God sent His only Son...

03-10-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, the liturgy offers us an early scent of Easter joy. The celebrant's vestments are rose colored. It is “Laetare Sunday,” inviting us to a serene joy. The Entrance Antiphon cries out to us: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

God wants us to live an abundant life. The most basic psychology tells us that a person who does not live happily eventually becomes ill, both in body and spirit. However, our joy must be well-founded, it must be the expression of the serenity of living a life with full meaning. Otherwise, joy would degenerate into superficiality and folly. Saint Teresa of Ávila accurately distinguished between “holy joy” and “foolish joy.” The latter is only external, short-lived, and leaves a bitter aftertaste.

We live in challenging times for the life of faith. But they are also exciting times. In a way, we experience the Babylonian exile sung about in the psalm. Yes, we too can experience exile: “By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.” (Ps 137:1). External difficulties and, above all, sin can bring us near the rivers of Babylon. Despite everything, there are reasons for hope, and God continues to tell us: “Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you,” (Ps 137:6).

We can always live happily because God loves us madly, so much that He “gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16). Soon we will accompany this only Son on His path of death and resurrection. We will contemplate the love of the One who loves so much that He gave Himself for us, for you and for me. And we will be filled with love and look upon Him “whom they have pierced” (John 19:37), and a joy will grow in us that no one can take away.

The true joy that lights up our life does not come from our effort. Saint Paul reminds us: it does not come from you, it is a gift from God, “for we are his handiwork” (Eph 2:10). Let us allow ourselves to be loved by God and to love Him, and our joy will be great this coming Easter and throughout our lives. May we not forget to let ourselves be embraced and renewed by God by making a good confession during this season of Lent.

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson