On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
|
|
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
|
|
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
JN 20:1-9
|
|
On behalf of your parish clergy: Msgr. Dick Kopp, Deacon Daniel Stevens and Deacon Mike Colabufo, and on behalf of all the staff and all who minister in different ministries in our parishes, I would like to take this time to wish you a HAPPY EASTER 2020. May the joys and the power of the Risen Lord of glory fill your hearts as we listen to the angels say, “He is not here; He has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee….” Lk.24:6.
Thank you for the gift of your faith in God which continues to help us to navigate through these hard and challenging times of Coronavirus pandemic. It is this faith which continues to help us to make sense out of senseless and allow us to move on. It guides us to navigate through the huge darkness of what is happening today. The presence of Covid-19 is teaching us to do things differently as we avoid public gatherings to maintain social distance, learn new ways of washing our hands and sanitizing them, avoid touching our faces to prevent the virus entering our bodies. Our churches, schools, malls, and many other public places are closed and now we are learning new ways of doing church, school, mall, bank, restaurant, and so on. We are blessed to have technology in our side which provide us with live-streamed, recorded, and televised holy Masses, virtual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, live-streamed Recitation of the Holy Rosary, and so on. Our children are able to do on-line classes to catch up with learning. Many restaurants have taken the path of “take-out” only and many groups now are doing virtual meetings through Zoom.com or many other apps.
With all these good innovations still we are clouded with understanding this pandemic which continue to claim the lives of many, destroying the ways of our lives, and prevents us even to walk into our own churches to celebrate our faith? We ask ourselves thousands of questions with no answers. Are we going to have palms, celebrate Holy Week, etc? How can we bring this pandemic to the end and be able to claim our freedom? How will life be in post-Corona era? While we used to live day-by-day, it seems now we do so hour-by-hour.
Reading the Holy Scriptures especially the Gospels brings us to the story of our salvation in Jesus Christ. The story of our salvation is full of narratives which show us how the people of different times were challenged to fully comprehend what was going on in their times. Just let’s focus on the story the Passion of Jesus during the Holy Week and the whole of Easter Season. The people of Jerusalem cheered the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem with palms and songs of Hosanna son of David. They thought of him as the King who came to throw away the Roman Empire. Was he? Shortly, the disciples were confused of the Last Supper which transforms the Old Passover into the New Passover. Was it old or new?
They were even confused to hear that one of them would betray Jesus. The disciples were completely confused when Jesus was caught and sentenced to death. There was not enough time to comprehend what was going on. They all entered into the Passion of their master in different manner. Peter denied Jesus three times. Mark cut the ear of the servant by the knife. Veronica wiped the face of Christ. Simon the Cyrene helped Jesus to carry the cross. Mary the mother of Jesus and John are stood under the foot of the cross. Jesus was hung on the cross. Jesus died on the cross. Joseph of Amalthea buried the body of Jesus. Three days after his death and burial, while disciples gathered in seclusion for the fear of being destroyed like their master, the all hear the story of Jesus’ resurrection. What is all this about? Life-death-life again? What does it mean? Is it sensible? Fears and doubts? For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus remained into the world as he makes appearance to his disciples. He reminds them of what he had taught them about himself and how all the holy teachings of the prophets spoke about him. Slowly by slowly, the disciples’ darkness was transformed into light. They were able to understand that Jesus is the way, the life, and the truth. He is the Lord. He is the Savior of the world.
As God walked the children of Israel from the house of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land, as Jesus walked the disciples through the story of his life, death and resurrection, the same God will walk us through the darkness and uncertainties of COVID-19 into the light he intends us to experience. Let’s walk in this darkness with faith in him alone. Being Easter people means celebrating the Good News of the Risen Christ and opening our hearts and eyes to the signs of new life within and around us.
Happy Easter 2020! Truly He is Risen, Allelua! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT to our parishes!
|
|
HOLY SATURDAY – THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT
First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:2 Six Reading: Baruch 3:9-15, 32 – 4:4
Second Reading: Genesis 22: 1 - 18 Seventh Reading: Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15 – 15:1 Epistle Reading: Romans 6L3-11
Fourth Reading: Isaiah 54:5-14 Gospel Reading: Matthew 28: 1-10
Fifth Reading: Isaiah 55: 1-11
Reflection: The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil takes place at night, so that it begins after nightfall and ends before daybreak on the Sunday. This Vigil is arranged in four parts. Part I features the service of light and the Easter Proclamation. Part II is the Liturgy of the Word in which the Church meditates on all the wonderful things
God has done for his people from the beginning. In Part III as the day of resurrection approaches, new members of the church are reborn in Baptism. And finally in Part IV, the whole Church is called to the table the Lord prepared for his people through his Death and Resurrection. Holy Saturday liturgy is very powerful as it is the center of our faith.
Fr. Severine
|
|
EASTER SUNDAY – THE RESSURECTION OF THE LORD
(MASS DURING THE DAY)
First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37 - 43
Responsorial Psalm: 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Gospel Reading: John 20:1-9
Reflection: He who was stripped of his dignity by our human insults and beatings, he who carried the cross to Calvary, He who died on the cross. He who was buried in the tomb, he is no longer to be found among the dead. He is risen from the dead. He is alive. This the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad, Alleluia!” The Lord is risen from death, Alleluia! Alleluia! In the Communion Antiphon we sing:
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed, Alleluia; therefor let us keep the feast with
the unleavened bread of purity and truth, alleluia, alleluia. HAPPY EASTER TO YOU
ALL AND ALL YOUR LOVED ONES. May the joys of Easter dwell with you during all
these fifty days Easter. Easter is not a single day. It is the whole season.
Fr. Severine
|
|
Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement. In this world of pain, sorrows, and tears, Easter reminds us that life is worth living. It is our belief in the Real Presence of the Risen Jesus in our souls, in His Church, in the Blessed Sacrament, and in Heaven, that gives meaning to our personal, as well as to our common, prayers. Our trust in the presence of the Risen Lord gives us strength.
Whenever two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is in our midst. Early Christians did not have churches to go to; they gathered in their homes for communal worship. Gathering for prayer in the home does not take the place of the Eucharist but is an opportunity for us to be able to experience, in very real ways, other manifestations of Christ’s presence. One of these ways is by reading and reflecting on Scripture together, either informally or by having a liturgy of the word at home.
Now that we are disconnected from going to church and all the church activities, this is a great opportunity to, with those God has given us to be around, even if it is only two or three people, to sit in a circle, break open the word, and read it out loud together in our safe spaces. This is an opportunity for us to become the domestic church again and to have symbols around us - a crucifix, a candle, holy water. All of these things allow us to bring our religious experience from church into the home.
Let us light our candles, incarnate the gestures of the liturgy, and pray with our desires for Communion and communion, trusting that God will give us both spiritually, until and even after we receive them physically again.
|
|
|
|
Staying in Touch while Staying Safe
As we all work together to overcome the many obstacles in this crisis time, we want to be sure we have your most current information to connect with you. Please send an email to the rectory at
bsc3127james@gmail.com and provide your name and email. If you do not have an email, please call the rectory at 315.437.3394 and provide a contact number. We would like to keep in touch with our parishioners and ask that our church community do the same and reach out to our parish family members as much as possible.
|
Catechesis for the Faith Community
On Friday afternoon when Jesus died, the women had not been able to finish the customary preparation for burial. The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday, so Mary of Magdala hurried to the tomb Sunday morning to complete her task. She found the tomb empty. Certain that Jesus' body had been stolen, she ran back to get the other disciples. Peter and the other disciple also found an empty tomb but with Jesus' clothing rolled neatly and placed where his body had been. The disciples still didn't understand about the resurrection and Mary wept. As she cried, two angels appeared asking why she was crying. She then saw a gardener and asked him where the body might be. When he called her by name, Mary immediately recognized Jesus.
Things weren't as they seemed to Mary Magdalene either that first Easter morning. Our errors in perception often work to remind us that God's plan is not always obvious, but that we are challenged to trust in the promise of the resurrection. How can we be symbols of the Easter message to each other?
|
|
The association of Alleluia with Easter led to the custom of intentionally omitting it from the liturgy during the season of Lent, a kind of verbal fast which has the effect, not of depressing the mood of the liturgy, but of creating a sense of anticipation and even greater joy when the familiar word of praise returns. When the Alleluia does return, it is with an incredible flourish. The good news is proclaimed that Christ is risen from the dead. The dramatic effect of the return of the Alleluia is heightened considerably by the fact that no alleluias have been heard since Lent began. We let it rest, as it were, during Lent, so that when it reappears on Easter, we may hear it fresh, in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. The Lord is risen; the Kingdom has come; our joy is complete; and, in concert with the angels and saints, we greet the risen Lord with shouts of "Alleluia!"
|
|
Reflections and Prayers from our Confirmation Students
Each week, we will share reflections and prayers from our Confirmation students during the Coronavirus crisis.
Dear God, please give me and others the strength to get through these though times. Please let all of us focus on the blessings that you have given us and not focus on the bad. Amen.
|
|
As you know, the bills for the maintenance and upkeep of the church continues while there are no services. Please continue to send your offerings either by mail, dropping them off at the rectory, or via online giving (
https://blessedsacramentsyracuse.com/give-online). Thank you for your support and generosity to the church in these trying times.
|
|
Catholic TV
Join us - tune in to youtube.com/syrdio
Resources
Blessed Sacrament Church, Syracuse:
Contact Blessed Sacrament:
Diocese of Syracuse:
The Catholic Sun:
The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Syracuse:
Zoom Safety
Vocation Chats - New Online Talk Show!
Please join us for a new initiative sponsored by the Office of Vocation Promotion every Monday night at 7pm. This is a way to keep discerners connected during this time of social distancing. These videos will be archived on our social media feed, so you can view them anytime. The talk show will take place on Instagram @vocationssyracuse. Please tune in!
|
|
Intentions
All Mass intentions will be offered by the priest privately and are not open to the public.
Saturday, April 11
People of the Parish
Sunday, April 12 – Easter Sunday
The Resurrection of the Lord
People of the Parish
Monday, April 13
Robert Knittel – The Mayo Family
Tuesday, April 14
Annette Cordileone – Michael Cretaro
Wednesday, April 15
Janet Barry – Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Heffron
Thursday, April 16
John Vita – Bud and Marilyn Carle
Friday, April 17
Nick Piccolo – Dianna Evans
Saturday, April 18
Angelina & Harold Thompson – Rita and Harold Thompson
Sunday, April 19 – Second Sunday of Easter
People of the Parish
Judith Lannon – Mr. and Mrs. Roland Barry
Scott Smith – Women Faith Formation
Sanctuary Lamps in Memory of:
5
th
Anniversary Michael F. LaFex – Love, Mom
Prayer Requests
We pray for Lynne Recore, John Fortino, Elizabeth Walrath, Jean Suits, Patrick Brewer, Yang Juan, Terri Close, Jill Danial, Mary Griffin, Cole Malone, Elizabeth Gilbert, John Laura, Susan Moro Campbell, Missy DiPaulo Angotti, George Taddeo, Carolyn Armstrong, Mary Linehan, Mary Extale, Mary Gersbacher, Mary Ingalls, Rita Bross, Marlene Brush, Roslyn Antonacci, Harold Thompson, John Gersbacher, and Grace McNamara.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
