“Were you there?” It’s here! The holiest of all weeks is upon us. The week that our Lord and Savior gives His life for you and me. This weekend, Passion Sunday, we remember his entry into Jerusalem. It’s easy to see this as an event that happened 2,000 years ago, but it only reaches our hearts when we celebrate it as though we were there. “Were you there” is my favorite Good Friday hymn. In the Jewish tradition still present today it is mandated that during the Passover meal the son asks the father of the family a question: “Why is this night different from other nights?” To this, the father responds, “This is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.” Notice the “me” and “I.” In other words, Jewish tradition saw the Passover sacrifice and the Passover meal as making them spiritual participants in the first Passover night, no matter how many centuries had passed since the original Exodus. God’s original act of deliverance was somehow made present through the Passover Liturgy. Similarly, we celebrate God’s act of deliverance of saving you and me from sin and death every time we come to Mass through the new and everlasting Passover.
Easter Triduum: The word Triduum literally means ‘three days.’ Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday/Easter are the holy days of our redemption. To celebrate the Triduum is to embrace the truth of how we are saved—by a Person who willingly gave His life to take away our sins so that we may have eternal life. (See page 4 for more details.)
Excited: We will welcome 20 new members to our Church as they receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation for the first time at the Easter Vigil. Thank you to Maddie White and her team for guiding them through the process. We are excited for them.
Chrism Mass: This Thursday a small group from the parish will head to the Cathedral in Lansing for the Chrism Mass. During the Mass, the bishop will bless the oils that every parish will use for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick. Additionally, Fr. Dan and I will renew the vows we made at our ordination. The bishop will ask us the following questions: 1) “At your ordination you accepted the responsibilities of the priesthood out of love for the Lord Jesus and his Church. Are you resolved to unite yourselves more closely to Christ and to try to become more like him by joyfully sacrificing your own pleasure and ambition to bring his peace and love to your brothers and sisters?” 2) “Are you resolved to be faithful ministers of the mysteries of God, to celebrate the Eucharist and the other liturgical services with sincere devotion? Are you resolved to imitate Jesus Christ, the head and shepherd of the Church, by teaching the Christian faith without thinking of your own profit, solely for the well-being of the people you were sent to serve?” Like couples who renew their wedding vows on the day of their anniversary, the Chrism Mass is a gentle reminder of who we are as priests and why we were sent.
Blessing: Looking forward to blessing Easter baskets this Holy Saturday at 3 pm.
Serious: I recently read the contents of a conference that Pope Francis gave. He said the following about serious sin and receiving Holy Communion. He said, “We know that one who has committed a serious sin should not approach Holy Communion without having first obtained absolution in the sacrament of Reconciliation.” There are three conditions that make an act a serious or mortal (deadly) sin: an act of grave matter, committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.
Extra: Speaking of confession, from Monday thru Wednesday of this Holy Week we will have adoration from 8:30 am – 9 pm, as well as additional reconciliation times from 7 – 8 pm.
St. Mark’s Goodrich: As you may have heard last weekend at all the Masses, we will begin serving St. Mark’s in Goodrich beginning June 27 (new assignments always begin on the last Wednesday of June). We will remain two parishes. Although it may seem like more work (it will be), we are eager to serve. I look forward to meeting the good people of St. Mark’s in Goodrich. And blessings to Fr. Mike Kuchar on his retirement.
Have a blessed Holy Week!
With love and prayers.
Msgr. Jerry
“As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.”
St. Augustine