St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker:

Welcome to the HOLIEST week of the year—HOLY WEEK!  How fortunate we are as Catholic Christians to be able to celebrate these glorious days of our salvation.  This week should bring us joy, sadness, gratitude, mercy, and should lead us to reflect on what the Lord Jesus did for each of us.  He endured so much in His Passion, and did that so the opportunity for forgiveness of our sins could be ours, as well as the promise of eternal life with Him.

How will we use these days?  Will extra meditation and reflection be on our daily schedules?  Will we be at the Holy Week services?  Will a rosary, Bible readings, silent prayer, and other forms of prayer fill up our remaining days of Lent?

Let us see what this week brings to us:

PALM (PASSION) SUNDAY:  The entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.  The giving of palm branches.  The reading of the Passion of Jesus Christ. 

HOLY THURSDAY:  The Last Supper.  The First Eucharist.  The Ordination of the Apostles.  The Washing of the Feet.   The Agony in the Garden.

GOOD FRIDAY:  The Way of the Cross.  The suffering and torture of our Savior.  The crucifixion of the Son of God.  The only day on which Mass is never celebrated.

 HOLY SATURDAY:  Jesus in the tomb.  A day of silence and prayer.  In the evening, the greatest celebration of our liturgical year---Easter Vigil.  Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion.  Initiation.  Renewal of Baptismal Promises. 

EASTER SUNDAY:  Jesus is Risen!  Alleluia!  New life.  Eternal joy promised to us.  New hope for all the world for all time.  Joy.  ALLELUIA!

How can we not come to immerse ourselves in this most moving week of our faith?  How can we not come and celebrate the salvation Jesus won for us?  Look what our Lord did for us upon entering Jerusalem and going to Calvary.  Don’t forget the empty tomb. 

THIS HOLY WEEK—It is there for us.  Will we be there for it?

Your Pastor, Father Joe