Happy Resurrection Day!
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
I pray that I didn’t ruin the big surprise that God has prepared for your Easter basket on this great “gettin’ up morning!” I also pray that you have been staying safe and healthy, and that you and your loved ones are truly blessed. I hope you’ve been able to join us for at least some of our Holy Week liturgies, as well as, some of the other videos that we have posted online.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, we have prepared an “Easter Egg” surprise for all of you. Please check our various online sites for it, as well as, other content, and our daily masses. I am sure this “Easter Egg” will bring a smile to your face. In order to spread the joy, it comes with a challenge for you and your immediate families to video tape yourselves singing the same song and then post it online or email it to us. For together, with God, we will banish the darkness.
I really do want to wish each and every one of you a very special Happy Easter. As we face this pandemic, and the unprecedented consequences of it, this Easter takes on a special meaning. As we deal with the fears & anxieties that come from the all too real threat of sickness and death, we truly need to recall and celebrate the gift and promise of Easter. Our earthly lives may be threatened, but our New Life in Christ is eternally assured. While doctors and medical experts race to find a cure, we know that Doctor Jesus has us under His protection. As our worries about health and paying bills increase, we take this moment, this joyful moment, to recall all that our God has done for us, and most importantly, all that our Lord has promised to do for us today and all our tomorrows.
While we will not be able to gather with our extended families today, most of you have been spending a lot of time with your immediate families. I realize that sometimes that can be a bit much, but we are reminded just how blessed we are to have loved ones. My heart goes out to all of those who have been all alone in true isolation. This reminds me a bit of my father. He always complained about going to spend a holiday with his side of the family. As we got a bit older, he would send us with our mom, and instead of coming with us, he would go somewhere like the Shrine of Our Lady of The Snows. However, he would always turn up at some point during the day, and quickly become the center of attention and always left having enjoyed himself. (Even if he didn’t want to admit it.) We can sometimes take our loved ones for granted, and often go long periods without spending quality time with them. I hope that you have been able to use this time to spend quality time with your families, and I encourage you to reach out to your extended family members, especially those who may be alone. Let us realize how much of a blessing they truly are.
As we count our blessings on this Feast of The Resurrection, let us continue to pray for those on the front line of this battle, all of those who are working to provide for our needs, the countless who are sick and those who have lost loved ones. Let us pray for those who are alone, as well as, those who find this staying at home difficult. For those who have lost jobs and are struggling to feed themselves and their families. And let us give thanks and praise to our Lord & Redeemer! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In the Redeemer, Fr. Rick