Dear friends,
-post-Easter thoughts that run through a clogged mind: relief, thankfulness and exhilaration, wishful thinking and reality.
RELIEF. Holy Week/Easter is a hectic time. Penance and confessions, palms, down to the Cathedral for the Chrism Mass, special services that require practice and special attention, over-crowded masses on Easter Sunday, etc., etc. It all makes for a very busy two weeks or so, and with all the usual stuff going on as well. So, there is a great relief when it’s all over.
THANKFULNESS AND EXHILARATION. The thankfulness part should be self-evident. I am thankful for and to all the generous souls who contributed their time and talent to the celebration of the Paschal mysteries (Holy Week and Easter). For the services to be celebrated properly and with inspiration, everyone needs to work together. And that happened in a wonderful way this year. The priests (Frs. Tom and Sean), the deacons, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, servers, sacristans and, in a special way the music ministry, worked so hard to make it happen. The choir and musicians had to practice so many different pieces for the different celebrations for Holy Week and their work paid off in the beautiful musical settings for all the Liturgies. Not to be forgotten are those who decorated the church, especially the Easter decorations. Their arrangement in setting and color (not to mention scent) brought all the senses into the experience of joy and reverence that filled the joy at every celebration. Another special word for the members of our Youth Ministry who served in all the liturgical roles at the 11:10 in the auditorium, and welcomed and directed people as they came across from the overcrowded church. Without you we could not have done it. And all the people behind the scenes, the rectory staff, the maintenance staff and everyone else who did their part. To one and all alike – our thankfulness and gratitude for work well done.
And exhilaration, as well. Because of the participation of so many in all of the services. Not that numbers count, but, when so many come, there is a palpable sense that faith, Jesus and the community of believers mean something in the life of so many. That so many attended Holy Thursday and Good Friday could mean that there is a renewed sense of the sacredness of these days in the lives of so many Catholics. I think we were losing that and to see this possible reversal encourages us who have dedicated our lives to announcing the saving message of Jesus Christ. That goes for the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well. Seven of us priests heard confessions at the Penance Service on Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:30 and on Wednesday, two of us heard from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM. Extraordinary. God bless those who were willing to wait so long to receive the sacrament. I invite every man, woman and child in the parish to do the same on these Saturdays of the Easter season. I don’t think you’ll regret it.
WISHFUL THINKING AND REALITY. The numbers on Easter were off the chart, as they say. Not that we judge by numbers. But we always hope that they are a sign that people are rediscovering the place of faith in their lives – that God really does love them and that the Risen Christ does seek to walk with them in their journey through life –good times and bad. To place my life in the hands of God will never leave me wanting. I am totally convinced of that. To be part of and walk in community of faith with other believers will always, always strengthen me in adversity. Just ask those for whom we have been praying these last weeks. So, the
Reality. Probably not. (By the way, the two masses at 11:00 seemed to work so well, we will not only do it again next year, we will probably add one at 9:30 as well, and maybe 12:30. Let me know what you think, especially if you attended the mass in the auditorium.)
So, you see, a lot of thoughts in this clogged mind of mine. Overwhelmingly good thoughts, for all of us together because I think we make one heck of a terrific community. And God Bless all of you for your part in it.
