It is a joy to be able to celebrate Easter with a congregation! We must thank God for the little things, because the everyday things are really the joys of this life. We must embrace the beautiful goodness of our world with the eyes of a child, wondering at what God gives us. And this above all on this day of victory for all who are in Christ Jesus! Sin and Death are vanquished by the Risen Lord! In Baptism, we conquer with Him! And we welcome new members to the parish family at the Easter Vigil - who either were themselves baptized or have now entered the Church and received the Lord in the Eucharist! God is so good!
An invitation to confession: This season of Lent is a time for returning to the Lord, so I want to help you prepare for a good Confession. In the story of the Prodigal Son (worth reading! Luke 15: 11-32) we see a perfect summary of the heart of the Father seeking to reconcile with the soul lost in its own sinful wanderings. St. Augustine defines sin as incurvatus in se, “curved in upon itself.” In doing so, we will experience ruptures of communion with God and others as our souls “turn their backs” to those around us. The Father wants freedom for us, and that is what Confession is about. Please be aware of two special nights of Confession this month. One is this Tuesday from 6-8pm. Every church in the diocese will have Confessions. So if you live closer to another parish and want to be more “anonymous” for Confession, try that parish during those hours.
This month, we wrap up Ordinary Time and begin the season of Lent. This penitential season begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for approximately 40 days (not counting Sundays). It is marked by the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.