..May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY
and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
When someone returns from a mission― to the grocery store to look for a missing ingredient, or to a prospective employer to look for a new job, or to a bookstore to look for a rare book― we often ask, "Any luck?" By contrast, the British usually ask, "Any joy?"
"Any luck?" suggests a world of chance where the person's goal is paramount.
"Any joy?" suggests a world of providence where the person's deepest delight is paramount.
At the Last Supper Jesus said to his disciples, "When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:21-22).
And on that first Easter Evening, the promised joy was realized when "Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19-20).
We feel JOY for a present reality; we feel HOPE for a future reality.
St. Peter puts it this way, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:3-5a).
The Resurrection is at once the source of our present JOY and our future HOPE. As St. Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica: "We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ . . . for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 1:2-6).
Together Peter and Paul reveal a great mystery: Because we have been born into a living HOPE for a future reality through the resurrection of the dead, we can feel JOY even when the present reality is filled with persecutions and problems.
Any JOY? Yes, because our HOPE is a resurrection HOPE!
Any HOPE? Yes, because our JOY is a resurrection JOY!
Faithfully yours,
PALM SUNDAY AND HOLY WEEK OBSERVANCES
PALM SUNDAY (March 28) Child Care at all services
8:00 A.M. – Liturgy of the Palm, Passion Narrative, and Holy Eucharist
9:00 A.M. – Liturgy of the Palm, Passion Narrative, and Holy Eucharist
. .and Last Supper reenactment for 3, 4, and 5 year-olds
11:00 A.M. – Liturgy of the Palm, Passion Narrative, and Holy Eucharist
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK (March 31)
7:00 A.M. – Holy Eucharist and light breakfast
MAUNDY THURSDAY (April 1)
7:30 P.M. – Institution of the Holy Eucharist
Child Care provided
followed by the Stripping and Washing of the Altar
9:00 P.M. – Watch at the Altar of Repose until . . .
GOOD FRIDAY (April 2)
7:00 A.M. – End of Watch and Mass of the Pre-Sanctified
Noon - 3:00 P.M. – The Three Hour Vigil at the Cross
. .with Meditations on the Seven Last Words
7:30 P.M. – Good Friday Liturgy and Stations of the Cross
Child Care provided
HOLY SATURDAY (April 3)
4:30 P.M. – Service of Water and Light
– for children and adults – Potluck Dinner following
EASTER DAY (April 4) Child Care at all services
8:00 A.M. – HOLY EUCHARIST AND RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS
9:00 A.M. – HOLY EUCHARIST AND RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS with Children's Sermon
11:00 A.M. – HOLY EUCHARIST AND RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS
Father Roberts and Mother Potter will bring the Holy Communion to our sick and homebound parishioners during Easter Week. Please let them know if there other persons known to you who would like to receive Easter Communion.
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