Fr. Patrick's Easter Message

Dear Parishioners and Friends,
 
It is with great joy that I extend my warmest Easter greetings to each and every one of you. The Lord has blessed us greatly here at Nativity of Our Lord, and I am personally blessed to be your pastor and celebrate this holiest of days with all of you.
 
Our cover image on this bulletin so beautifully depicts the moment when the three women learned of the resurrection of Jesus. “He is not here, but he has been raised,” the angel told them. “Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”
 
What did the women do?  Well, according to St. Luke, they listened to the angel: “And they remembered his words.” What else? “Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things” (Luke 24:6-9).
 
Today at Mass we obey that same command from the angel as we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  That leaves just one more thing to do: we must now announce the Good News to others, like those women did.
 
Let us thank our Lord for his Nativity, his Gospel ministry, his passion, death, and resurrection — and that he has called us to share in that same resurrection!
 
May he in his love grant an abundance of Easter blessings to you and those you love.  He is risen, alleluia!
  
— Father Patrick Hipwell


(Originally published in the Easter Sunday (April 21) parish bulletin)