Our prayer focused on remembering and celebrating the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, Jesus’ death on the Cross on Good Friday, and Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. In commemorating the Last Supper, we gave thanks to God for the abiding gift of the Eucharist which is for us Jesus’ eternal presence. In celebrating Good Friday, we proclaim the death of Jesus on the Cross as gaining for us fullness of life.

It is interesting to consider why Good Friday is a “good” day? There are many good parts to this day. Jesus is a good person. His followers are good people. It is good that Jesus offers forgiveness to those who nailed him to the Cross. Despite the circumstances Jesus faced (that is, his own death even though he was innocent) it is good that Jesus still trusted in God, his Father, and had faith that God the Father would turn this tragedy into something good.

The “something good” is the resurrection of Jesus and the gift of eternal life that the rising of Jesus from the dead promises us. We are now into the fourth week of Easter, the season of celebration and the sounding out of “Alleluia” which is the Christian proclamation of praise, joy, triumph, and overwhelming happiness. Let our “Alleluias” be an emphatic and genuine expression of our belief in the unconditional love of God and in the gift of eternal life.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator