Dear Friends:
Happy Easter to all of you, dear St. Cecilia’s Parishioners And visitors. The Lord has risen. Alleluia.!
Today is Easter. Easter is the Feast of Redemption. Redemption presupposes an unhappy condition of humanity. It presupposes sin. Sin presupposes Adam’s fall and our falls. Jesus came to redeem us, to save us. Jesus is the Redeemer, the Saviour, the one who pays, who gives satisfaction for the whole of mankind by dying on the cross,. Jesus came into the world as the expiating victim. “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”)Jn.1.29) “Jesus loved us and gave himself for us.” (Gal.2.20). Hence Christ’s resurrection is the central truth of our faith. It is the solemn seal of Christ’s divinity and truth of His gospel.
Easter is the summit and centre of the Liturgical year, the solemnity towards which all other feast converge. It is the celebration of historic events and extraordinary divine wonders. Jesus fulfilling his earthly mission, delivers himself to the Father, “Father into your hands, I commend my Spirit.” (Lk.23.46).
The Father accepts Jesus’ sacrifice and raising him from the death on the third day, gives believers a new birth and a living hope. Means, The paschal mystery has two aspects.
- By his death Christ liberates us from sin.
- By his resurrection he opens for us a new life, A life of grace.
The Easter message is a message of life, the life of Christ present in His church. the message of victory of good over evil, love over hatred, unity over rivalry, generosity over selfishness, peace over violence, co-existence over strife, justice over iniquity, truth over falsehood, hope over despair and life over death.
It is the message of victory, of forgiveness, of mercy and reconciliation.
The glory of the resurrection is not for Him alone who is God everlasting and immortal. It is for us. In the risen Christ, man has conquered sin and death. We shall pass through the gates of death and find ourselves alive, glorious and completely filled if only we live the life of grace of God.
God bless you and your families!
Our dear bishop, Most Reverend Frederick Henry will be here in our Church on April 11, 2010 at the 11:00 a.m. mass to administer the Sacrament of confirmation to our children. Therefore I request all our parishioners to come with your families, relatives and friends, at 11:00 a.m. mass on April 11th to pray for our children. Our bishop will be more than happy to meet you all after mass.
The Pope established plenary indulgences on ‘Divine Mercy Sunday’ the plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions of confession, Eucharist and prayer for the intention of the Pope.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, which is on the first Sunday after Easter (this year it is celebrated on April 11th). The faithful have to recite the “Our Father”, the “creed” and any devout prayer such as, “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.” (Please see the list scheduled Divine Mercy celebrations taking place in the diocese on April 11th, 2010. We have the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration in our, St. Cecilia’s church at 4:00 p.m.
Fr. Chris
