A Letter from Fr. Paul - April 16, 2017

The Lord is truly risen!!! Alleluia!!! Alleluia!!!

I thank all those who gave so generously of their time and talent to make our Holy Week special: environment, ministers, musicians. I particularly thank Kathy Wellenstein, who coordinated it all, and Silas Henderson SDS and Michael Neeland SDS, who were our Masters of Ceremonies.

A 5 session course on the Sacraments by Silas Henderson, SDS will begin on Tuesday, April 25. See more details in this bulletin. All are welcome.

As I reflected on our Gospel from John, I was struck by the gradual process of understanding those closest to Jesus had to go through before they understood that Jesus had risen: Mary of Magdala thought “they” had taken the body away; Peter and John entered the tomb but we are told John believed (and Peter??). Over the Easter season we will have stories that show us the slow process the disciples went through to come to believe (Jesus ate food to demonstrate He was not a spirit, Doubting Thomas needed to touch, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, etc.).

So we should not be surprised that our understanding is incomplete and comes in little spurts or insights! That is why it is so important that we read the scriptures and take quiet time to reflect, giving the Lord a chance to help us grow in our comprehension. I pray that our Lenten journey with the One Percent Challenge has ingrained in us the habit of spending some quiet time with the Lord each day.

I wish each and every one of you a blessed Easter! May our celebration of the feast of our Salvation continue to bring new life to each of us individually, to our families, and to our parish family!

May God bless you.

-- Paul James Portland, SDS