From the desk of Fr. Barry:
Happy Easter everyone! This is my ultimate favorite time of year, and I have to say this is the most unusual Holy Week any of us have ever celebrated. Our Masses are being brought to us through the television, radio, or the internet. Distance is the focus of our actions. Trying to contain and stop the spread of this vicious virus, Covid 19 is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. With it has brought a time of anxiety for some, a time of doubt, a time of unsureness for others, and a time that some have gotten depressed. But through it all, the message stays the same. CHRIST HAS RISEN!
During these last 40 days we have focused on our relationship with Jesus. We have journeyed in private or public settings, developing a closer relationship with a God who loves us so much he sent his only begotten Son to redeem us. Taking on our sin, our unworthiness, or brokenness, our humanity to unite us in a way that we had never been united before. And this was all done out of LOVE! It was through his example that we are able to see what an authentic, faithful
life looks like.It was this journey that has allowed us to mirror the life of Jesus Christ. How did we do? Did we spend time contemplating the mysteries of the Cross? Did you attend the Stations and try to unite Christ’s suffering within us? Did we talk to him more? Did we succeed in adding or deleting something from our lives that we didn’t have before these 40 days? If the answer is yes, then the Holy Season served you well! If the answer is somewhat, I tried, or a flat out no; there is still good news!
It’s not over! We continue in this Holy Season of Easter for eight more weeks, ending with Pentecost Sunday on May 31st. After all the Easter basket goodies have been eaten up, the new clothes the kids received maybe already have holes in them, or the dyed eggs are all gone... Jesus is still making himself present and we are still being guided by the Holy Spirit.
This Sunday, may we see Easter as a time of renewal. May we see it as a time to continue good habits while turning away from those that were bad. May we see that the sacrifice of Our Lord and Savior was for each of us, knowing that we are not perfect but we strive to imitate Christ and be holy people. May we see that the world needs the kindness, compassion, forgiveness and love from our Lord, which ultimately is given to us from him. Now the question remains, do we keep it, hold on to it, and never let it go? Or will we pass it on and make this world the world God wants it to be!
Blessings for a joyous and Happy Easter,
Fr. Barry
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