New Creation Now
Easter Sunday
of the Resurrection of the Lord
Announcements for April 16, 2022:
If you need anything at all, please be in touch with me.
Our beyond-the-tithe effort in support of the Ukrainian people is wrapping up this weekend. The $26,000+ we raised is already assisting those who are most in need. Click here to give now.
Visit the OLMC Parishioner Portal for all of our recent announcements.
Dear Saints,
We're making our final preparations for the weekend, and excitement is building here towards tonight's Vigil Mass, the Mother of All Vigils (8:00pm in the church and streamed live).
Someone usually brings the champagne for the end of our marathon Mass. Come ready to celebrate!
What Jesus' rising from the dead means is that God has begun his work of new creation. "The power that has tyrannized the old creation," offers NT Wright in his Simply Jesus, "has been broken, defeated, overthrown. God's kingdom is now launched, and launched in power and glory, on earth as in heaven."
Power and glory, indeed! Take a look at the image below from the Shroud of Turin, formed by the energy at work in Jesus' resurrection:
Detail of the Shroud of Turin (left) with photographic negative (right).
The old creation, marred by the corrupting power of sin and death, lives by pride and retribution. But now, Jesus has opened up a new world, and made possible a new way to live (a way that was always intended by our creator God in whose image and likeness we are made): a way of love and reconciliation, a way of mercy, healing, and hope.
We find our place in God's new-creation project by trusting and following Jesus. Especially in these challenging times, we make Jesus' way of life our own when we - through him, and with him, and in him - live the way of self-giving love all the way through and all the way to the end!
Love has defeated death, my friends. Love is now on the march - in and through Jesus' foot-washing army - to renew the face of the earth.
I love you, my friends, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Christ's Peace,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
PS Check out this brief essay of mine from 2019 on the Resurrection and its meaning, and let me know what you think!
Preparing for Mass?
Check out this weekend's readings:
The Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
Peter and John Running to the Tomb
Eugène Burnand, 1898