Happy and Blessed Easter! It is finally here. After 40 days of Lenten penance and preparation, extra fasting, and almsgiving, and prayer we are now at the “good part”, the celebration. The Resurrection of the Lord is a central reality of the Catholic faith, and has been preached as such since the beginning of Christianity. The importance of this miracle is so great that the Apostles are, above all else, witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. They announce that Christ is alive, and this becomes the heart of all their preaching. After twenty centuries this is what we announce to the world: Christ lives!

This is cause of our joy. However let us not forget the journey that we underwent to get here. Let us not forget the lessons learned, temptations overcome, and graces received along the way. We add them to the celebration and ask for the grace to keep going. We don’t stop using the fundamentals of our faith but try to incorporate them into our everyday experiences of faith. We know that it is possible to offer sacrifices both small and large. We have learned to be generous and that it is not all about us. We have grown in our relationship with God through personal and communal prayer and devotions. The journey of Lent may be over but the season of Easter is now upon us. We have eight days to celebrate the day of Jesus’ Resurrection and a whole season to let that grace fill our hearts and minds. We now have the opportunity to build upon these practices motivated and graced by our Lenten Preparation and live in Easter Joy.

On Behalf of the St. Bernadette of Lourdes Parish and Staff
we wish you and your families a Happy Easter and Blessed Easter Season.

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear. And may Christ, Our Risen Savior, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide.