Pastoral Letter: Come to the Table

Dear Sisters and Brothers –
 
This weekend we enter into Holy Week, the holiest days of the Church’s entire liturgical year. This sacred time begins on Palm Sunday, which we celebrate with the procession and blessing of palms, recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The Scriptures then recount Jesus’ anointing at Bethany and his prediction of betrayal by Judas and denial by Peter, leading us to Holy Thursday and the beginning of the Sacred Triduum, three days of prayer and sacrifice.
 
What seems like three liturgies across the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (the Easter Vigil) constitute one liturgy celebrating the Christian Passover, when death becomes the source of life. We begin at the Table on Holy Thursday, where we recall both Jesus’ call to humble service through the washing of feet and the gift of himself to us in the Eucharist. On Good Friday we tell the horrifying story of suffering and death, venerating the Cross for the love it signifies and the grace which was born of it. And finally, at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening, our Elect go down into the waters of death and are raised up to the promise of new life, trusting that all which is lost will be renewed, all that has died will come to life again.
 
The promise of our Paschal Triduum does not take away death or suffering in the world; it does not stop war or racism, violence or hate. But we are reminded that all these things are ultimately powerless against the forces of love, mercy and compassion. In Jesus’ embrace of suffering and death, he conquers its power and reminds us, too, that death ultimately has no power over us. Rather, we overcome the power of evil in the world by becoming Jesus’ presence in our world through our acts of love, mercy and compassion toward others.
 
I want to invite all parishioners and friends to join us for these three days of prayer and community, in companionship with one another and with our Elect of God who will be baptized and our Candidates who will be received into the Catholic Church from other faith traditions or complete their Catholic sacraments. You can find our Holy Week schedule on our website.
 
May God continue to bless us as we come to the conclusion of Lent. And, as always,
 
oremus pro invicem.
 
Fr. Greg