Celebration of Easter

My Dear Parishioners,

Our annual celebration of Easter always brings back fond memories of Easters past. I always remember mom taking us for some new clothes before Easter (my sister going willingly, my brother and I less willingly). I also remember mom doing her cooking and baking before Easter and filling the refrigerator and freezer with the goodies for Easter dinner. I remember the Good Friday church visits, and the warning not to dare to eat anything or turn on the TV during the hours that Our Blessed Savior hung upon the Cross.

I remember the beautiful Easter Liturgies in our childhood parish of St. Philip Neri in Pennsburg. The church was bursting at the seams with parishioners in their Easter finest. The altar was covered in Easter flowers, and the choir pulled out all the stops.

After Mass, there was of course the big breakfast followed by some time to play outside. Then relatives and friends arrived for Easter dinner. Of course, the Easter meal began with my father saying the grace. Then, at the end of the meal, there were all the desserts that mom made and everyone else brought with them. After coffee and dessert, we kids would then go play in the basement while the adults got out the cards. So many fond memories.

Of course, many of those who were part of those Easter celebrations are no longer with us. My parents, my grandparents, the priests and nuns of my childhood, many of my aunts and uncles, some of my cousins and so many friends of the family from my childhood have passed away. As we remember those who have gone on before us this Easter, we do so with fondness and also with confidence. Our confidence comes from a collective memory that we have as Catholic Christians. That collective memory we have is of an empty tomb.

That empty tomb was discovered almost 2000 years ago, and I would dare say that its discovery is the most important discovery in the history of the world. Its discovery is far more important than the discovery of the wheel or fire or how to harness electricity. It is far more important than the discovery of microscopic organisms or far-off galaxies. It is far more important than any advances in medicine or biology or physics or even the splitting of the atom.

“Now let the heavens be joyful, Let earth her song begin: Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein; Invisible and visible, Their notes let all things blend, For Christ the Lord is risen Our joy that hath no end.” – Saint John of Damascus

That discovery of almost 2000 years ago is far more important because it gives us hope: hope for eternal life. So, this Easter, as with Easter’s past, we celebrate the empty tomb. Let us remember those who have gone on before us with prayer and confidence.

Let us remember them with prayer and confidence that they now share in the Glory of Our Crucified and Resurrected Savior.

Let us also celebrate with confidence that our fidelity to Him who died and rose for us will allow us to also share in His Glory.

“The Church is alive, as her Divine Founder is alive! The Church advances with the very virtue of life, as Jesus, after having submitted to the debt of mortal nature, proceeds victoriously beyond the stone barrier, which his enemies have placed to guard the tomb! Over the centuries, too, there have been other enemies for the Church, who have tried to close it as if in a sepulcher, celebrating its agony and death from time to time. But she, who has within her the invincible strength of her Founder, is always reborn with him, forgiving everyone and assuring serenity and peace to the humble, the poor, the suffering, to men of goodwill.” — St. John XXIII

I thank all of those who in any way have helped make our Holy Week and Easter celebrations so beautiful. So many have been inspired by our hard work and dedication.

My dear parishioners, please be assured of my continued prayers for you and your families and loved ones, both living and dead, and on behalf of Monsignor Bolger, Father Lyons, Deacon Frank Cavaliere and our staff, I wish you and your families a very Blessed Easter.

St. Joseph, Patron of our Church and patron of our Church, pray for us!

Fr. Michael J. Pawelko, Pastor