Dear Parishioners,
“CHRIST IS RISEN! – TRULY HE IS RISEN!” This has been the traditional greeting which Christians would use for the entire Easter season when meeting one another. The custom has unfortunately disappeared in the Western Church but in the Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, the custom lives. Yes, what great joy there is in this proclamation that the Lord Jesus, who was crucified, now lives for all eternity. His holy Resurrection is the foundation of our faith and the promise of eternal life for all who believe in Him. For “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
The joy of this day had come at a great price. The Lord Jesus suffered greatly for our sins and was put to death so that the powers of hell could be defeated in His Holy Resurrection. For us death is not the end but rather the portal in which we enter into eternity. Like Saint Paul the Apostle we say: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?…But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:55)”
When Saint Mary Magdalene ran from the open tomb to the Apostles on Easter Sunday she said with faith and excitement, “Christ is Risen – Truly He is Risen!” The glad tidings of Resurrection first proclaimed in the Upper Room continue to resonate through time to this very day. This Easter faith enlivens us, invigorates us, and makes us enthusiastic in proclaiming JESUS CHRIST IS LORD in the manner in which we live. We are mindful that we are people who promote life in imitation of God who brought His Only Begotten Son from the throes of death. Our Easter faith is the strength for our pro-life stance in the issues facing our world today.
Both of our parishes, Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Cecilia, will once again have an opportunity to participate in a project of our joint parishes’ evangelization committee. On Friday, April 17th – that’s a week from this Friday, we will conduct “THE JOY OF EASTER” in Hayes Hall beginning at 7 o’clock in the evening. This event is open to both parishes, old and young, families and singles for an evening of fellowship and faith-filled fun. You may recall “THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS” gathering we had in January which was a huge success. Next week’s gathering will be similar however with a few different surprises. I hope you will join us for this intergenerational gathering. I promise you won’t regret attending!
I welcome all of you to church this weekend and especially visitors and those whom we don’t see too often. Know how happy I am that you are with us to celebrate Our Lord’s Resurrection. Father Marcin, Father Jamie, Deacon Paul, Deacon Jakub and Deacon Lukasz join with me in wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and happy Easter!
Christ is Risen – Truly He is Risen!
Father Zig