Epiphany Diocese of Peoria May 24th, 2020

Epiphany Parish Vision Statement: “To offer every person in our community a life-changing encounter with Jesus” Page 2

The Diocese of Peoria joyfully announces the ordination of Coadjutor -Elect Louis Tylka will take place on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, in Peoria.

First, assuming the resurrection is true, what does it What Easter Means; mean? It means, that the customary manner in Why Easter Matters? which we understand the relationship between order and violence—from the Epic of Gilgamesh to “Game of By Bishop Thrones”—has to be rethought. In those examples, In first century Judaism, order comes about through the violent imposition of there were many views strength. And if that order is lost or compromised, it concerning what happened must be restored through answering violence. In Je- to people after they sus’ time, the great principle of order was the Empire died. Some said that death of Rome, which maintained its hold through the exer- was the end, that the dead tions of its massive army and through the imposition simply returned to the dust of the earth from which of harsh punishment on those who opposed its pur- they came. Others maintained that the righteous poses. The most fearsome of these punishments was, dead would rise at the close of the age. Still others of course, the cross. When the risen Jesus presented thought that the souls of the just went to live with himself alive to his disciples, they were, we are told, God after the demise of their bodies. There were afraid. Their fear might not have been simply a func- even some who believed in a kind of reincarnation. tion of their seeing something uncanny; it might have been grounded in the assumption that he was back for What is particularly fascinating about the accounts of vengeance. However, after showing his wounds, the Jesus’ resurrection is that none of these familiar risen Jesus said to his friends, “Shalom,” Peace. The frameworks of understanding is invoked. The first wit- teacher who had urged his followers to turn the other nesses maintain that the same Jesus who had been cheek and to meet violence with forgiveness exempli- brutally and unmistakably put to death and buried fied his own teaching in the most vivid way possi- was, through the power of God, alive again. He was ble. And what he showed, thereby, was that the di- not vaguely “with God,” nor had his soul escaped from vine manner of establishing order has nothing to do his body; nor had he risen in a purely symbolic or met- with violence, retribution, or eye-for-an-eye retalia- aphorical sense. He, Jeshoua from Nazareth, the tion. Instead, it has to do with a love which swallows friend whom they knew, was alive again. It was the up hate, with a forgiveness which triumphs over ag- very novelty of the event that gave such energy to the gression. first Christian proclamation. Secondly, the resurrection means that God has not Over the past couple of centuries, many thinkers, both given up on his creation. According to the well- inside and outside of the Christian churches, endeav- known account in the book of Genesis, God made the ored to reduce the resurrection message to the level whole array of finite things—sun, moon, planets, of myth or symbol. Easter, they argued, was one stars, animals, plants, things that creep and crawl on more example of the “springtime saga” that can be the earth—and found it all good, even very good. found, in one form or another, in most cultures, namely, that life triumphs over death in the All that God has made reflects some aspect of his “resurrection” of nature after the bleak months of goodness, and all created things together constitute a winter. beautiful and tightly-woven tapestry. As the Old Tes- tament lays out the story, human sin made a wreck of Or it was a symbolic way of saying that the cause of God’s creation, turning the garden into a desert. But Jesus lives on in his followers. But as C.S. Lewis keenly the faithful God kept sending rescue operation after observed, those who think the resurrection story is a rescue operation: Noah’s Ark, the prophets, the Law myth haven’t read many myths. Mythic literature and the Temple, the people Israel itself. Finally, he deals in ahistorical archetypes, and thus it tends to sent his only Son, the perfect icon or incarnation of his speak of things that happened “once upon a time” or love. In raising that Son from the dead, God defini- “in a galaxy far, far away.” But the Gospels don’t use tively saved and ratified his creation, very much in- that sort of language. Moreover, no one dies defend- cluding the material dimension of it (which is why it ing mythic claims. The myths of Greece, Rome, and matters that Jesus was raised bodily from Egypt are powerful and illuminating, but there are no death). Over and again, we have said no to what God martyrs to Zeus or Dionysus or Osiris. But practically has made, but God stubbornly says yes. Inspired by all of the first heralds of the resurrection went to their this divine yes, we always have a reason to hope. deaths defending the truth of their message. Page 4

Go to epiphanyparish.com From the Pastor Holy Communion Week II

Dear Brothers and Sisters, As you have heard, we received permission from the diocese to offer Holy Communion to the faithful, and not just in extreme cases. At Epiphany, we will link the distribution of Holy Communion with our on-line Sunday Masses. You are encouraged to either follow the online Mass at home or in our parking lot. At the conclusion, Holy Communion will be distributed at the parish for as long as need- ed. To accommodate the numbers we think/ hope will be interested, we are spacing out the Mass times. Our online Masses will now be at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Confes- sions with either priest will continue to be by appointment. A collec- tion basket will be available for donations in support of the parish. Thank You for keeping Holy Communion will be offered in two ways: the parish’s financial 1. Anyone who wishes to remain in their vehicle should drive be- needs before you, hind the church from the east and pull under the drop-off canopy such that their vehicle is facing College Avenue. Deacon Mark Cleary when you have so will distribute Holy Communion ON THE HAND to everyone in the much on your minds! car at the drop-off canopy. Bless you for your ded- 2. All others are invited to park in the front lot of the church and walk to the area in front of the main entry. Please be sure everyone ication to the parish is wearing a face mask. Volunteers will be on hand to direct and to Outreach Minis- traffic. Fathers Eric will distribute ON THE HAND and Joe will dis- try (among fellow pa- tribute Holy Communion ON THE HAND OR TONGUE. Unfortunately, families will have to return to their vehicles immedi- rishioners, and to our ately for their Act of Thanksgiving. Parents, please ensure a time of neighbors). reflection for your families in the lot or as you drive home. Family groups must stay together. Family groups and individuals should maintain a 6 foot separation. Gift of Treasure We will only be able to give Holy Communion to those present, so May 17, 2020…..…...$13,238 please do not ask to take the Blessed Sacrament home with you for E-giving…….…………...…$10,537 someone else. Special……………………….$1,455 Parish Endowment…...... $891 Thank you for School Endowment………..$344 your patience Capital Improvement……..$220 these past few months. May Weekly Budget……..….$24,500 God bless you YTD (46wks)…….….$1,127,000 and your loved YTD Income……...... $1,126,754 ones, and our YTD Balance…………...... ($246) diocese, parish and town! —Father Eric Please Remember your Neighbors in Prayer Page 6 Catholic Funeral Directors: Dan Brady ~ Tim Ruestman 1104 N. Main St. • Bloomington 309.828.2422 ~ www.KiblerBradyRuestman.com Uptown Dance Jennifer Pirtz, Director, Parishioner uptowndancenormalillinois.org [email protected] 114 North St., Ste. A • Normal, IL 309-585-2174 Ballet Lessons Ages 2 and Up 309-663-8041 Town & Country Animal Hospital, Ltd. Andrew Herman, CFP®, RICP® Roger Herman 901 N. Linden Street andrew.herman@ roger.herman@ 452-1717 COUNTRYfinancial.com COUNTRYfinancial.com Dave Bussan, DVM • Ron Goeckner, DVM Matthew Bussan, DVM Parishioners

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