Mary, Star of the Sea 

   Church

"I rose up and am still with Thee." After His labors and His humiliations, Christ finds rest with His Father. "I am still with Thee." This is perfect beatitude. Through His cross He entered into the possession of eternal glory. Christ has gained the crown of victory; through Christ men also win their crowns of victory. Humanity was under a curse and subject to the wrath of God. Now that they have risen with Christ, their guilt has been destroyed. "I rose up and am still with Thee." The liturgy places these words in the mouth of the Church that she may pray them with Christ.

Today we begin Palm Sunday listening to the story of Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem with great joy and exultation!  "Hosanna!" they cried out.  "Hosanna in the Highest!"  Jesus was treated as He should have been treated.  People were excited to see Him and there was much excitement.  But this excitement quickly turned to shock and horror as we enter more deeply into today's readings. 

We are all familiar with the story of how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  Martha sent Jesus a message to tell him that Lazarus was ill.  Two days later, Jesus started his journey.  When Jesus got to Judea, he found that Lazarus had already been dead for four days, but Jesus told Mary and Martha that their brother was not dead, only sleeping. Jesus went to the gravesite and called out to Lazarus to come out of the tomb, which he did.

Mary, Star of the Sea youth leader and Maryknoll Senior, Charla Teves, has received a youth grant award from the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and is helping to plan a Virtual End Hunger Summit for youth, community members, and legislators on Saturday, May 8th from 9 am to 11:30 am. Registration is free and open now for adults and youth who want to participate in ending hunger. Please see the posters and display in the front of the church. She is also asking us to come together and donate canned goods and non-perishable food items in the box at the front of the church from now through April 16. If you have any questions, please email Charla at charlateves1@gmail.com. Let's come together to end hunger!

This Sunday is called "Laetare Sunday" in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite since its mood and theme is one of hope and rejoicing that Easter is near. In the Ordinary Form this Sunday is not different from the other Sundays of Lent even though the entrance antiphon for the day still begins with the Latin word "laetare" and the vestments worn by the celebrant are rose-colored, not violet. The day is important because it is the day of the second scrutiny in preparation for the baptism of adults at the Easter Vigil.

Many of us have prayed for the "best Lent ever" and signed up for daily spiritual exercises toward that end.  We committed to more prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  Does the Covid-19 pandemic impede or improve our Lenten practices now?  We are in a war against a terrible disease.  Dig a little deeper, and realize that we are in a real spiritual battle also.