Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Remember, we have FIFTY days of Easter so be filled with the joy of your happiness in Christ during the entire season and beyond!

My Easter gift to you is this beautiful meditation by our Holy Father from his book Behold the Pierced One...

“Christ summons us to find heaven in him, to discover him in others and thus to be heaven to each other. He calls us to let heaven shine into this world, to build heaven here. Jesus stretches out his hand to us in his Easter message, in the mystery of the sacraments, so that Easter may be now, so that the light of heaven may shine forth in this world and the doors may be opened. Let us take his hand! Amen.”

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The Feast of the Annunciation

Today the Church celebrates a special event in history, The Annunciation of the Lord, to Mary.

This event in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary is central to the life of the Christian. It is a celebration of the event of the Incarnation.

Each week, the Holy Father gives his "Angelus" message to a Wednesday audience.

Here is a version of the Angelus devotion:

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

V. And the Word was made Flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Veni Sancte Spiritus, Veni Per Mariam. (Come Holy Spirit, Come Through Mary.)

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The Church looks to Mary as an example of the attitude that produces the most fecundity in life. Having the attitude that Mary had ("Be it done unto me...") and asking her to help us find her son ("Do whatever He tells you...") is the key to approaching life as a positivity. It is the key to freedom. It reveals the reality that we are but receivers of the Other's initiative in our lives. Everything is given.

Mary, you said "Yes," to the Mystery, help us to say "Yes."

Mary, you were obedient without understanding, help us to be obedient.

Mary, you trusted when you were uncertain, help us to trust.

If we allow our experiences to correspond to that of Mary's, we too, like her, will bear Christ within us.

It's St. Joseph's Day!

This is a great week of feast days: St. Patrick, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and of course, today, St. Joseph!

St. Joseph is a very special saint. He was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of the second person of the Trinity: Jesus Christ.

He is the patron of the Universal Church--he protects the Church the way he protected Mary and Jesus during his life. He is also the patron of husbands, all workers, and a happy death.

This morning at mass, the Sisters of St. Joseph (their convent is right next to the chapel where morning mass is held) visited and gave us beautiful sun catcher static stickers with the image of St. Joseph holding baby Jesus.

This is a huge holiday in the Church. Today we have a special dispensation to break our Lenten fasts and celebrate the life of this wonderful man.

From my devotion this morning:

Now let us listen to what Saint Bernard has to say about Saint Joseph's intercessory power on behalf of his supplicants: "There are some saints who have the power of protecting in certain specific circumstances; but Saint Joseph has been granted the power to help us in every kind of need, and to defend all who have recourse to him with pious dispositions."

Beloved and kind St. Joseph, pray for us.

Happy Feast Day of St. Cyril of Jerusalem

St. Cyril was a major player in the fight against the Arian heresy. He lived from 315-386 A.D.

Here's a great quote from him, regarding the Holy Eucharist:

"Since He Himself has declared and said of the bread: This is My Body, who shall dare to doubt any more? And when He asserts and says: This is My Blood, who shall ever hesitate and say it is not His Blood? Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm."