Palm Sunday

03-24-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

We enter into Holy Week with the reading of the Passion of our Lord. It begins on Palm Sunday with a reminder of the triumphant entrance of Jesus into the Holy City of Jerusalem that quickly turns into His trial, suffering and death on a cross. But not to be the end, rather a new beginning as He conquers sin, evil, death on the cross and gives us new life in the empty tomb. These are our High Holy Days because everything comes to fruition in what we call the Paschal Mystery – the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. This is our Holy Week!

We give thanks to God for the days that lie ahead to renew us and save us in His new covenant of love celebrated in the Last Supper, poured out for us on the Cross and born anew in the Resurrection. For this reason Fr. Ryan and I invite and encourage you to be part of the days the lie ahead. To be with Jesus and the community as we enter into the mystery of living a life in Christ. Each day is unique but must be experienced as one saving action. The Cross we venerate has no value without the Resurrection and the empty tomb. His gift of the Eucharist in the Last Supper, His trial and suffering, His death and time in the tomb, and His resurrection are a package deal for Jesus and for us. It is what brings meaning to suffering, forgiveness of sins, peace to struggles and New Life in Him. So come be with Him this week:

Holy Thursday at 7:00 pm – the Mass of the Lords Supper. The day we as Catholics celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, the Priesthood and the call to service. I will wash the feet of representatives of our parish community as a witness of service, we will celebrate with reverence the great gift of the New Covenant in the Eucharist and then process with our Lord to the Garden of Repose to sit with Him like the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Remembering the Lord’s invitation to sit with Him. At 9:00 pm Fr. Ryan and I, along with those who choose to be present will consecrate the parish to our Eucharistic Lord. The vigil of prayer with the Lord will continue until 11:00 pm when we will repose the Lord in preparation for Good Friday….. the altar is stripped bare and the tabernacle lies empty.

Good Friday. A deep day of entering into the suffering of our Lord’s Passion. The Church lights will be kept dim and the altar remains bare. Stations of the Cross will be celebrated at 12:00 noon. This devotion helps us to remember our Lords’ Way of the Cross – His deep love for us revealed in the Glory of the Cross. At 3:00pm we will gather for the Passion of the Lord and distribution of Holy Communion, reserved from the previous night as no Mass is celebrated until Easter. This is a day of fasting and abstinence – a time for us to give thanks to God by our attention, time and presence.

Holy Saturday. Is a day of somber waiting in a spirit of expectation. At 9:00am we will celebrate the Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother. A time to gather and remember her sorrowful heart and unite the sufferings and sorrows of our lives and others. At 1:00pm we will have the traditional blessing of the Easter food and treats in baskets. At 7:00 pm will gather after the sun has set in the courtyard of the our parish to light the Easter fire and enter into the Great Easter Vigil with a darkened Church that is lit only with the light of the Paschal Candle until the singing of the Gloria when the lights of the Church are lit celebrating the light that has overcome the darkness. What a joyous three days the Lord takes us on to renew us and save us. He is Risen from the dead and Satan no longer as power over those who cling to His saving love in the Paschal Mystery.

Easter Sunday will be a busy day – with lots of guests. Remember to gracious and hospitable – grateful to God that something has touched each of us... to remember His saving love on Easter. Masses will be at 7:00am, 9:00am and 11:00am in the Church with additional Masses in the hall at 9:15am and 11:15am. Parking will be crazy – extra parking will be at the High School just up the street with shuttle buses running but also just a short walk north of the parish.

Again – take time this week to enter into the mystery of His love. Do not let it simply pass by like another week but embrace the gift of these High Holy Days – a Holy Week. Renew us and Save us, O’ Lord.

Continued Lenten prayers and blessings,

Fr. Fred