Greetings!
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time of the year for Christians. It includes the Paschal Triduum (Latin for "three days") of Holy Thursday, when we commemorate the Lord's institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist, Good Friday, when we commemorate his passion and death, and the Easter Vigil on Saturday night when we celebrate with joy Christ's resurrection from the tomb and triumph over death. But before all of that we have Palm Sunday, that whirlwind of a liturgy that begins with Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem hailed with glad shouts of "Hosanna!" and ends with his arrest and torture with shouts of "Crucify him!" We will celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at Hillside Grind at our usual time of 4:00 pm.
Because our recent CCM In-Depth video has placed us in YouTube "time out", I'm unable to upload a "minute homily" this week. Just as well. The liturgy of Palm Sunday truly speaks for itself and I believe is best contemplated in silence. Even the Roman Missal says the homily on Palm Sunday should be brief, if one is given at all. Otherwise it says "a period of silence" may be observed after the readings.
In lieu of a video reflection this week I want to share with you a short homily I preached for Palm Sunday a couple of years ago on Christ's Sabbath Rest.
Because of Easter break, there will be no Mass on campus on Easter Sunday. You'll find a link to the Holy Week schedule at St. Mary's below. You will also find a link to sign up for our Spring Camping Retreat coming up on April 16-18. I encourage everyone interested to sign up to join us. Have a blessed Easter and I look forward to seeing all of you after the holiday.
In Christ,
Deacon Matt
