E a S T E R S U N D a Y † a P R I L 2 1 , 2 0
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EASTER SUNDAY † APRIL 21, 2019 2926 Beaver Avenue Des Moines, IA 50310 515.255.3162 www.holytrinitydm.org www.htschool.org Parish email: [email protected] School email: [email protected] WEEKLY THOUGHTS APRIL 21, 2019 Greetings….Happy Easter! Plaza Project Begins! In the Gospel today, we hear of Mary Magdalene This is an exciting time at Holy Trinity! This week we arriving at the tomb of Jesus and finding it empty. We began construction on the Plaza Project that will totally hear her say, “They have taken the Lord from the transform the outside front of the church. This is the first tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” She is major construction project on our campus since 1985. The confused, what has happened to Jesus, where has he end result will change the front landscape of our campus, been taken? When Peter and the other apostle arrive, creating an open and welcoming environment. We hope we hear one believes but we don’t know about the you will follow the progress as we transform this section others. More confusion? of our campus. We will post updates to Facebook (facebook.com/htschooldm) as major changes are Aren’t we sometimes confused in our own lives and happening. Thank you for your support during this time. unsure of how to proceed as we try to move forward? Don’t we sometimes doubt ourselves and the decisions we have made in life? On Good Friday, we heard Jesus cry out “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” However, moments later, we hear him say with his dying breath, “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” The scriptures tell that Jesus was like us in all things except sin. Maybe in his humanity Jesus had that moment of confusion, but he quickly places his life in the hands of His Father, God. What of ourselves? We all have those moments of human weakness, those times of doubt and confusion. When the apostles are told Jesus has risen and that he has defeated death, they have a difficult time believing even though they have been told all along that this is what would happen. In seeing the risen Jesus, they finally come to believe. As we celebrate Easter, are we able to see God at work in our own lives; do we recognize Him even amidst those times of confusion and doubt? As we celebrate Easter by spending time with family, friends, and loved ones, let us all take some time to give thanks for the gift of our faith as well as for our God who assures us that if we persevere in the faith, we will not be defeated, not even by death itself. Help us remember if we are looking for God and are willing to see him, we will see His presence and his work all around us. Finally, on behalf of the Holy Trinity church and school staff and all of us here at Holy Trinity, I want to welcome all who have joined us today, especially our visitors. We are glad you are here! Have a Happy Easter! SPIRITUALITY OF THE READINGS Reading I: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 The darkness of Easter Vigil, lit only by candles, lets Responsorial Psalm: 118:1-2, 16- us hear, in sequence, how God created us and blessed 17, 22-23 us, how he called upon and counted on Abraham, Reading II: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 how he rescued the Hebrew people as they ran from Cor 5:6b-8 their captors in the desert journey (and ran from God Gospel: John 20:1-9 or Matthew too). 28:1-10 For a “brief moment,” we are told, God lost patience or Luke 24:13-35 and turned away, but then “with enduring love” took his people back, offering water to the thirsty and grain Patience. to the poor. Can we trust this? How much? The word haunts me this Easter. Yes, the promise of You will be my people and I will be your God. all ages has now been fulfilled in the Resurrection, and Finally the Gospel is proclaimed, announcing an we rejoice. empty tomb! The women in the story believe. The Even so, we have to wait for our slow selves to men don’t. At least not right away. understand. We are forced to learn patience. How about you? Do you believe? Is Jesus risen or is Remember how Jesus was so unhurried when he he not? Is it just a child’s fable, after all? learned that Lazarus, his friend, was dying in Bethany, On this glorious Easter weekend, after we have not far away from where he was? He delayed four reacted just like the disciples on those seemingly days going there. In other words, he waited “forever,” never-ending post-crucifixion days, and even after we in emotional time. Mary and Martha, those close sing songs about resurrection, still we do it by faith friends of Jesus, did without him as they buried their and trust. We hear it anew, maybe now more brother and grieved. Jesus finally got there and each profoundly. sister cried out words that tore into him. We wait, joyfully. Halleluiah! You could have saved our brother! Ultimately we are asked which path we will follow. Jesus wept. The skeptical, calculating path of doubters, or the And then he replied, “I am the resurrection and the trusting, patient route of those who keep learning to life.” believe—above all and after all—in the tender mercy of God. On this day we rejoice because we can see that this statement of his was true. This day it is spread out Halleluiah! before us in the Great Celebration of Easter. John Foley, S. J. of the Center for Liturgy We followers of God and his Christ take a long long time to get beneath the surface of this feast, to put ourselves into the hands of what, after all, is not a money-back guarantee, but a promise. "You will be Image: The Resurrection, Mattias Grunewald, ca. 1512-16 my people and I will be your God." It is so tough for us to drink the milk of trust in the same way a child FAITH QUESTIONS drinks at its mother’s breast. We have to decide to entrust still another sluggish part of ourselves to God Question for Children: What is good and new in and to his promise. your life? Maybe the length of the Easter Vigil Service helps us Question for Youth: Resurrection reminds us that to take in this fact. In the full service there are ten what looks bad can lead to something good. What readings, including the Epistle and the Gospel, has resurrected, or gone from bad to good, in your together with a candle-lighting-ceremony (“Light of life over the past year? Christ”), and numerous Baptisms. Patience is the Question for Adults: In what way have you risen name of the game at Easter Vigil. Maybe it is for the from "deadness" in your life? same reason Jesus made the two sisters wait. PARISH & DIOCESAN NO TES Bookkeeper Needed—Holy Trinity NCYC 2019 After 25 years of service, Diane Tellis is closing her books Holy Trinity is once again making and retiring. Holy Trinity Church and School is looking preparations to take a group of for a full time bookkeeper (account receivables). Main High School youth from our responsibilities are entering tithings, tuition, donations, parish to the 2019 National Catholic Youth Conference making deposits, coordinating annual tithing letters and (NCYC). This conference is open to any youth of the parishioner statements. Computer skills a must, parish entering grades 9-12 in the fall of 2019. NCYC will knowledge of ParishSoft preferred. take place November 21st – 24th in Indianapolis. NCYC This position is all year round, 32 hours a week, with paid brings together top Catholic leaders, speakers and sick and vacation, health insurance and more. If musicians from all over the country to host what all interested or have questions, please contact Andy turns out to be a beyond words experience. Holy Trinity Negrete, Office Manager, at 515-255-3162 x 129. will be hosting an NCYC planning meeting on Tuesday, 2019 NCYC Windshield Wash Fundraiser April 23 at 6:30 pm in the Media Center. If you are Members of our 2019 NCYC Team thinking about going, or have already reserved your will be hosting their Windshield spot, please make plans to be at this meeting. We also Wash fundraiser during the invite you to go to www.ncyc.info to learn more about weekend of May 4th & 5th. the conference. If you have questions please contact John Everyone attending one of the Mertes, Director of Faith Formation, or Christy Peletz, High School Youth Minister for more details. weekend liturgies will come out to a nice clean windshield. In return, Vacation Bible School 2019 we are asking for your financial support to help make this Participant and Leader Applications are now available year's pilgrimage possible. Members from this year's for Vacation Bible School 2019. Our Great Safari team will be at each the church entrances accepting Adventure will run the week of July 8th -12th from 9:00 donations (Please make any checks payable to Holy – 11:30 am each morning. Participants must be entering Trinity). Our 2019 NCYC team would like to thank you DK/K through 5th grade in the fall of 2019. If you in advance for your continued generosity! If you would would like to help lead VBS this year and you are going like for information about this year's trip please to be entering grades 6-12 in the fall, then we want you! visit www.ncyc.info, or contact John Mertes, Director of We also need lots of adult help to make our week Faith Formation at [email protected] or Christy success.