Dear Parishioners,
As we continue our observation of Easter, I am reminded of the triumph of the Cross. I have a cross on a chain I wear around my neck. My granddaughter asked me why I have it. It brings up the question of the meaning of the cross. I told her that it reminds me that I am a Catholic, that I am a child of God and a follower of Christ. It is close to my heart, and so I feel close to Christ with it. It reminds me as well of the crosses I bear, that we all bear, that we are given to perfect our discipleship.
We all have crosses that we don’t like talking about but which we must deal with as we make our way through life. It points to the suffering which the Son of God endured for our sake. He was innocent and even more, sinless and incorruptible, not deserving of such vile consequences. Yet he endured his suffering with determination and purpose. He knew what it was all about. He is no stranger to pain and suffering and so knows our suffering, making his consolations to us powerful and grace filled. The cross points to the torturous evil we humans can visit on each other through rejection, condemnation, and vilification. Some of our crosses are brought by others in the form of oppression and prejudice. For some people, we don’t care what their crosses are. And yet for those we love, we share crosses and make the load lighter. The cross also points to the fact God can take any dire, desperate, and hopeless situation and make something good come from it. Even in death, there is room for hope as even death cannot diminish God’s bright light of love. So let us continue to be mindful of God’s grace, love and mercy in this beautiful season of Easter.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
