I want to reach out to you to make sure each of you have received the message that there will be no public celebration of Mass this Easter or for any of the Masses and services of Holy Week leading up to Easter. Wow! I am certain that for many of you this will be the first time you have ever missed Easter Mass. I am truly sorry.
I want to encourage you to spend some time thinking about what Mass attendance means to you. The celebration of Mass is the assembling of the Body of Christ (us), to offer the sacrifice that God has provided us, (the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of His Son) in the continued atonement of personal sin and the sin of the world, for our good and the good all. I remind you of this because even though you legitimately cannot be present, you, your loved ones and all creation are still benefiting from the Mass even though you cannot be physically present.
I confess I feel some guilt in that I am able to continue the celebration of Mass when you cannot be present, but at the same time I rejoice in that the most powerful of all prayer is being said. Through me, yes, but not by me. The Eucharistic prayer and offering is a continuation of the eternal offering of the Son to the Father on our behalf. “For God so lived the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that however believes in Him might have eternal life!” (John 3 vs. 16)
Mass is the continual offering of the Son by the Father and the Son to the Father, all initiated by the Holy Spirit and you are intimately part of it no matter where you may physically be. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God in a community of three persons. You are a part and are within that Holy Community of persons. They are within you and you are within them. You are one. That is a lot to ponder and it extends beyond our comprehension. But it is true!
Turning to other items.
-Blessed palms will be available Sunday April 5th and throughout Holy Week in the entry of the church. They will be contained in a watered vase. Please help yourself and be encouraged to take some to others.
-Many of our parishioners are not online or have cable or satellite TV. They are at a considerable disadvantage in keeping up with breaking and accurate information. You probably know some of them. Please think of them and check on them regularly. Many of them now have smart phones but are only using them to make phone calls. They might want some help to learn how you access information with their phones. Showing them how simple texting is preformed could also be a great blessing for them, enabling them to stay more readily in touch with family and neighbors.
-Concerning confession, if your conscience is very burdened or you know you have committed mortal sin, call me and we will work something out for you to receive the sacrament. Other than that, the Bishop wants his priests to be very careful about close contact with others, being cautious not to potentially spread the virus.
-If you are hospitalized, the hospital is not going to allow me to visit except for an extreme need, like anointing before death. But please do inform me of your situation so that prayers can be offered.
-Thank you to those of you who have been able to continue your financial support by mailing it. It is greatly appreciated. For those of you who may wish to give on line, please check out our updated website: stliborycatholic.com
Please be careful and be safe. Please keep your hearts and minds in prayer.