Dear friends in Christ,
We continue our Lenten journey this week with the account of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This is definitive moment of preparation for Peter, James, and John who have accompanied him to see exactly what Jesus’ destiny will be. They see his glory, which is a foretaste of what will happen in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Even more shocking, though, is the fact that they will have to come to grips with the truth that Jesus really will suffer and die.
We can see why we read this gospel during Lent, as it prepares all of us for the celebrations of Holy Week. In a deeper way, though, what we see in the Transfiguration is the truth of Jesus’ eternal relationship with God his Father and the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of time, Jesus has always lived in the brilliant glory of the Blessed Trinity. Even as he does his earthy ministry, which culminates in his death on the Cross – he still lives always in the brightness of the Father’s love for him. For us who are baptized, we have also taken on this life and can live in God’s presence at every moment of our lives.
In the last few weeks, we have been announcing the Annual Catholic Appeal. I want to personally thank everyone who has already made their commitment or gift to the Appeal. This annual collection really helps to support the ministries of our Archdiocese. If you have not yet made your pledge for this year, I encourage you to prayerfully do so as soon as possible. Don’t forget that every parish has a financial goal to meet, but once we do so, all the donations in excess of that goal come back to our parish to meet our many needs here. So, you not only help the Archdiocese as a whole, but also your own parish.
I made my own gift this year through the website, and
it took about five minutes. Just go to annualcatholicappeal.com and make sure you select “Our Lady of Mercy Parish”. Give whatever your means allow. Your commitment is much more important than any number.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Thomas J. Byrne