Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we turn our focus in this Holy Week to the Passion of our Lord, we ought to keep today’s first Gospel passage in mind as we encounter these great mysteries. Jesus enters Jerusalem in the manner of a victorious king. The celebration of His entrance anticipates the victory He is about to win, though the method of victory will look like no other strategy ever employed. His victory is not about superiority of number, force, or strength. Rather, the victory won by the Passion of Christ is the victory of love. Out of love, Jesus shares the experience of fallen humanity. Out of love, He endures every pain – physical, emotional, and spiritual – that we can endure. Most of all, out of love, Jesus who is innocent and wholly without blame, condescends to experience the punishment our sins deserve, including the final consequence of sin which is death. By entering into our suffering and death, Jesus is able to triumph over the grave, restoring life and opening the gates of heaven to us once again. These are the mysteries we will celebrate in the coming days.

This Monday is Reconciliation Monday in the Diocese of Bridgeport. The sacrament of confession will be available from 3 PM – 9 PM in churches throughout Fairfield County. Here in Fairfield, St. Thomas Aquinas Church will host these hours of mercy. A complete list of locations was published last week in the bulletin, is available on our parish website, and can be found on the Diocese of Bridgeport’s website.

Within Holy Week, the most important days of the Church’s year, the Paschal Triduum, celebrate the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, the Passion and death of Jesus on Good Friday, and the opening of the tomb as the light of the Risen Christ shines in the darkness of Holy Saturday night. The celebration of the Triduum makes the mystery of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection truly present for us, and invites us to experience more profoundly the salvation that God is accomplishing for us. Participation in these days is very important, and I encourage you to come to as much of the Triduum as you can. The entire schedule for our Holy Week celebrations is included in this bulletin and is posted on the parish website.

I want to highlight the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday for special consideration. Unlike most Saturday evenings, on Holy Saturday, there is no 5:15 PM anticipatory Mass. Instead, the Church gives us the most important of all vigils. If you have never experienced the Easter Vigil, consider making this the year you attend. The Mass is longer than the average Mass, but the length ought to remind us of the fact that God enters into our time to sanctify by grace the world in which we live. With an expanded selection of Scripture readings, we will recount the biblical story of salvation and God’s grace unfolding in time. Our catechumens and candidates will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church in the sacraments of initiation. This Mass, begun in darkness, invites us to carry the light of Christ’s resurrection into the world.

May this Holy Week be a time for all of us to more deeply experience Christ’s saving mercy in our lives.

Peace,

Fr. Sam