loving service of God’s people, especially by celebrating the Eucharist with love and devotion.
On Thursday, the Easter Triduum begins, which is the summit of the whole liturgical year. We begin with Morning Prayer – the richest single prayer resource of the Catholic Church. It provides prayers, psalms and meditations that have existed in the church from the earliest times, to fulfill the Lord's command to “pray without ceasing.” It is the perfect way for the parish community to prayerfully enter into the Holy Triduum. The evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrates the three gifts of Jesus Christ to His Church – the Priesthood, the Eucharist and the life of service. The one main theme that unites the gifts together as sacred Scripture recalls, is the "new commandment" - "mandatum novum" - to love one another. The Liturgy does not simply tell us about Christ’s love; but through word, ritual action and sacrament, we can truly experience it in a very personal way.
Good Friday centers on the Passion and is a day of fasting and abstinence, oriented to the contemplation of the Cross. Our participation in the celebrations of this day is not just an expression of our emotions of grief and mourning or simply being present. For us Catholic Christians, we share the gift of faith in the Redeemer that gives us hope and confidence. Today’s celebration allows us to deepen our reflection upon the mystery of the Trinity – the God who is Love is revealed in the ordinary language of a fallen world through rejection, pain and suffering. At the heart of the Passion we also reflect upon the divine paradox: “Death itself is put to death on this day which we call ‘good’.
Holy Saturday is traditionally a day of fasting, silence and contemplation. It is also a day of excitement and anticipation for the Elect who have been preparing for a long period of time for the sacraments they will receive. The Easter Vigil is the culminating liturgy of the year for the entire parish. This “holy night” is the “mother of all holy vigils.” It celebrates the Lord’s rising from the dead and reminds us that “This is the Night”. We celebrate the Lord who took our human flesh and now rises to new life of the Resurrection in His glorified and immortal body. In our happiness we sing joyful “Gloria and alleluias” as the Incarnation reaches its fulfillment and brings us gifts of love, faith, hope, peace and promise of eternal life.
Please follow closely the schedule for Holy Week to participate and generously share with one another the gift of your time in prayer. I wish all of you a most beautiful and prayerful Holy Week. It is my prayer that the Lord will fill your hearts with peace, hold you in His love, and bless you with His grace this Holy Week and always!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
