Dear Parishioners, Visitors and Friends of St Lawrence parish:
Blessed Pope John Paul II in his Easter Message of 2000 wrote, “The Risen Christ signals the paths of hope along which we can advance together towards a world more just and mutually supportive.”
With his elevation to sainthood April 27, we hope that this message also rises in the consciousness of Catholics, all Christians, and the many who have yet to embrace the Gospel.
The Resurrection we celebrate concerns more than the story of one Jesus of Nazareth and his miraculous return from the grave. Rather, this is the story of the beginning of a new life and a new world Jesus Christ initiated through his loving sacrifice upon the cross and his victory over death in rising again. Many may regard, “He is Risen” as hackneyed or trite. Indeed, if these are words that only live briefly on our lips but die once uttered, they are rightly dismissed.
As your pastors, it has been our chief aim, as we believe it is the divinely mandated goal for all Christians, to spread the Gospel of new life. We are to pray, say and do the Gospel, conforming ourselves to Christ. Through becoming a living example of the power of his Resurrection, we invite others to share in this new life. And to that end we have placed great emphasis on our parish communities praying on and thinking through how we are to live this out here in Hamilton, now in 2014, and in the years to come.
In his recent Apostolic Exhortation “Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis wrote: “The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast. Such a community has an endless desire to show mercy, the fruit of its own experience of the power of the Father’s infinite mercy. Let us try a little harder to take the first step and to become involved.” (EG 24)
We, as Oblates, pray that our ministry here serves as an invitation to each of you to embrace ever more strongly the baptismal commitment we have all made through baptism, confirmation and continuing participation in the Eucharist. We are all people of God, people of faith, disciples of Jesus Christ – let us strive to be people who reflect that reality in our daily lives, our church and our community. May we learn together to love others as God loves us!
On this day of Christ’s resurrection, we wish you a powerful experience of Easter morning in your personal, family and community life. May the story of Christ become your personal story of a life made always new through the power of the Resurrection. Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Fr. Tony O’Dell, OMI and Fr. Jarek Pachocki, OMI
PDF Version of the Easter Message
