Christ is risen, truly risen, and we are witnesses to God's glorious deeds throughout the world. As we celebrate Easter let us pray that we may carry this joy with us wherever we go, so that all the world may be transformed by God's saving grace. The Easter mystery is so preposterous, unbelievable, absurd. Who ever heard of someone rising form the dead? The Easter mystery is this: we want to see and believe, but since resurrection is so out of our human experience we simply can't understand. Belief came gradually to those first witnesses, and then only when they had a personal encounter with Jesus. We encounter Jesus the Risen Christ in the following ways: the Eucharist, when we eat and drink with him; when we witness by the goodness of our lives to Gospel values; in the sure joy that comes from reconciled relationships with each other that witness to our reconciled relationship with God; when we “clear out the old yeast" and “receive forgiveness of sins." All of this assures us that we are a new creation in this resurrection life – the source of our Easter joy.
THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE, LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD!
I rejoice in those who PRAYED: Those who attended Stations of the Cross and Lenten Reflection on Fridays; attended the Lenten Book Study & meager meal on Tuesdays; attended the Diocesan Youth Celebration on April 10. Those who attended Daily Mass during Lent; who attended the Lenten Family Day; who attended the Lenten Luncheon and Services at the Churches in Youngwood; and those who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Season of Lent.
I rejoice in those who SHARED: Those who made a gift to the Diocesan Lenten Appeal; who donated paper products for the Youngwood Food Bank; who made a contribution through the Lenten Coin Folders (the money collected will be donated to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund who assisted our neighbors affected by the recent tornado.) Those who shared their time to help prepare the Church and the grounds for the Triduum and Easter; all ministers who participated in the Triduum and Easter Liturgies; all who worked behind the scenes in various ways to make Lent, Triduum and Easter a glorious celebration!
I rejoice in those who FASTED and ABSTAINED throughout the forty days of Lent.
