Flocknote

Dear St. Thomas Parish and School,

Happy Easter! The Lord is Risen, truly He is Risen!

We celebrate today after 40 long days of Lent, now rejoicing in the Christian hope that is ours due to the gift of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The quiet of the empty tomb echos loudly in our "Alleluias" sung at our Masses this weekend. Our hope is based on the truth that death is not the end, that sin does not have the final word, and that love, poured out fully on the cross, is victorious. Christ’s resurrection assures us that no matter how dark the night, the dawn will come. This is the heart of our faith: Jesus lives, and because He lives, we too shall live.

The hopes I shared today:

I hope that we truly know, not guess, that death is not the end of the story. That our suffering is not meaningless. That our prayers are not unheard. That God has already won the victory in Jesus Christ. And because of that, our story, no matter how broken it may feel, is not over.
I hope that we know we belong here and that St. Thomas Church is our house of prayer. I hope this place continues to be a home where people find healing, meaning, and communion with God and one another.
I hope we live as a people of resurrection. Not just on Easter, but all year long. That we speak words of life when the world is drowning in criticism. That we show mercy when the world says “cancel.” That we stay faithful when the world says “give up.” That we walk with the broken, welcome the outcast, protect the vulnerable, and never stop singing "Alleluia."

My thanks go to everyone who made this Triduum so beautiful:

Our OCIA team to prepare those who were baptized and confirmed and received the Eucharist for the first time at the Easter Vigil.
The Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Altar Servers, Livestreamers, Photographers, all who offered their time and talent for the beauty of the liturgy.
The choir, cantors, pianists, and organists for all the rehearsal time and diligent preparation.
The parish staff for many of the behind-the-scenes tasks.

May God bless each of you, and may the Risen Lord continue to show us the way of love and hope. Alleluia!

Peace to you,