Mass Readings
A Letter from our Pastor
!!!Felices Pascuas!!!! (Happy Easter!!!)
As Christians, probably we wonder; why we begin the celebration of the Easter vigil in the darkness? We understand that we begin our liturgy in the dark since we were once slaves of sin, death, suffering, and fear. Our Lord Jesus has made us free by dying for us on the cross. On the night of Easter, Jesus rose from the dead and brought a new life for us, the life of the Risen Lord. He made us His new chosen people and became our light to lead us to the promised land. Because Christ has risen is why the Easter fire is kindled and the Paschal Candle is blessed and lit as we sing our praises and thanksgiving to God.
On this Easter Sunday, let us celebrate this freedom and our New Covenant. Brothers and sisters, this is what we want to re-live with this Easter celebration. It is our most important commemoration, a joyful celebration of life and love. May the peace and joy of the Lord's Easter life be with you and yours forever
Happy Easter!!!
-Father Mario
Cuando nosotros, los cristianos, nos preguntamos: “¿Por qué celebramos en la oscuridad de la noche la Pascua?”, respondemos: “Comenzamos nuestra celebración en la oscuridad, porque una vez éramos esclavos de la oscuridad del pecado, la muerte, el sufrimiento y el miedo. Pero el Señor, Jesús, nos ha hecho libres muriendo por nosotros en la cruz. En la noche de Pascua, Jesús resucitó de entre los muertos y nos trajo nueva vida, la vida del Resucitado. Allí nos hizo un nuevo pueblo escogido de Dios y vino a ser nuestra luz para conducirnos a la tierra prometida.” Por eso encendemos el fuego y el Cirio Pascual mientras cantamos nuestra alabanza y acción de gracias a Dios, porque Cristo ha resucitado.
Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo, esto es lo que intentamos revivir en esta celebración Pascual. Ésta es nuestra celebración mayor, pues es la celebración de vida y alegría.
¡Felices Pascuas y bendiciones!
The Deacon's Corner-A Reflection from Deacon Loris
The Deacon’s Corner…
Easter Memories as a Child
I was raised in the Armenian Apostolic Church and Easter Sunday was always a very special day. We would get up early in the morning, dress in our finest, travel an hour and a half to Church…and the Divine Liturgy was 2-3 hours long. The “Kiss of Peace” during the Liturgy was different than that in our Church. The Celebrant would kiss the Deacon who would go to the first pew and exchange the kiss with the first person, who would the exchange the kiss with the person next to him/her until the kiss was carried through the entire congregation. Yes, it was special…as was the reception of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. Everyone received both the Body and Blood.
Upon leave Church we would greet one another with these words; “He is Risen!” to which we would respond “Indeed He is!” Also there was a table set up that had baked homemade breads for us to take home. The bread was blessed and was intended for our Easter meal. We would gather as a family at my uncle’s house, as it was the largest. For dinner, we normally had roasted leg of lamb, pilaf (Armenian rice), vegetables and more. The deserts were also something to look forward to. But, more importantly, were the beautifully decorated Easter Eggs. We each got to choose one, which was then used to determine the “champion egg” in our annual egg cracking contest. We went around the table holding our eggs hoping that the one who struck ours would not be the one that would break. The surviving egg was the “champion” and was granted the Easter Award and held that title till the following year. And what might that have been? The one who proudly held the title as the “Defender-of-the-Faith.”
Yes, Easter was a very special day for me as a child.
Unfortunately, this year because of the Coronavirus we may be unable to gather as a family to carry out that tradition of making Easter Day special by gathering together and celebrating the Risen Christ, His Resurrection from the dead…the greatest of all Christian festivals.
Today, I wish each and every one of you and your families, wherever they may be, the blessing of this great day in our lives. May it carry for you the fond memories I carry in my heart for Easter as a child.
God Bless for indeed He is Risen…Deacon Loris
The Season of Easter
Bulletin
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