From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy
Today, Easter Sunday is a very special day. We celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Jesus. We welcome all, to our vibrant Parish community. We especially welcome all those who have completed a thorough period of catechesis and will be receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or the Eucharist for the first time. They will be invited to go forth and preach the Good News of Jesus by word and example. We also welcome those who do not attend our Church on a regular basis. We invite you to become part of our community of faith. We invite you to take a risk and step out of your comfort zones. You will be welcomed. But you will also be challenged to be a better person, challenged to be a better Christian, challenged to be a better disciple, challenged to truly embrace the Lord and trust in Him.
Today we proclaim the glory of the Resurrection. One of our leading Catholic scholars reminds us that on this day we proclaim our liberation from the spiritual bondage of sin and death. We are delivered from sin and restored to grace. Today, the suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection. Just as we share in the cross of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in His glory. Our faith in his Resurrection means we can place our trust in his entire life. All his words are true. We can believe that he is truly with us in our time of struggle. We can trust that his promises will be fulfilled if we remain faithful to him.
We are invited in a special way on this day to make time for Jesus. We may continue to make time for Him by making time for our spiritual well-being. We can make time for prayer with our family. We can make time for spiritual reading and reflection. We can make time for Mass on a regular basis. We are also invited to reaffirm our belief in the Lord’s promises. Through his Resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin. He has conquered death. This is the message of his Good News. This is the message of Easter. We are challenged to truly embrace this message. And when we truly embrace this message, and when we truly believe in the Lord and his Resurrection, it is then that we are truly living as the people of God, a community of faith, and as the Body of Christ he has called us all to be.
I thank you for all that you do to enhance the spiritual vitality of this wonderful Parish. I wish you and your families a glorious Easter season.