Holy Week 2020 – By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The WorldJMJ 04-05-2020Dear Parishioners,Word for Last Sunday: 5th Sunday of Lent: The Raising of Lazarus

“Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” “Lazarus! Come out!”

The greatest temptation to doubt the existence and love of God is death. And now we are faced with the impending death of so many, maybe even in our own community and parish. We can feel that God has abandoned us. Last Friday, March 27th, the Holy Father gave a special Urbi et Orbi reflection and blessing to the Church and to the world. In it, he invited us to reflect on the Apostles being tossed in the storm on the sea, with Jesus asleep in the stern. “Master! Do you not care that we are perishing?!”

Do you not care? How many of us have said the same to our parents or heard our children accuse us of the same? Do you not care? Is it true that we don’t care about our loved ones? Then how can it be true about God, the Good Father? “The Lord does not delay His coming, though some consider it delay.” (2 Peter 3:9). The storm exposes our vulnerability and lays bare the weakness of our faith and self-discipline. The Holy Father reflects: “Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to faith. Which is not so much believing that you exist, but coming to you and trusting in you.”

Science can lead us to the Intelligent Designer, but only faith can help us trust Him. Jesus, I Trust in You!

We can look to so many other companions in our storm-tossed boat who we can see are filled with the Spirit’s gift of self-denial and courage, those who are serving the sick, those who are providing for all our basic needs, and those parents and grandparents who are teaching their children in new ways to adapt, to pray, and to serve. “Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons,” the Holy Father said. “Faith begins when we realize we are in need of salvation….. let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them.”

“Lord, if you had been here… do you not care?” “Of course I care: that’s why I created you!”

Beads of Hope Campaign!

Every Rosary, Chaplet or Adoration Hour will be counted as one “Bead of Hope.” We started this to help raise faith and funds for our parish projects, but now we need to pray for our world and our families, for the end of the pandemic. To participate, indicate how many rosaries, chaplets or Adoration hours you have already prayed on the “Rosary Checks” that are in the entries of both parishes. Let all pray and count on Beads of Hope! - Fr. Straz