Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Deacon's Door / Easter 2020




The center picture is the “Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the holiest Christian site in Jerusalem.  It contains the Chapel of Golgotha, as well as the burial and resurrection sites of Jesus.  Just inside the entrance is the Stone of Anointing, which tradition claims to be the spot that Joseph of Arimathea prepared Jesus’ body for burial.  The image on the right is Cheryl venerating the spot at Golgotha where the cross is said to have been placed at the Crucifixion.




Welcome to "The Deacon's Door"
April 12, 2020
EASTER SUNDAY
“Do not be afraid!  I know you are seeking Jesus the crucified.  He is not here, for He has been raised just as He said...”  Words from the Gospel of Matthew that are proclaimed at The Easter Vigil.  Only a few weeks ago our world was plunged into darkness and despair and the winter of a deadly virus spread across our lands. During these past days of darkness and despair we have looked to God for our support.  We have waited with anxious anticipation for the day of our relief, our resurrection from this fear and depression to the new light of the sun as we emerge from our isolation like tombs to freedom and a new beginning of springtime glory.  The sun will rise and death will have been conquered. Life will belong again to the living.

For now, we trust in The Lord and His promise that we will witness our release from this time of suffering to a new day of hope and renewed anticipation of our final resurrection with the Lord in Heaven.  These present days of isolation can be a time of renewal, as we reflect on the Triduum, the three days that we commemorate the suffering, death and ultimate resurrection of Christ.

Holy Thursday, as a sign of service that Jesus gave us on the night of the Last Supper with the Eucharist and the washing of feet.

Good Friday, as we witness the cross that Jesus carried to release us from the evil of our sins.
Holy Saturday / Easter, as the celebration of a new life, as a resurrection from death to life again. 
The good news is that we can celebrate our Baptism and membership in the people of Christ. The good news is that we believe that Jesus has risen and so have we.

Praise God that His love for us is everlasting.  Praise God that with this celebration of Easter Joy, we will see the light of God’s eternal love for us and will soon see the light of a new day for our world.  A day when we can raise from our despair, renewed and ready to embrace a new world, praising and glorifying God in all of his goodness, love and glory.

While we continue our fight with the Covit 19 challenges we will also continue to invite all of you to join the Archbishop with prayer of the Rosary, as well as celebration of Holy Mass each Sunday at 9:00 am.  Visit https://dbqarch.org/coronavirus for more information about these live-streamed events. 
Do not let these days destroy our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Instead, let them be a time of prayer and renewal for the resurrection that will follow.  As a reminder, we will continue to offer other spiritual services and opportunities that will be announced on the Archdiocesan Web page, as well as on our parish Face Book Pages, Bulletins and Web Pages.  Please look for continued updates as we travel these days together.  I look forward to continuing to reach out to you on a regular basis.

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)
            Deacon Jim Patera  
                         319-509-1210   
pateraj@msn.com   

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