My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

During Holy Week we commemorate the most important events in the Life of our Loving Savior Jesus Christ. These events of almost two thousand years ago are real and alive in our day.  What happened then continues to happen now.  This is the key to opening up the Life of Christ in our personal lives and in the world we live in.   

On Palm Sunday we liturgically commemorate the entrance of our Lord into the city of Jerusalem, where He would celebrate the First Mass on Holy Thursday, suffer and die for us on Good Friday, descend into Limbo on Holy Saturday to liberate the just, and then on the Third Day rise from the tomb.  Take a palm branch home and place it behind a crucifix as a sign of faithfulness to the Lord.

On Holy Thursday, the night before He died, He celebrated the First Mass.   He told us to repeat this sacred action throughout time by saying: “Do this in memory of me!” To love the Eucharistic Christ is to remain as close to him as we can all our days. The Bread and Wine become truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Divine Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

On Good Friday we recall the death of our Lord on the Cross.  He died to wash away our sins. At the services we hear the Passion, Solemn Prayers, then come up for the Veneration of the Cross, and finally receive Holy Communion.

On Holy Saturday we celebrate the Night of Nights, as we prepare for Easter Sunday, which recalls the glorious Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead.  We renew our Baptismal promises as we align ourselves with the Lord’s Victory over Death. This is a good day to recommit to assisting at Holy Mass at least on every Sunday and Holyday.  Children brought up with regular Mass attendance at Mass are exposed little by little to the entire life and teachings of Christ. Faith comes from hearing, as St. Paul says.  At Holy Mass Christ is truly present in His Sacrifice on the Cross, in His Real Presence, and as food for our souls in Holy Communion.

Yours in our Most Holy Redeemer,

Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor