Dear Friends in Christ,

May the joy of Easter surround the whole of your life!

In the early morning, while still dark, the women who watched where Jesus had been laid came to the tomb. Instead of a dead body, they found and discovered the joy of the empty tomb made bright with promise and resurrection. The "Good News" that Jesus is raised has been proclaimed down through the ages to our very ears. Those who are baptized into the "Good News" of our Lord are fortunate to be able to take to heart the witness and the words of our descendants. St. Paul reminds us as he did the Colossians:

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

How mundane would all of our lives be without the sure hope that is given to us in Christ, our Risen Lord? It is precisely because Jesus is raised that all humanity can be hopeful in God.

Next week is Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus promises to all who come to mass and receive Holy Communion (His Body and Blood) worthily that they will receive incredible graces and blessings so as to make a fresh start in life. God is willing to give everyone a fresh start if they respond to the invitation. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save all who would put their faith and hope in Him. My friends, Easter is truly an everyday reality for those who are willing to recognize the REAL presence of our Lord who is always in our midst. Jesus promised that He would never abandon or leave us orphan. We have been given everything we need, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to profess, proclaim, and live our faith in every circumstance.

To help you prepare for the great gift of Mercy Sunday, I encourage you to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation some time during the course of this week or the next. Here at St. Hilary, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered this Wednesday evening between the hours of 7 PM and 9 PM and Saturday at 4 PM.

My friends, together let us rejoice in the great faith that is ours. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever."

Believe what you say in faith!
Live each day what you say you believe!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. James Tarantino,
Pastor