Can Easter be too early?

Welcome to the Family
This Easter Vigil we baptized six people who are now neophytes of our church.
Welcome to:
Kristina Gallo
Tina Kassangana
Alex Nieves
Benjamin Nieves
Lucy Nieves
Manjula Rangaswamy
We welcomed four others to
full initiation in the church through Confirmation:
Wendy Adycki
Christopher DeRose
Evelyn Nieves
Myra Rodriguez
I invite you to clip this column and put it in a place where you can pray for these neophytes during the great 50 days of Easter.

Thank You
A special thank you to everyone who gave in this year’s Easter Fund Collection. Just as your costs have arisen, so too do all the costs associated with running a large parish. Thank you for being generous to your parish.

e-mail Father Ralph:

Past Columns:
March 16: Which crowd is yours?
March 9: We believe, yet...
March 2: Oil or Mud
February 24: What are you thirsting for?
February 17: Who are You Wearing?
February 10: Just Say No
February 3: The Power of the Cross
January 27: How I Turned Out
January 20: Being Safer
January 13: Conversations in 2008
January 6: Matthew's Magi
December 30: Matthew's Magi
Christmas 2007 Homily

Columns from 2007

Columns from 2006

Columns from 2005

Columns from 2004

Columns from 2003

Columns from 2002

Columns from 2001


		March 23, 2007 Can Easter be too early?
Welcome to the Family This Easter Vigil we baptized six people who are now neophytes of our church. Welcome to: Kristina Gallo Tina Kassangana Alex Nieves Benjamin Nieves Lucy Nieves Manjula Rangaswamy We welcomed four others to full initiation in the church through Confirmation: Wendy Adycki Christopher DeRose Evelyn Nieves Myra Rodriguez I invite you to clip this column and put it in a place where you can pray for these neophytes during the great 50 days of Easter. Thank You A special thank you to everyone who gave in this year’s Easter Fund Collection. Just as your costs have arisen, so too do all the costs associated with running a large parish. Thank you for being generous to your parish. e-mail Father Ralph: Past Columns: March 16: Which crowd is yours? March 9: We believe, yet... March 2: Oil or Mud February 24: What are you thirsting for? February 17: Who are You Wearing? February 10: Just Say No February 3: The Power of the Cross January 27: How I Turned Out January 20: Being Safer January 13: Conversations in 2008 January 6: Matthew's Magi December 30: Matthew's Magi Christmas 2007 Homily Columns from 2007 Columns from 2006 Columns from 2005 Columns from 2004 Columns from 2003 Columns from 2002 Columns from 2001	Easter is as early as we’ll ever see it in our lifetime. Can Easter be too early? The trees are still barren -- not even their buds have swelled. Only a few late-winter flowering bulbs hint at the coming spring. Our Holy Week processions took place in the cold. The days are getting longer, but Easter still seems too early. Yet, can it ever be early for Easter? This is the time when Christ rose triumphant from the grave. He smashed sin and evil. He brought on new life. Is it ever too early for that? Actually, in light of the deaths around us, we need an early Easter! Recent local shootings and tragic killings in our own neighborhoods...a lingering war overseas that continues -- it’s claimed almost 4,000 of our brave soldiers and thousands more local residents in the war zone...gubernatorial infidelities...growing unemployment...higher prices that hurt the poor...this is a world in need of Easter! And not just a quick chocolate Easter “fix”. Easter is not like the sugar rush that quickly fades when the last candy egg is consumed or peep is popped. Easter is a lasting season of 50 days that calls out the best from us -- new forgiveness....new hope...new reconciliations...new perspectives...new courage...new understanding...new love. So my “Easter message” to you is: I’m glad you’re here today on this early Easter morn. There is no better way to face the challenges of our world than to spend time in community with Jesus. Thank you for bringing your children (or your parents) to Jesus this day. And now let’s continue being together for these next seven Sundays of Easter. The disciples of Jesus spent time with him after his resurrection and were blessed and strengthened for the challenges of their life. We, today’s disciples, can do the same. And we ARE disciples, right? Yes we are. Easter is that season -- even more powerful than Lent -- when we re-discover what it means to be baptized followers of Jesus, when we are blessed and strengthened for what lies ahead of us. Happy Easter! Alleluia!