Celebrate the Central Mysteries of our Faith - APRIL 9, 2006

The Palm Sunday begins recalling the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Then and now Jerusalem is a war zone where there is little peace or security. Factions exist everywhere as retaliation and revenge are the order of the day. Yet there is a bit of Jerusalem in all of us. We maintain our grudges, we withhold justice, we return tit for tat, evil for evil, insult for insult. Yet Jesus still comes as he desires to enter our Jerusalems. Instead of revenge Jesus wants to teach, forgive and heal us. Holy Week is about our call to respond to the heroic love of Jesus. Paul reminds us that Jesus emptied Himself of power and diversity and took the form of a servant. We too then are called to empty ourselves of resentment, grudges, and selfishness. During this week we celebrate the central mysteries of our faith. Come and be a part of the Triduum as we welcome new members to our community of faith, witness Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, venerate the cross, renew our baptismal promises and are fed at the table of the Lord. It brings me great joy to experience Holy Week for the first time here at St. Luke’s.

Fr. Bob Hawkins APRIL 9, 2006