Palm Sunday

Mar 30

Letter from the Pastor
April 2, 2023
Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday was always a big celebration in my family. It did not rise to the level of Easter, of course, but we did drive into Brooklyn to have dinner at my grandmother’s house with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, knowing that we would return the follow Sunday to celebrate Easter. Besides the wonderful memories, it also impressed on me the importance of Palm Sunday and the week that follows. It is not any ordinary week. It is a special week. It was a holy week.

The week began today with the story of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and takes us to the Easter Vigil on Saturday. This week of celebration, prayer, and remembering, is the peak and the summit of our faith. As Christians, nothing would make sense without this week.

In many ways, it echoes the pattern of our life. Think about it. Our youthful spirit start with the initial joy of life. We celebrate life and life is good. Then, eventually, we meet life’s challenges, pain, and suffering. At first it typically “rocks our world,” if you will, and usually forces us to question what we believe and perhaps even who we are. In some cases, it even challenges our understanding of God and who God is. Sadly, some are ripped from their childhood belief because the pain is so great and can find no reconciliation between life and a good God. For those who do not believe, the story ends in despair.

For those of us who do believe, God’s promise and presences carries us through it all. The joys of our life are celebrated by God and the hardships that ensnare us, we believe, are carried by God. This does not mean we are absolved of the burdens of fear and pain. The Garden of Gethsemane tells us even Jesus had to endure the deep pain of betrayal, injustice, and the worldly power struggles of his day. Yet, for those who believe, like Jesus, our faith tells us that God’s victory is ours. The Resurrection is real and life endures. That is the mystery we celebrate this week: Life Endures.

I do hope you can join us as we celebrate the three day Sacred Triduum that begins on Holy Thursday at 7:30 PM, continues at 3 PM on Good Friday, and ends with the Easter Vigil at 7:30 PM on Saturday. These three celebrations are actually one continuous celebration. In that alone, it is unique. It is like no other celebration that we have throughout the year because it is the apex of what we believe and who we say we are. God Triumphs! Life Endures!

We will also celebrate the Stations of the Cross at 3 PM on Good Friday if you would like to prayerfully lead into the 3 PM Good Friday service. The Easter Sunrise Mass will be at 6:15 AM on the beach at 3rd Street in Beach Haven. Unfortunately, there is a prediction of rain on Sunday morning. If that is the case, the Mass will be in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Beach Haven. Please check the bulletin for the entire Easter Sunday Mass schedule.

I would also like to take this opportunity thank those who so generously contributed to the Franciscan Relief Fund to aid the people of Syria and Turkey. The FRF has raised a total of $227,278 of which, St. Francis Parish contributed $7,262. Thank you for your great generosity and for your prayers for those who continue to suffer the cross of Christ in our day. May your generous spirit lift those who live in the shadow of the Cross and come to know the hope that comes to us through Jesus Christ Risen!

Happy Palm Sunday! Happy Holy Week!!