Fr. Michael’s Message
Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday is brilliant. It leads us, the participants, from the joys and festivities of Jesus’ entrance into
Jerusalem with Hosanna’s, acclamations and the excitement at the entrance of the King into His City; then
pushes us directly into the reading of the Passion of the Lord. We are participants in both: we sing Hosanna to
the Son of David and we shout “Crucify Him!” with the crowd. It is intentionally jarring, and should give us pause
as to our own complicity in the Death of our King. While many Christen denominations try to jump straight
from the joy of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to the glory of Easter morning (skipping the tragedy and darkness
of Good Friday entirely), our Liturgy leads us to those places that are difficult to visit, but essential for knowing
the full power of the Gospel: We adore you O Christ and we praise You, Because by Your holy Cross You have
redeemed the world! The Cross is the hinge of salvation, it is the axis of the entre cosmos: upon this Cross, God
has revealed His love for us, The Lamb of God has made atonement for our sins, God has gone to war on our
behalf, and in His Cross we have hope, healing and life.

We have journeyed through this Lenten Season the concept of the Kerygma: the initial proclamation of the
Gospel. Using Fr. John Riccarrdo’s book Rescued, we have broken down the Kerygma into four words: Created,
Captured, Rescued and Response. The Response that we are called to live is the life of the Church. We will be
unpacking that Response throughout Easter. This week, we are invited to be on mission with Jesus, to begin to
live our response to the amazing Good News of Jesus’ Cross and Resurrections by sharing it with others.
Our Mission(s) this week:

• Tell one person the Good News (Created, Captured, Rescued, Response)
• Ask one person who you don’t normally pray with if you can pray with and for them.
• Share your testimony with one person.
• Invite one person to Easter Mass, and go with them and discuss it afterwards.

God bless you!
— Father Michael