A Word from Your Pastor - April 13 Passion Sunday

Dear Parishioners:

We now enter into Holy Week.  The days ahead will unfold the Mystery of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, inviting us to contemplate all that He has done for us.  Since it is also a time of “break” for many people, the temptation before us is to let these days pass without much attention.  I invite you to do it differently this year.  Enter in.  Let each day of the week touch your heart.

Passion or Palm Sunday draws us into the scene of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  We process, carrying palms, reminding us of the cheering and welcoming crowd as Jesus came into the Holy City in fulfillment of many passages in the Prophets.  We also hear the whole story of the Passion and Death of the Lord as recounted by the Gospel of Matthew.  This gives us a glimpse of all the events we will be celebrating through the rest of the Week.

In the Diocese of Columbus, it has long been the custom to celebrate the Chrism Mass, which is properly a Mass of Holy Thursday morning, on Tuesday evening.  At this Mass, the Priests and Bishop renew their commitment to live the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the Bishop blesses the three sacred oils that are used in the celebration of the Sacraments throughout the year: the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens and the Sacred Chrism.  One powerful experience is the fact that at the Chrism Mass the whole Diocese is present around the altar: Bishop, Priests, Deacons, Religious and Laity are all gathered together in one act of Divine Worship.  The Church is visible in her unity.  Whatever else may happen, we are gathered together as the full expression of Church.  The power of the Church’s prayer in unity cannot be forgotten.

Wednesday at St. Timothy Church, we have our weekly Adoration.  This is a time to open your heart to the Gift of the Eucharist by sitting silently in the Presence of the Lord Who is with us through the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with the Washing of feet and the Eucharistic Procession, is the solemn celebration of the Institution of the Priesthood, the Institution of the Eucharist, and the Call to Service.  We have had a tradition at St. Timothy for a number of years of including our Second Grade First Holy Communion class as an Honor Guard for the Eucharistic Procession that closes the Mass.  Adoration continues until Midnight.

Good Friday, we have two times for the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion – 3 and 7 p.m.   At Noon, the Stations of the Cross are prayed and then we hear a reflection on the Seven Last Words of Jesus during the time that He was on the Cross.

Holy Saturday, the Solemn Easter Vigil will begin at 8:30 p.m. With the Service of Light, followed by the procession with the Easter Candle and the singing of the Exsultet.  The proclamation of the Scriptures of our Salvation History is followed by Blessing of the Easter Water and then a renewal of Baptismal Vows.  (This year we do not have anyone being initiated into the Catholic Church.)

Easter Sunday, we again renew our Baptismal Vows as we welcome many guests to rejoice in the Resurrection of the Lord.

Come to all these events if you are able.  At least once in your life, you should!  This week reminds us of the journey we all will one day take into the Kingdom.  A Blessed Easter to all!