Fr. Groeschel--"Happy Easter from Judas!"

From the CFR Website:

Let’s take this beautiful feast of Easter and celebrate it by praying in our hearts, “ Jesus is Lord.” That’s the shortest and most succinct Christian creed, “ Jesus is Lord.” Let us joyfully celebrate the resurrection. For years The New York Times has ignored the celebration of Easter entirely. I wrote to them some time ago and they told me they would change, but they didn’t. I’m happy to say that The New York Sun, which is owned by Jewish people and not published on the Sabbath or Sunday, had a beautiful photograph of the Pope on Good Friday morning and also recognition of the Christian message of Easter. Let’s look at where our friends really are. May I ask you to take a look at the New York Sun if you live in our area? In any event keep reminding people, “ Jesus is Lord.”

Divine Mercy Novena--Day Three

Third Day

"Today bring to Me All Devout and Faithful Souls and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness."

Go here for instructions.

To the City and the World--"Easter Peace"

As the Risen Lord breathed upon the anxious Apostles saying, "Peace be with you!", Pope Benedict XVI on his 79th birthday greets the City of Rome and the World in 62 languages with a message of peace.

From Asia News Italy:

“May the Risen Lord grant that the strength of his life, peace and freedom be experienced everywhere. Today the words with which the Angel reassured the frightened hearts of the women on Easter morning are addressed to all: "Do not be afraid! ... He is not here; he is risen (Mt 28:5-6)". Jesus is risen, and he gives us peace; he himself is peace. For this reason the Church repeats insistently: "Christ is risen - Christós anésti." Let the people of the third millennium not be afraid to open their hearts to him. His Gospel totally quenches the thirst for peace and happiness that is found in every human heart. Christ is now alive and he walks with us. What an immense mystery of love!”

A Blessed Easter to All!

I live, no not I, but Christ lives within me!

I Am Risen

by Brother Sylvain, of Taize

Holy Saturday

Mandylion

By Michael O'Brien

From the Office of Readings:

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all”. Christ answered him: “And with your spirit”. He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light”.

From an Ancient Homily.

Divine Mercy Novena-Day 2

Second Day

Today bring to Me the Souls of Priests and Religious and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind.

Go here for instructions.

Spectator's at the Cross

"And the people stood by by, watching"
Luke 23:35

This is a poignant statement made by Luke in his gospel as to what the people of Jesus' time did as they followed him to Calvary and then to his crucifixion.

We spent our Good Friday at a parish that once served the Irish immigrants and now serves the Hispanic and Asian communities that have come into this country. A somber yet festive recreation of the Passion of Jesus with the Stations of the Cross that led us out of the compound of the parish and into the streets of one of the more crime heavy areas of the city. A slow moving procession of about three hundred souls chanting: "Lord have mercy on your people!"as Jesus carrying his cross went through the streets being beaten by Roman soldiers as though he were a beast carrying a load for them--of course he was carrying the load of our sins on that cross!

Along the way the people of the neighborhood gathered at their doors--people of all types, some scantily clad (it was close to 80 degrees--summer like here), some on cell phones :"and they watched"--and of course I too "watched"--they the recreation of the passion in their streets, me the ongoing passion that no doubt is being lived in their lives.

God save us all, we who watch as your Son is crucified. We who stand by as He passes through our streets, offering us mercy that we dare not rise up to receive. We who receive that mercy and do not reach out to share it with those in need.

The local media records the event:



Photo by Cathie Rowland