Hosanna!

Dear Parish Family,
Holy Week is always a tough pill to swallow. Whenever we hit the deepest and most challenging parts of Lent, the temptation is to absorb the intensity of Holy Week and turn that into personal shame. This is not the intention of Holy Week. God wants to let us know that there is nothing that separates us from His unending love.


Holy Week has this special ability to help us really dive into the minds of those who experienced it first-hand. From the common people, to the Romans, to Jesus’ own disciples, we understand the perspectives of all those who experienced our Lord’s passion in person. At Padre Serra we especially hit this tone with our unique and beautiful Passion Narrative.


There were a lot of mistakes made at the time of Christ’s passion. Mistakes that would sever any normal human relationship. If we were to deny or have hand in the execution of a loved one, it would be hard to maintain that friendship. God is above our sin and does not deter his love for us.


From the crowds forming to smear Christ’s name, to the Apostles ignoring Jesus’ instructions and even denying a relationship with him in the face of danger, these actions lack courage in the face of fear and deny unconditional love for God. Somehow, these actions still hold no weight in light of the Resurrection.


We are Easter people for a reason. We don’t hold this title because we are perfect, but rather, our imperfections are irrelevant under the scope of Christ’s death and Resurrection. Christ indeed conquered death; this especially means that Christ has conquered sin. Even our sin. Grace is powerful, indeed.


I’m not advocating apathy in regard to our sins, nor am I advocating shame. What I am expressing to you is that the Hope of the Resurrection is greater than all those things. The virtue of Hope is interesting because it is the trust in God’s promises, not the worldly “hope” that things work out, but rather, with this virtue, we have absolute certainty in God’s promises.


We are spoiled Catholics. I only say that because we already know what was promised has been fulfilled. For generations people awaited a savior, not knowing the time or place, or even what will be done if he were to come. We know the story. We know the outcome. We know that our God has died, has risen and will come again. We know that God has opened the gates of Heaven. 

Let’s live our lives knowing the truth of the Resurrection, knowing that eternal paradise is awaiting and knowing that all this wasn’t done on accident, but for us.


Hosanna in the Highest!
​

Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister 

---