Dear Parish Family,

Christ is risen from the dead! I know, I know…it sounds like I'm two weeks early in saying that, but today's Scriptures with the raising of Lazarus from the dead give us an insight into the power that Christ has over death and fixes our hearts on Easter and the resurrection Christ brings.

God made us with the desire for eternal life written into our very being, but death seems to threaten the fulfillment of this innate desire. Death wasn't part of God's original plan for us. Satan knew that by tempting us to rebel from God through Original Sin, we would forfeit our right to eternal life by inviting death to hold power over us.

While Satan meant for death to be a curse for us and our final destruction, God incorporated death into His plan to become the very means of our salvation through Christ's resurrection! As St. Athanasius and the Church Fathers taught, death puts an end to sin and prepares us for eternal life. Praise God for His goodness in subverting the sting of death and making it into the gift of our salvation through Christ!

We still have one more Fish Fry this Friday, April 11 from 4:30-7:00 pm! Let's make this last one the most fin-tastic yet! All proceeds support our Adopt-a-Student scholarship for tuition assistance at St. Mary school. Thanks for your patronage and support! Remember we pray Stations of the Cross at 7 pm in church every Friday of Lent.

Please see our Holy Week schedule in today's bulletin. Be sure to carve out time in your schedule to celebrate the Triduum liturgies with us the week of April 14.

Remember we are in the Jubilee Year of Hope. St. Mary's in Chardon is a Jubilee host parish. A table is set up in the St. Mary gathering space with passports to visit Jubilee parish sites throughout the diocese, more information on the Jubilee Year, and how to gain indulgences. Take advantage of the grace of this year!

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow