Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest Today united in spirit with the crowds gathered almost 2000 years ago in Jerusalem with palm branches we greet Jesus entering the City of David. Palm Sunday always reminds us of two important events: Jesus’ solemn entrance to Jerusalem and His Passion and Death. The same people who greeted Jesus as a King of Israel afterwards cried out to Pontius Pilate: Crucify Him! Therefore, today in the liturgy we begin with the procession with palms and solemn, joyful hymns. Then we read the Passion of the Lord. Palm Sunday embarks upon Holy Week that is the most important week in the entire liturgical year. This Monday Bishop Douglas Crosby, Bishop of Hamilton, along with his priests, both diocesan and religious, consecrate Holy Oils during the Chrism Mass. The Holy Oils will be distributed to all the parishes within the diocese and are to be used to administer the Sacraments: of Baptism, of Confirmation, of the Sick and Holy Orders. We are invited to attend the Chrism Mass at 7 pm in our Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King to show our unity with the Bishop.

This Thursday we begin with the Last Supper Mass, the period of the greatest importance of the whole liturgical year that is called The Easter (Paschal) Triduum. Since the very beginning of the Church it has been one feast extended from Holy Thursday evening up to the Vespers (the evening prayer) of Easter Sunday. The faithful throughout the world are greatly encouraged to attend all the days of The Triduum so that they may experience all the mysteries the Church lives and be bestowed with all the graces and indulgences prescribed to those who attend. During the Last Supper Mass we thank the Lord for the precious gift of the Eucharist. We extend our thanksgiving with the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament following the Mass. On Good Friday we are united with our suffering Lord and His Death on the cross. In the evening we pray the Stations of the Cross and we begin the Novena to Divine Mercy. Good Friday is for the faithful throughout the entire Church a day of fasting and abstinence from meat. On Holy Saturday we remain in silence in union with Jesus’ time in the Sepulchre. The Easter (Paschal) Vigil, which is to be celebrated at night, belongs to Easter Sunday. This Easter Vigil is the most important Mass in the whole liturgical year. By keeping vigil during this Holy Night we express our longing for the coming of the Morning Star who never sets Jesus Christ who, coming back from death’s domain, has shed his peaceful light on humanity and lives and reigns forever and ever.

This year during the Paschal Vigil five adult candidates will receive the Sacraments of Christian Initiation, which are Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. This is a great joy for our Parish! Let us keep them in our prayers during the final days of preparation!

God bless,
Father Peter