Lent, Love, and Hope: Embracing Passiontide

04-06-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

We are now in the Fifth Sunday of Lent, entering into what the Church calls Passiontide. There is a noticeable change in the Church, with statues and crosses being covered. This is meant to impact our senses, reminding us that something different is happening in the life of the people of God. The following Sunday is Palm Sunday, leading into Holy Week. Passiontide shifts our focus from Lenten practices aimed at a change of heart to the saving act of Jesus on the Cross and the drama leading up to it. Reflecting on these stories helps us see the depth of God’s love for us in the gift of His Son.

We continue to look to the Cross as pilgrims of Hope. As part of the Lenten journey, the center page of the bulletin features a Prayer to the Holy Cross of Jesus, adapted from a prayer found in 1503 AD under the tomb of Jesus. I encourage you to pray this with a Cross or Crucifix in your hand. Make it a personal and private prayer to Jesus, who opens His arms wide on the Cross, allowing the tender and merciful love of God to shower down upon His people.

In addition to this prayer, I obtained 400 small handheld crucifixes from the Holy Land, made of olive wood. These crucifixes are special, inscribed with “Pilgrims of Hope 2025” on the back to remind us of our journey to the Cross as well as the celebration of the Resurrection. If you would like one, they will be available after all the Masses for a suggested donation of $20.00 per Cross. All proceeds will assist Christians living in the Holy Land during these challenging times. Your generosity is deeply appreciated. Additionally, there will be a collection on Good Friday to support Christians in the Holy Land. Anything we can do to assist them in their suffering is truly important.

Please keep in your prayers all those who are in the final weeks of preparation for Baptism into the Church, as well as those entering the Church from other Christian faiths and completing their initiation Sacraments at Easter. We have a large group this year, which is a testament to your witness and love as a community. Your invitation as parish members fans the spark of faith in others. To evangelize is to share the Good News: we have a Savior who is our strength and peace in a complex world. Keep sharing the Good News—one person, one invitation at a time. God loves all His people.

Next week marks Palm Sunday weekend. We will bless palms and read the Passion of our Lord. Please remember that Mass will run a bit longer, but giving God the gift of time is vital. The moments after Holy Communion, when we have received the Divine Presence of the Lord, are powerful opportunities for prayer as individuals and as a community. Receiving the special Holy Week blessing at the end of Mass strengthens us to be true witnesses of His love.

Please note: For the next two Sundays—Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday—Mass will begin at 7:00 AM instead of 7:30 AM. This adjustment allows us to better accommodate the larger number of faithful attending these significant Holy Days.

Passiontide Blessings as we find Hope in the Cross...

Fr. Fred