Pastor's Letter

Jesus’ Great Act of Love
The Ultimate Sign of the Cross
 
Today we enter into a week we call “holy” because it envelopes us in the greatest act of love the world has known: that of Jesus’ desire to give himself fully to us, paying the ultimate sacrifice, which didn’t lead to an end, but a new beginning.
 
We begin with Palm Sunday and Jesus’ joyful entrance into Jerusalem, where he is paraded and adulated with palms and songs of praise. By Friday of that week, the joyfulness of that Sunday turns to sorrow, grief and loss.
 
It’s captured in today’s Palm Sunday liturgy. We begin with the great procession, where we wave our psalms and sing of God’s glory. But it’s during the gospel—the proclamation of the Passion, this year according to Matthew—when the mood shifts as we travel with Jesus through the three holy days. We experience a range of emotions, moods and insights.
 
As we hear the Passion, we begin at the Last Supper and in the Garden of Gethsemane, something we’ll also recall as we gather for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday at 7:30 PM.
 
We then move into Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial, which we’ll also recall at the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday at 3 PM. We’ll also have an opportunity to gather at 7:30 PM on Friday to pray the Stations of the Cross.
 
And then, on the holiest night of the year, we’ll gather in the midst of darkness at 7:30 PM on Holy Saturday to celebrate the Easter Vigil. We relive the experience of the women who went in darkness to Jesus’ tomb only to discover it empty. We’ll also hear nine powerful readings that reveal how God has sought to be with us and save us from the beginning of time to the resurrection of Christ.
 
In the midst of these events, we’ll gather on Monday evening at 7:30 PM for Tenebrae, a service of the word of God that is focused on Jesus’ Passion through praying the psalms, listening to God’s word and singing. Tuesday evening, as we do every week, we’ll have an opportunity to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Individual Confessions will be heard that evening between 5 and 7 PM and also on Monday between 11 AM and 1 PM.
 
Because there is only one Mass or Service during the Triduum, we will offer a Morning Prayer Service conducted by our deacons at 8:30 AM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On the morning of Good Friday, we’ll also gather at 8 AM to pray the Rosary. On Holy Saturday, Deacon Steve will be on hand to do the annual Blessing of Easter food and baskets beginning at noon.
 
Without a doubt, this is a special week, a holy week, a meaningful week to embrace Jesus and the greatest act of love he gave and continues to give us: his very self. It will be a blessing to be together and to experience this week with you.
 
         –Fr. Mike
 
In Anticipation of Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday Masses: 6 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM & Noon
Anticipating a morning, which tends to gather so many of us together,
we’ve invited former Pastor, Fr. Gene Nowak, to be with us for Masses
in the lower level of the church if needed at 10:10 AM and 12:10 PM.