Faith, Love, and the Easter Journey

05-18-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend I will be celebrating Mass in Poland with 24 pilgrims. We will drive to a place where Saint John Paul II, as a young man, went to pray and reflect upon his life and service to God.

In the lush, green hills of Kalwaria Zebzydowska, we will visit the famous Calvary paths, an intertwining mesh of Churches, Chapels, and wayside shrines originally built to replicate the city of Jerusalem.

We will celebrate Mass at the Sanctuary of Kalwaria. We carry the prayers of the parish as we make this special journey. Hopefully, you have been joining us on the virtual tour by connecting on our social media pages. Check out our webpage for more information.

What is beautiful is that even though we are miles apart, the readings and what we celebrate remain the same—The Fifth Sunday of Easter. We, too, will hear and reflect on the new commandment to love one another.

This love is modeled by Christ, as it tells us: "As I have loved you, so you shall also love one another." What this means is that we, too, are called to a sacrificial love—ready to die to self and live for others. This means giving ourselves in love as a total gift as disciples of Jesus.

I like to think that this life is a school of love, where we are continually given opportunities to love in the perfect way of Jesus. It takes a lifetime of failures and successes that form us as followers of Christ. We come to a deeper understanding that we can only love like Jesus if we are one with Him. This is the Easter mystery.

We know that the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus is what gives us new life and new hope. We live in a new way with a new commandment—to love one another.

Next weekend, we recognize all graduating seniors from different High Schools in the Valley at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass.

We encourage all graduates to wear their graduation gowns to Mass and to be part of the procession.

After the homily, we will recognize and pray for each of them as they begin the next step on their journey.

Graduating seniors, please RSVP to the parish office at 480-661-9843, so we are prepared to recognize you.

May we continue to live as Easter people—remembering that we continue to live as believers and that our belief is evident every time we embrace love in simplicity and humility.

God is love, and we are blessed to share in that divine love.

Easter Hope and Peace,

Fr. Fred