A reading from the Acts of the Apostles: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.”

What would this kind of life be like? Where a community was of one heart and mind? A world where people took care of each others’ needs, and thought first of the greater good—rather than their own personal gain. We cannot imagine a life like this in our country, our culture and our society; but by our Baptism, this is our call! Whoever said it would be easy to be a disciple of Jesus?

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. When we love God by keeping His commandments, all is easier, and we will live in the peace of Christ. It all sounds so simple: this Divine Mercy that God has for us and we must share, but so difficult for us to give to each other. And yet, our mandate is clear: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” In the First Reading (Acts) we are told that in bearing witness to Jesus, we will be accorded great favor. And what could be better than eternal life? 

So what is the property that each of us should distribute to our Community? Time, talent and treasure! (PS: Thank you, and may God bless you Music Ministry!) In Divine Mercy we are given so much, and in Divine Mercy we gift back—we must share in turn what we were given. There should be no “needy” among us—and the reward is the peace of Christ. 

Keep singing!

Elizabeth Dyc

Christ is Risen!  Indeed, He is Risen!  Christ’s Resurrection from the dead is not a pious fiction or a myth outside of time.  No.  All of time and space has been transformed by the saving Death and Resurrection of Christ.  The benefits of this historic event of over two-thousand years ago continue to positively affect us today; we are invited to plunge into this drama of dying and rising by cleaving to Christ.  He is the only answer to the tragic reality of suffering and death.  We have to suffer the death-throes of all that is contrary to God’s purposes, but through Christ we know there is victory and fulfillment.  I came across the following poem several months ago and wanted to share it with you at our next celebration of Easter, for it incapsulates in a way that only a poet can, my clumsy musings.

​Happy Easter!

David J. Conrad

I must believe that You rose from the dead
For if You didn’t, then what hope is there
To raise me from the gutter of despair
Out of the sod from which we all were bred?
Made in your image, when we forfeited
Our innocence in Eden for a share
Of Knowledge, we were stubbornly aware
That we were naked, doomed to earn our bread.
I’ve spent too many years on Calvary
Watching great loves disintegrate in death,
Waiting to hear their final, labored breath
To see them rest unchained from agony.
Sweet Jesus, let some angel roll the stone
Out of my heart to see that we have won.

    - Mary-Patrice Woehling​