Today, we celebrate Palm Sunday. This celebration begins our entrance into Holy Week. This next week is the highlight of our entire existence as Christians. This week, we celebrate the Mysteries of our Faith, beginning with the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem with loud shouts of Hosanna! These same voices by Friday will be the voices calling for the crucifixion of Jesus. So much will happen in a week. I truly encourage you to enter deeply into the celebrations and the prayer that surrounds Holy Week.
This week, our parish schedule will be a bit different, as it is every year. I thank Father Ray Gramata for his help this weekend and next while I am at SCI Mercer celebrating mass. Father Ray will be the celebrant at this Sunday and next 11a mass. This Monday, while there is no mass here in our parish, I will be in Erie at the celebration of the Chrism mass. This special mass is where the Holy Oils we use in our sacraments are blessed and consecrated. If you have never participated in this special liturgy before, I encourage you to join us online via the Cathedral’s Facebook Page, or make the journey to the Cathedral in Erie. (I will do my best to share it via our Facebook page.)
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will have our normal 8a masses in our parish. On Thursday, the only mass we are permitted to celebrate is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7pm. This special mass is the beginning of the Holy Triduum, and is one continual celebration that starts with the celebration of this Holy Day and ends with the celebration of the Easter Vigil, which must start after sunset on Saturday night. Our celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday will be at 12:15pm. No celebration of the Holy Eucharist is permitted throughout the world on Good Friday. You will notice that we do not conclude with the sign of the cross on Holy Thursday, nor will we make the sign of the cross on Good Friday at the beginning or end of the liturgies; this is because it is one continual celebration showing forth the mysteries that occur from the celebration of the Last Supper through the celebration of the Great Resurrection of Our Lord. Our Easter Sunday Mass Schedule will be at 8am and 11am.
Here are a few thoughts for the week ahead:
The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Keep watering your dreams, hopes, and goals. Motivation gets you going; habit keeps you going. Don’t measure your progress using someone else’s ruler. Some things have to end so that better things can begin. Faith can move mountains; doubt and fear can create them.
Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy
