Just like we found with Advent and Christmas, time flies when you’re having fun (and busy!) It’s hard to believe that Palm Sunday is next week… I hope your Lent has been full of many blessings and graces that have brought you closer to Jesus. As a parish, SJV has celebrated a Mission, weekly Stations of the Cross, daily Mass, and many good confessions. Of course we have also had opportunities for fun like our weekly Fish Fry and the various spring activities in school, youth ministry and religious education. We have celebrated together at weddings and baptisms and mourned together at funerals.

Now, as we begin our fifth week of Lenten observance and penance, we can see over the near horizon the sacred liturgies and devotions of Holy Week. Please take a look in our bulletin for the complete schedule. The Elect who are preparing for Baptism, Communion and Confirmation and the Candidates for Full Communion deserve our special prayers in these final days of anticipation.

As well, we join in prayer for our many Christian brothers and sisters facing persecution and violence in these days. Especially present in our hearts are Christians in Haiti, Nigeria, Nicaragua, India, the Holy Land, and in Venezuela. On the night before He was to suffer, Jesus offered us His Body and Blood, and on Good Friday was scourged, crucified, and died. But “on the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures.” The Body of Christ around the world continues to undergo terrible sufferings but we maintain our Hope in Jesus Christ and unity as a Church.

St. Paul writes: “that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.” (1 Cor. 12:25-27)

One remarkable response to the needs of our fellow Christians is the generosity you have shown in bringing sweatshirts and sweaters through the Brazos Abiertos ministry. It is amazing to see how many have already been collected and knowing that they are still pouring in! We are indeed all parts of the same Body of Christ, suffering and rejoicing together. Special thanks to Acolyte Bob Solis and the Brazos Abiertos Ministers.

We’ll have our final Stations of the Cross of Lent this coming Friday at 5:00pm in English and 6:00pm in Spanish in the Church. The following week, March 29, is Good Friday and we hope you’ll mark your calendar to join us at SJV Church for Stations and the Passion Liturgy. As well, a very special Good Friday tradition is the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross) in the Las Ligas Neighborhood, south of Lower Buckeye off El Mirage. If you’ve never been a part of it, please consider joining us this year. It begins at 4:00pm and we process with the Lord’s Cross throughout the neighborhood.

God bless you all and your families. Jesus says “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be.” (John 12:26) Let’s follow Jesus and so stay close to Him.

Fr. David Halm, C.S.C.
Pastor

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