Dear Friends,
We have just about completed our Lenten observance, and how quickly these weeks have passed! We now come to the high point of the liturgical year, the week we call “Holy.” It begins with our remembrance of the Lord’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, as Jesus was acclaimed by the throngs that day as “the Son of David” and “the Messiah.” Their acclaim would be short-lived, very short-lived indeed. In a matter of days, many if not most of those who acclaimed Jesus as king and Messiah would be calling for his condemnation and death by crucifixion. How fickle they were! But lest we be too harsh and judgmental, we, too, can be fickle, lukewarm, indifferent, and even traitorous in the way we live, the choices we make. That’s the bad news.
But there is good news. The Lord loves us nonetheless, and God knows us better than we know ourselves. God looks at every single human person and the first thing he notices is not our sins and failings. He sees the image of himself reflected back at him. Yes, because of our sinfulness, our weakness and our failures, we can “muddy up” that image. We can cloud it over or even hide it. But the image is there nonetheless, waiting to be brought out from the shadows in which we often hide it. That is possible only through repentance, recognizing our failures, confessing our sins, but most of all, trusting in God’s boundless goodness, mercy and love. As Easter approaches, there is still an opportunity for you to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We have three hours of confessions scheduled this week. The usual hour on Monday evening from 6:00-7:00 at St. Mary’s and two hours on Saturday morning from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at St. Agnes.
Please take a copy of the bulletin with you and plan to come and participate at one or more of the various services that mark Holy Week. We begin with Tenebrae on Wednesday evening at St. Mary’s, a service of light, praying psalms, and hearing the almost mystical chanting of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah. Tenebrae is a beautifully moving service that closes our parish observance of Lent. As there will be no morning Masses on Thursday, Friday or Saturday, we will be instead offering Morning Prayer at 8:00 AM at St. Mary’s. The solemn services of Holy Week will be celebrated beginning with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Agnes on Thursday at 7:30 PM, the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Friday at St. Mary’s at 3:00 PM, and the Easter Vigil on Saturday at 8:00 PM at St. Mary’s.
Please note that there is no 4:30 PM Vigil Mass at St. Mary’s or 5:00 PM Vigil Mass at St. Agnes next Saturday. The only Mass will be the Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s at 8:00 PM. The Easter Sunday schedule will be the usual Sunday schedule, with one exception. There will be no 4:30 PM Sunday afternoon Mass at St. Mary’s.
I wish all of you a blessed Holy Week as we enter into the most profound mysteries of our faith.