Letter from the Pastor
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April 4, 2021Blessed Easter!
Gesegnete Ostern!
Beannachtaí na Cásca oraibh go léir!
Saluto cordiamente cari parocchiani.
Buona e santa Pasqua a tutti!
¡ Saludo a los feligrés de lengua española. Feliz Pascua de Resurrección!
I warmly welcome all on this Easter Sunday, “How good it is to be here”, the words of St. Peter as He saw the glory of the Lord on the Mount of the Transfiguration. We can certainly say the same words today as we can come into our Parish Church and worship God on this historic Easter Sunday. We too will see the glory of God at Mass.
On this greatest day of the year, all fasting and somber thoughts are banished. The past 40 days of Penance are now changed to 50 days of Joy. As we kept the 40 days of Lent, we now must keep the 50 days of Easter. I hope and pray that all of you had a beautiful season of prayer during Lent and Holy Week.
St. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, announces in this famous Easter sermon, all are invited to the feast, “Let all then enter the joy of Our Lord!” For Christ is risen from the dead.
Christian history reaches its highest point in the Resurrection of Christ on this day. The risen Jesus is the final revelation of the heart of God - a God who teaches love rather than hate, forgiveness rather than cancel or revenge, nonviolence rather than violence.
There is nothing to be afraid of in the risen Lord. We have in Him the perfect image of God who is love. We have a God who does not blame, does not punish, does not threaten, and does not get even. We have a God who breathes His Spirit: forgiveness.
The Resurrection of Christ tells us that there is no victory through sinful ways and force. The Lord comes in a human body to show us the face of God, the One who is eternally compassionate and eternally joyous, who stands with us in our sufferings and our joys.
This greatest feast is our hope and joy. It is because of the feast that we can wake up each morning joyfully, knowing that at life’s most difficult moments, our God was there before us and knows as one of us, what it’s like. For the worse has already happened, but it has been restored; and all will be well.
So Rejoice, for this is the Day the Lord has made, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead; He is truly Risen,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
