Happy Easter! What a joy it is for Fr. Fabian, Deacon Tom, Deacon Larry, and me to celebrate this Easter with you. Our Lord is risen! The resurrection of Christ anticipates our own resurrection, when He will raise us up, body and soul, to live with Him in eternal life.

We celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend and enter into Holy Week. Lent intensifies dramatically this week as our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving lead us to be with Jesus in His Passion leading up to the resurrection.

We have two weeks until Easter. Next weekend is Palm Sunday. Fr. Fabian and I look forward to journeying to Jerusalem together in prayer with Jesus and with one another as we prepare for Holy Week, Triduum, and Easter.

I was reflecting this past week about how grateful I am for the blessing of these days with you. Whether it’s praying together at Mass, ministering with one another, or just spending time together, I hope you can see this time we're in with all its ups and downs as a gift from the Lord.

The next three Sundays of Lent we will hear from the "Scrutiny" Gospels. These readings help us 'scrutinize' our lives in the light of God's redeeming love. While God's love is always merciful and tender, it is also challenging as it calls us to give up old sinful ways and enter into newness of life.