Dear St. Jude Family,
Jesus is risen, Alleluia!
Today, we are celebrating the most joyous of Christian festivals. After the drama of Holy Week, we are now fully engulfed by the Easter spirit, the Easter mystery. But what precisely is Easter? Easter is not a mere doctrine of the Church about the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor is it simply a teaching that we must accept. It is not a dogma first and foremost. What is it then? Easter is an event.
Jesus rising from death to life is a true-to-life story. It is not fiction, not legend, and not myth. The resurrection is real and it truly happened in history. It was an event that changed the life of Jesus, Son of God, forever and gave Him the irreplaceable honor of being known as the One Savior of the world. It was an event that changed the lives of His followers who, upon being touched by His new life, continued to proclaim His love to all. It is an event that happens today, that is experienced and felt by those who seek meaning and grace.
If Jesus rose from the dead, then He can raise us up from death as well. We believe this will happen after the end of our earthly life when we die physically and are raised to heaven. But we also believe that this happens many times as we die so many symbolic deaths in our daily lives and then experience new meaning and restoration. Every day we die through our problems, troubles, and cares. Every day, Jesus raises up those who trust in Him.
Today, I want to take a moment to especially thank each of you for your unwavering support of our parish needs, life, and programs. Your support has helped the parish succeed in meeting its needs. I pray that this year may be a year full of unending blessings and graces for you. Truly, we are people of the Resurrection, because we are people with a renewed life, renewed love, and renewed hope, given to us by the One, who came out of the tomb and is filled with unending life!
Today, we are celebrating the most joyous of Christian festivals. After the drama of Holy Week, we are now fully engulfed by the Easter spirit, the Easter mystery. But what precisely is Easter? Easter is not a mere doctrine of the Church about the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor is it simply a teaching that we must accept. It is not a dogma first and foremost. What is it then? Easter is an event.
Jesus rising from death to life is a true-to-life story. It is not fiction, not legend, and not myth. The resurrection is real and it truly happened in history. It was an event that changed the life of Jesus, Son of God, forever and gave Him the irreplaceable honor of being known as the One Savior of the world. It was an event that changed the lives of His followers who, upon being touched by His new life, continued to proclaim His love to all. It is an event that happens today, that is experienced and felt by those who seek meaning and grace.
If Jesus rose from the dead, then He can raise us up from death as well. We believe this will happen after the end of our earthly life when we die physically and are raised to heaven. But we also believe that this happens many times as we die so many symbolic deaths in our daily lives and then experience new meaning and restoration. Every day we die through our problems, troubles, and cares. Every day, Jesus raises up those who trust in Him.
Today, I want to take a moment to especially thank each of you for your unwavering support of our parish needs, life, and programs. Your support has helped the parish succeed in meeting its needs. I pray that this year may be a year full of unending blessings and graces for you. Truly, we are people of the Resurrection, because we are people with a renewed life, renewed love, and renewed hope, given to us by the One, who came out of the tomb and is filled with unending life!
Praying for you,
Fr. Pao