Pastor’s Pen
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Dear Church family,
It’s getting close to the 30th time that I have walked the walk of Holy Week with you and we have tried to talk the talk, but especially walking the walk. We get prayed up so that we can DO up for another year. Hopefully, this is good for us to celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord.
Palm Sunday, we will walk around the church and 30 years ago my priest buddy and associate, Fr. James Williams and Fr. Larry Gerst, both of whom have gone on to the Lord, walked with me and encouraged us to walk on Good Friday, also, around the neighborhood. Fr. James even wrote a reflection on each of the Stations of the Cross. So that was a good blessing for all of us. Once Holy Week is just having the attitude of waving the palm branches as you praise God, we somehow adore the Lord with all your heart. I am trying to do that by waving the palm branches and making sure I don’t step in a pothole as I walk up Hamilton to the front of the church. It is just a way of saying, “We praise you, Lord. Hosanna in the Highest!” Thank you, Lord.
Then we enter the church and change the mood as we reflect on the Gospel of Mark. Again, we hear the recording of the Lord’s Passion and Death and always looking forward to His Resurrection that we celebrate on Easter Sunday. The other day I was asking a couple of people, who were just coming for a little help, did they know what the Resurrection is? Some didn’t know. But I said it is the total belief that our God has not only become human and dwelled among us, (which we celebrate on Christmas), but also that He has won the victory of eternal life for everybody. That is, when we die, we go to God and be with God forever. That is our belief. Of course, we want to do that rightly, so that is why we keep ourselves ‘prayed up’ so that we can “DO up”.
So, then we come to Holy Thursday at 7 p.m. where again for the almost 30th time, we celebrate our Lord washing the feet and serving. I am called to do that and you and everyone else is called to do that wonderful action of giving ourselves totally to the Lord.
Then on Good Friday from 12 noon to 3 p.m., we have walked the walk of going through the Passion of our Lord as we listen to the Gospel of John and hear his reflections on the Passion and Death. Again, I am glad to walk with all of you for almost the 30th time the sacred journey around the neighborhood which has so many signs of passion and death in violence and poverty.
Also, there are memories of the Resurrection which we will certainly celebrate at the Easter Vigil when we enter the darkened church and proclaim the Light of Christ that pierces the darkness. We just “Thank you, Lord” for that in an incredibly special way.
Finally, on Easter Sunday, anything that you do at home like gatherings with your family and also having an Easter celebration, continue to be aware of the great mystery you are celebrating in the actions of your daily living on Resurrection Day—Easter Sunday. So, enjoy this entire walk with the Lord again and I am so glad to be with you once more. Amen! Thank you, Lord!!
Love, Father Bob
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