During the Paschal Triduum, at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper, the well-known hymn, "Where Charity and Love Prevail" is sung.  The first words of the song say, "Where charity and love prevail, there God is ever found."  How true that is at Sacred Heart Church, especially during the days of the Triduum.  We had many people offer the charity of their time and talents to prepare and participate in our liturgies in the ministries of singing (our beautiful choir directed by Lynne Border), our lectors, ushers, altar servers and sacristans who decorated and prepared our altar area for each service.  I was also blessed to have two deacons on the altar with me during the Triduum, Deacon John Froning and Deacon Nelson Rubio, our seminarian.  I believe overall (except for a smoke alarm going off at the end of our Holy Thursday Mass), that our liturgies went beautifully, and I'm grateful to God, our ministers, and those who were in the pews, for lifting us up to the Lord in these special liturgies.  I also want to acknowledge the charity of those who contributed to various needs through our collections for the seminarians ($16,458), for the work of the Church in the Holy Land ($3,631), and Operation Rice Bowl that supports Catholic Relief Services which has incomplete financial numbers as Rice Bowls continue to come in.  The amounts in both of the two collections were larger than the year before, which speaks so strongly of so many loving, charitable hearts reaching out to help our future priests in their formation and countless others, especially God's poor who are helped on a regular basis through Catholic Relief Services.

I am made ever confident, given all this, that charity and love will continue to prevail and inspire others within our community and beyond, to find God and rejoice in His presence and in the hope that comes to us from Jesus Christ crucified, risen and working in so many believers.  God bless you all!

As we conclude the Easter Triduum with its focus on the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus and its ongoing power to convert us and others to live more fully and faithfully our baptismal promises, I must admit that I am pondering the violence that exists in the world today and how its result of hurting and killing is in such great contrast to Jesus' mission of healing and life.  In Syria and in other places, violence is perpetrated on the innocent in terrible ways (including the use of chemical weapons).

In our country, violence by individuals and groups produce victims in those who are injured and killed and their families and friends who are deeply affected by the results of violence on those they love.  We are about to witness our state killing those convicted of terrible crimes with the misguided and non-Christian belief that this will bring closure for the family of the victims.  We know from the witness of the Gospels that forgiveness received and given is the Christ-like means of healthy closure.

My heart goes out, as I hope yours does, to all victims of violence and their families.  I also continue to pray for those who are charged to protect our society and world from those who perpetrate violence, especially our law enforcement people and our service men and women.  Finally, we need to pray that those who are being influenced in the direction of violence will somehow be led to conversion by our crucified and risen Lord, especially through peace-filled people, before damage is done to others and to themselves.

As long as we hold on to Christ and the hope He gives, we will not give in to despair about violence and other sins that afflict our world today.  Light of Christ, shine brightly in our lives and throughout the world.  Amen!

There are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed in a good way.  The player from the North Carolina Tar Heel basketball team who made a winning shot with less than a minute left two Sundays ago, no doubt, felt overwhelmed in a positive way.  And, I'm sure all of us can attest to the reality of feeling overwhelmed in a negative way that is not good for us and sometimes, not for those we encounter.  In the past, I have felt both - within a span of a few days during the Easter Triduum.  The reality of important and beautiful liturgies taking place four days in a row from Holy Thursday night to Easter Sunday night has, at times, led me to feel overwhelmed in a negative way during those days and in the time they are drawing near.  Fortunately, almost every year, I have been overwhelmed in a positive way once we reach Easter and throughout Easter Season as we contemplate Jesus's Resurrection and what it means for us and all believers.  I am confident if you enter sincerely and faithfully into the days and liturgies of the Triduum, taking them one day at a time and staying connected to the Lord and disconnected as much as you can to the things of this world, you will be overwhelmed in a positive way by what you experience at Easter and during the Easter Season.

Please note the bulletin insert that gives all the spiritual opportunities here at the church as well as what you can do at home during the Triduum.  Consider making some or hopefully all of the main liturgies: Holy Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Good Friday at 3:00 p.m., Holy Saturday at 8:00 p.m.  If you are up to it, come on Easter Sunday morning for Mass.

The truth is:  God is ready to overwhelm all of us in a unique and positive way, especially when we have given Him the time and space to do it!