When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
The itinerate preaching, miracle working, religious figure from the unsophisticated north region of Galilee was known by only a few of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. As Jesus’ followers accompanied his arrival into Jerusalem with Hosannas, they were proclaiming his importance to the many who knew nothing of him. As we enter into this Holy Week, we accompany Jesus Christ into his Passion, and we join our voices with all those who know him. This week we will be joined by many who seek to know Christ. This week, many of our family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers will be awakened to this holy mystery which is the foundation of our faith. This week is an extraordinary moment of evangelization.
In these days, we see the service of the master who washes the feet of his disciples. We witness the sacrifice of the innocent for the sins of the guilty. We recognize the institution of the Sacrament which sustains us daily as a memorial of that sacrifice. We find our hope in the empty tomb and the eyewitness accounts of those who observed, with their own eyes, that death has no power over Christ.
This is the week that the question “Who is this?” is answered for us again. It is a week for us to belong more deeply to Him whose love is freely given to us so that we may unite our suffering to His, our sins to the reconciliation He grants and our joy to His resurrection. It is because of this week that you and I together can echo the words of those who first shouted hosannas, “This is the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.” Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb during this Holy Week.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE – The entire schedule can be found elsewhere in the bulletin. I look forward to sharing this week with all of you. May the sanctity of this week bear fruit in our personal faith and the dramatic growth of the church here on Long Island. PLEASE NOTE THE SPECIAL SCHEDULE FOR EASTER SUNDAY.
EASTER WEEK OF ADORATION – Throughout the first week of Easter, our parish will be participating in a special week of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Beginning Monday, April 6 through Friday, April 10 from 8:00 am-8:00 pm, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place in the Chapel of the Fr. Graham Center. Don’t miss the opportunity to stop in to pray and spend time with God. We need many volunteers to be assured that the Blessed Sacrament is never left unattended. Please email Tom Griffin to sign up for an hour time slot ThomasG@srolchurch.org.
RECONCILIATION MONDAY – Every parish in the Dioceses of Rockville Centre and Brooklyn, as well as the Archdiocese of New York, will have priests available for confessions this Monday. The goal of providing an extended time for priests to hear confessions on this day is to have as many people as possible celebrate the sacrament, especially those who have been away from Confession for a long time.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity? Especially if you have not been to Confession in 5 or 10 or 20 years (or even longer), this is a great opportunity. We promise you a warm welcome! We promise you an experience of joy! We promise you that you will have an encounter with Jesus that will leave you feeling the best that you have felt in a long, long time!
Peace!
