THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT: THEY HAVE RETURNED TO THE LORD! They have returned to worship as a community: THEY ARE BACK ENTERING THE JOY OF THE HOLY WEEK!
We have just entered this Holy Week with GREAT JOY. I was present at all Masses this PALM SUNDAY: what a JOY to see our church as packed as ever: one could not find a seat at the 11:30 am Mass. At the 7 pm Mass, there was standing room only following an outdoor procession as long as ever. I felt in my heart: THEY ARE BACK! PRAISE THE LORD! Our entire parish community has been praying for the return of everyone to the Eucharistic Celebration. They were living in darkness away from the Eucharist. They have now returned to worship as a community. Let us keep praying that THE JOY OF ENTERING THE HOLY WEEK will continue week after week. Let us all keep being Evangelizers sharing the Good News of the Risen Lord. Let us all keep sharing our Joy of ENCOUNTERING THE LORD: HE IS ALIVE! HE JOINS US AT EVERY MASS! EVERY MASS IS EASTER: every Mass we die with the Lord, every Mass we rise with the Lord!
What a JOY to welcome back people in the Confessional: "Father, my last confession was more than three years ago, before Covid". The long lines for confession have returned. What a JOY to welcome back people to RECONCILIATION WITH GOD, people eager to share the EUCHARIST in community.
Yes, our church was packed on Palm Sunday as in pre-Covid years. Yes, these have been three long years since we had to close the church for a few weeks at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, we have just celebrated a Magnificent Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that I love numbers. But it is not about numbers. It is about encouraging people to come back to church (no more watching Mass on TV!). It is about helping one person at a time to encounter the Love of Christ. It is all about seeing Christ in everyone we encounter! It is not easy, but we can do it with the Grace of the Holy Spirit!
AT THE EASTER VIGIL MASS WE WILL SING THE ALLELUIA! WE WILL SING AGAIN THE GLORIA! WE WILL PROCLAIM THE LORD IS TRULY RISEN! EASTER MORNING IS COMING!
WE CAN CRY OUT: HE IS TRULY RISEN!!! WE CAN NOW CELEBRATE THE GREAT JOY OF EASTER, THE GREAT JOY OF THE RESURRECTION!!! THE TOMB IS EMPTY: HE IS RISEN! HE IS ALIVE, ALLELUIA!!!
We have awaited this great moment not only during the 40 days of Lent but since CHRISTMAS, since the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ when GOD BECAME MAN SO THAT MAN CAN BECOME GOD. Christmas is the beginning of the transformation of our lives. EASTER IS THE SUMMIT of the mountain of GOD: by His death on the Cross Jesus conquers death once and for all, and by His resurrection, Jesus leads all of us to ETERNAL LIFE, LIFE TOTALLY WITH HIM FOREVER! This is our CHRISTIAN HOPE. This is our SALVATION. This is the entire Purpose of our Life. JESUS Is the one pouring out HIS HOLY SPIRIT on each of us abundantly. We just have to desire to open our hearts to HIM.
I have said many many times and, I like to repeat it again and again: EVERY MASS IS CHRISTMAS! EVERY MASS IS EASTER! Every Mass is the Center of our Life. Every Mass Jesus dies for our sins. Every Mass Jesus gives us HIS FLESH TO EAT AND HIS BLOOD TO DRINK! HE IS REALLY PRESENT!
In addition to being a sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross to take away our sins, the Mass is also the celestial banquet, a great celebration with all the angels and Saint in Heaven, a foretaste of our future life in Heaven. Heaven is to be with God. Heaven begins on earth. THE MASS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH!
In John Chapter 6, THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE (John 6: 53-56). Jesus says to each one of us: " AMEN, AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you ...WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD HAS ETERNAL LIFE AND I WILL RAISE HIM ON THE LAST DAY. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM."
I invite all of us to meditate on the above most powerful words from Jesus. He speaks to the hearts of each one of us. May those keywords help us strengthen our Faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior and our Faith in His Real Presence in the Eucharist as we prepare to receive Him on the night/morning of His Resurrection. JESUS IS ALIVE!!! HE IS RISEN!!! HE IS TRULY RISEN!!! ALLELUIA!!!
May you all have a most blessed Easter!
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain