News - March 2018 RSS Feed

Dear friends in Christ,
“Alleluia! Alleluia!” That double “Alleluia” is a hallmark of today’s great celebration of Easter. Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, has risen from the dead! The stone has been rolled away and the empty tomb lets all know without a shadow of doubt that death has been overcome. The appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples brings to fulfillment what had been foretold of Him in all of the Scriptures. The Messiah had to first suffer and die but he will rise again on the third day. Today is that day, and so we raise our voices in glory to God and to Christ the Redeemer, our Savior and King!

Dear friends in Christ,
Our celebration today on Passion (Palm) Sunday leads us into the most sacred and special season of the Church’s liturgical calendar, Holy Week. The palm branches we bless and carry today remind us of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. He comes not as a victorious king as some had hoped for, but rather as a willing servant that lays down His life for all. Truly He is a new type of king, one that the world had never seen. May these palms remind us of that entrance and, most importantly, what follows. Are we willing to go to the cross with Christ and die to the sin in our lives? If so, then this will indeed be a triumphant journey that ends not in death but victory and life-everlasting. But we must be willing to embrace the one and same cross of our Lord.

All of our parishioners were invited to attend the Redeemer Activity Center (RAC) Beam Signing Party! The steel girding beams are all in place, so parishioners were able to sign their family name (and leave a Bible verse) on one of the many steel beams that will hold up the RAC. See the story.

Dear friends in Christ,
I trust the Spring Break that many of you enjoyed this past week was a good one. It is important to take those periodic breaks to recharge and refresh our bodies and minds. In a way, Lent is kind of a “spring break” for our spiritual souls as well. We “break” from sin (hopefully for good!) and refresh ourselves in God’s mercy and grace. It’s a time to slow down and recognize that there is something bigger going on here than just our own wants and desires. The dying to self and sin results in new life within us. These 40 days will be over before you know it, just like Spring Break. Let’s resolve to use the time wisely so that we might better come to know the Lord in our life.

Dear friends in Christ,
This weekend we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday, from the Latin word “rejoice.” It is a day of joy in the midst of the penitential season of Lent, much like Gaudete Sunday is in the third week of Advent. It’s not quite Easter yet (we still have no Gloria or Alleluia at Mass), but it lets us know that our journey is in the homestretch. Keep the faith! It’s also the second scrutiny for our Elect at the 9 a.m. Mass as they make their way to the waters of baptism. Please remember to keep them and our Candidates for full communion in your prayers.

Dear friends in Christ,
Today is the first Sunday of what is shaping up to be a busy month for us at CtR, even with Spring Break on the horizon next week. It’s the 3rd Sunday of Lent, and the 31 days of March will take us all the way to the doorstep of Easter, which falls on April 1 this year. Let us continue to keep the hallmark disciplines of the season – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – foremost in our hearts as we make our way to the glory of the cross.