Today we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of Jesus. At Easter we proclaim the glory of the Resurrection. The suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection. Just as we share in the suffering of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in His glory. Through his Resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin. He has conquered death. This is the message of his Good News. When we embrace this message, we can show by our witness and by our actions that we are truly the body of Christ, the community of hope, and the Easter people of faith.
On this Easter Sunday, we welcome all to our vibrant Parish community. We especially welcome our large number of men, women, and children, who have completed a thorough period of inquiry, education and catechesis, and will be receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or the Eucharist for the first time at our Easter Vigil Mass. During their period of study, they have grown closer together, and they will be invited to go forth and preach the Good News of Jesus by word and example.
We also welcome all those who are attending our Church for the first time, and those who do not attend our Church on a regular basis. In addition, we invite you to become part of our community of faith.
The following prayer called “A Prayer for Renewed Faith During Easter” provided by the media outlet, “Prayerlit”, reflects the spirit of this day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
as we celebrate the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ,
I come before You with a heart seeking renewed faith.
This Easter, I ask that You strengthen my belief in Your promises and fill me
with the hope that comes from knowing Christ has conquered death.
Help me to trust in Your plan for my life and to walk in faith,
even when the path seems uncertain.
> May the power of the resurrection remind me that nothing is impossible with You.
Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who participated in our Holy Week liturgies and other services and activities. As we celebrate this day, I also want to thank you for all that you do to enhance the spiritual vitality of our wonderful Parish, and on behalf of our priests, deacons and staff, I wish you and your families a holy, happy and healthy Easter season.