March 9, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
“O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them...I will put my spirit
in you that you may live,...” These words of Ezekiel from today’s first reading are echoed by our Lord as He raises Lazarus from the dead as a sign of the new life which will be ours IF we believe and IF we live that
belief. As the Paschal Mysteries of Easter approach we are reminded of the new life which is ours through Baptism. Lazarus will die again, but Jesus gives us this miracle to tell us of the miracle which we will experience
after our death - the resurrection of the just. We have access to that redemption by way of the Church bringing us to the waters of baptism and thereby opening for us the graces of all the Sacraments. And we are prepared for the eternal life by our life of Grace lived in communion with Christ through the Sacraments. After our Baptism, our “little baptisms” - our confessions help us to live in the spirit as St. Paul urges us in the second reading. The Spirit dwells within us and we honor that gift by tending to our friendship with Christ by growing in the spiritual life.
Be sure to make a good Confession before Easter. I am grateful to the Priests who were with us for our Penance Service this past Tuesday. Monday, March 10 will be the Penance Service at St. Mary’s in Shelby. It is God’s will that we use His gift of the Sacrament of Confession so that each Holy Communion is worthy and fruitful. How blessed we are to have the Sacrament of Penance so available. The Sacrament is called Confession, because we “confess” our sins in kind, number and circumstance yet briefly. It is called Penance because we will do a penance. It is called Reconciliation because the end result of the process of examination, contrition, confession, absolution and satisfaction (penance) is that we are reconciled to God and to the Church (the people of God).
It is only 15 days until Easter. Today our “Elect”, those who will enter into Full Communion with the Church will choose their name during our Third Scrutiny. Please pray for them as they prepare for the Easter Mysteries of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion: Chris Dobbins Angela LeRoy Michael Quinn Jeff Templeton
Be sure to plan to be at all our Holy Week Liturgies. The Schedule is in the bulletin. Walk the Easter Triduum with your parish family. Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday’s Liturgy of the Passion and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening are the most beautiful liturgies in the Roman Rite of the Church. I hope you are planning to be with us for all of them these liturgies. The Youth Group will lead us in the Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 12:00 Noon. Thanks to all of them and their parents for preparing our meditation.
Last week we included in the bulletin is the explanation of how to make the Easter baskets for the blessing on Holy Saturday, March 22 at 10 AM. The foods we have given up during Lent will be a feast for Easter. Plan to make your baskets and be with us at Church on that Saturday.
During the Easter Season we will be looking for 6 candidates for service to our parish by membership on our parish pastoral council along with the chairs of the Commissions as appointed by the Pastor. Any Catholic in good standing who is a registered and active member of our parish can be nominated. The candidate must possess a fundamental knowledge of the Catholic Faith, be a registered supporting parishioner, have a regular routine of prayer and spiritual development in addition to the practices of Sunday and Holy Day Masses and regular Confession, have the interest of the growth of the spiritual life of the parish at heart and be ready to assist at the regular meetings of the council. The Parish Pastoral Council is a consultative body which operates under a consensus mode to discuss ideas for the good of the Parish presenting them to the Pastor for his discernment. If you know of someone who would be good for service on our Parish Pastoral Council, please give the name to Father Arnsparger.
We will pray for the discernment of the Holy Spirit for the rest of the Easter Season and on Pentecost Sunday, I will choose the names of the new members by lot under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.God bless you and may our Lady keep you in her care.
With prayers,
Fr. Arnsparger