April
16, 2006
Out
of the Tomb
The Ongoing Life of the Church
II want to thank the people who have reflected on their regular financial
contributions to St. Brigid and have taken a step to increase their
gifts. As I had mentioned in a letter a few months ago, unless we increased
the regular income, we would be facing at $170,000 debt at the end of
the year. The parishioners who make up our parish Finance Council also
advised that we ought to have some money in regular savings (right now
we have none). So I’m grateful for those who have already taken
a step in giving. Over the past year a number of parishioners requested
an option for automated giving and now that is available. If you haven’t
had a chance to evaluate your own giving to St. Brigid’s, please
do so this Easter so we can continue to grow and do the work of Jesus.Click
here for more information.
Census
Continues
Of the approximate 6,000 families we usually send mail to, we’ve
received completed Census booklets from over 2,000. So we’ve got
a ways to go.
Is your booklet in?
CollegeStudents
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Past Columns:
April 9: Jesus, Our Source
of Peace
April 2: NOW, Can you Hear
Me?
Mar 26: Can You Hear Me
Again?
Mar 19: Can You Hear Me
Now?
Mar 12: Now Take 4Steps
March 5: Take A Step
Feb 26:Coming Home
Feb19: Visiting Heros
Feb 12: Passing Pastor
Feb 4: Annual Appeal
Jan 22: Abandoned Nets
Jan 15: Everlasting Life
Jan 8: I'm not going to
jail..
Jan 1: Happy New Year
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
The
Lord is Risen! Alleluia!
You may have heard the story of
the Catechist who was teaching her students one day and asked “What
happened on the first Easter?” She was dismayed to see that many
of the students didn’t have the slightest clue. Finally one girl
said, “Easter was when Jesus came out of the tomb....” (the
teacher began to breathe a sigh of relief) “...and then he saw his
shadow and there were six more weeks of winter.”
Of course we know the difference
between Easter and Groundhog’s Day, but that joke makes us reflect
on the “so what” questions: “So what, that Jesus came
out of the tomb 2000 years ago?” “So what does that have to
do with us today?”
If we treat Easter as a mere historical event (great as it was to have
the Son of God rise from the dead), then Easter could unfortunately be
reduced to the status of a groundhog’s day (or a bunny day?). Candy
(chocolately and delicious though it may be) becomes the starring event
and a special trip to church just compliments the sugar rush.
But Jesus did not suffer, die and
rise for bunnies and chocolate. Jesus rose from the dead so he could move
in with us. Not just on Easter but all the time. That’s why I’m
always touched by the real stories of people --especially young adults
in their 20’s and 30’s -- who say that Easter is a new beginning
for them in their relationship with Jesus. I hear from folks who say they
dropped out of church somewhere in their teenaged years and now they are
accepting Jesus again in a new way as they receive communion again for
the first time and as they return to church each week.
This is the best way we celebrate
Easter -- not as some commemoration of things past, but as our embrace
of our living Lord who feeds us each week with his Word and his Body and
Blood. And if this is your year to have a new beginning, I’m glad
to celebrate this with you. And if this isn’t your year...well why
not?
