Dear Friends,
This Second Sunday of Easter has been traditionally called “Low” Sunday, a reference to its almost anticlimactic nature in relation to the high festival of Easter celebrated just a week before. Of course, for all of us, in this very strange spring of the year 2020, the bulk of the season of Lent as well as Holy Week and Easter itself, have been lowered in intensity as our churches have been closed, access to the sacraments limited, and life in general curtailed by the crisis connected with COVID19. As low, and dark, and even as eerie as these days may seem on the surface, the circumstances of our time in no way cloud over or diminish the fundamental truth of our faith that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Mary, who was crucified, dead, and buried, has been raised by the glory of the Father and is alive and among us even now.
Pope St. John Paul II designated this Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter, as the Sunday of Divine Mercy, and there are very special blessings attached to the observance of Divine Mercy Sunday. Normally, there would be scheduled devotions in many churches, our own included, as well as the National Shrine of Divine Mercy, located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and under the care of the Marian Fathers. This devotion, like most everything else, has been curtailed because of the virus plaguing our nation and the wider world. However, that does not mean that we cannot properly observe Divine Mercy Sunday in our homes, by ourselves and with our families. Access the internet and print out the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayers and pray them, preferably at the three o’clock hour this Sunday. It takes but a few minutes, but our collective calling upon God, the Father of mercies, in this time of disturbance and anxiety, will be a demonstration of our faith and confidence in God, in whose hands all of us live and are sustained.
Know that all of you remain close to us, and we to you, in this time of social distancing. You and your intentions are included in every Mass and in all of the prayers of the priests and deacons of the parish. We all look forward to the day, which we hope will be soon, when we shall be together again in church. Please keep us in your prayers as well.
A final note: I am grateful for all who have made an effort to send in their weekly contributions. Many do so by mail. You are also strongly encouraged to look into contributing online. There is also a basket on the shelf at the back door of the rectory on Gulf Street where you can leave your envelopes. Just drop them there, ring the doorbell, and someone will come to take them inside. While we are being careful, as always, with parish funds, please realize that we still have bills that must be paid. Please do what you can, mindful of course, of your own financial circumstances.
May the Risen Lord bless and keep you all!