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Thainese
A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

The Week That Changed the World

    Dear friends, Each year the Church celebrates this holiest of weeks with reverence and awe. Every parishioner should do his or her best to attend the ceremonies of Holy Week. Why is it called Holy Week? Because it is a memorial of Jesus' death and resurrection; it reflects on the footsteps of Jesus as he walked through the last week of his earthly life. The entire life of Jesus was a prelude to the events and teachings during his final week.

    It is the holiest week of the year for Christians because it emphasizes God's love for each of us. Just as we look this time of year (spring) for signs of rebirth in nature (trees, flowers, etc...) we look for the rebirth of hope in our world and in each one of us. The resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday reminds us of the power of hope, that light conquers darkness, and eternal life prevails over death.

    This is the week that changed the world. The apostles, after receiving the Holy Spirit, preached of the events that happened in this Holy Week. Jesus is the Lord and Savior. He reconciled humanity with God the Father through his death and resurrection and that brought change to the world. He brings the same change to this modern world, here and now.

    What is commemorated this week, beginning with Palm Sunday, is that just as Jesus passed from this life to life eternal, through his suffering and dying for us, we, too, hope to pass from this world to God's eternal kingdom by means of our own suffering and death. The Lord surely desires to return his creation to God.

    The liturgies we celebrate these days are more than a simple recollection of the happenings of when Jesus died and rose from death. Rather, we are inserted into these memorable days and made sharers of the same saving deeds Jesus Christ, the Son of God, accomplished for our salvation and sanctification simply because God, our loving creator, wished it.

    Participating in the ceremonies is a powerful thing because the presence of every parishioner contributes to the prayer of all. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday - each liturgy offers a special grace.

   I invite everyone to give greater importance to participate in all the events of Holy Week that changed the world so that a great change also will happen in each and every one of us.

In the Service of the Lord,
  Fr Thainese Alphonse

 

     
       
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St. Bernadette Catholic Church