Dear Friends,

Glorious Easter to you and your loved ones!

God promised a Savior Who would open the gates of Heaven. That promise was fulfilled through a series of events from the Annunciation to the Incarnation and through the Passion to the Resurrection. The Savior is Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. Now, we celebrate new life in Jesus. Can there be anything greater than wanting eternal life for our families and friends?

Spring brings new life, hope for days that are literally and figuratively brighter. Signs of new life abound in the first flowers, greening grass, birdsong, the appearance of babies in their carriages, the exuberant sounds of children at outdoor play. Of course, the ultimate sign of hope, of life, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and, with that, the reality of eternal life for everyone. May all these things renew us and energize us spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The word “Easter” comes from Old English, meaning simply the “East”; The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol of the rising Jesus, who, alone, is the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle used during the Easter Vigil is a central symbol of Jesus as the Divine Light. The paschal candle is lit for all liturgical celebrations throughout the Easter Season and, thereafter, during both funerals and baptisms to reinforce our understanding of both sacraments in terms of death and new life. During the lighting of the paschal candle, five grains of incense representing Jesus’s wounds are inserted in the form of a cross. An alpha above the cross and an omega below (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) indicate that Jesus is the beginning and the end of all. The current year is traced on the four sides of the cross.

The Easter Vigil is an utterly spectacular experience which leads us into Easter Sunday. The beauty and meaning of the Mass readings provide us with great certainty of access to eternal salvation that Jesus gained for us through His life, His passion, and His death on the Cross. The season of Easter continues beyond these celebrations, culminating in the Ascension of Jesus to His Father and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. All faith flows from faith in the Resurrection: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching and empty, too, is our faith.” (1 Cor 15:13-14)

In Christ, the Savior,
Fr. Jim