Reflection for the Solemnity of the Resurrection 2025

He saw and believed.

Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Today we encounter the greatest image ever, the empty tomb.

That image is the one, beyond the cross, that God wants us to remember most.

God envisioned that empty tomb for us. It is our hope, it is our comfort. Most importantly it is our assurance, the vision God has for us resurrected and with Him forever.

On that Easter morning, Jesus encounters His faithful in varieties of ways. He greets Mary Magdalene as the Gardener. He walks with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus. He enters the upper room. In each encounter we see God’s image of how life should be, lived with Jesus’ resurrected reality and in the family of faith. There is truly nothing better than to be loved to the extent God loves us.

We concluded on Palm Sunday by remembering the totality of God’s gift of love, great grace, restoration, and His amazing promise. Today we see the reality of that fulfilled promise at the empty tomb. As the Apostle John did,  let us see and believe it.

Maundy Thursday 2025

“I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

This evening, as on this evening about 2022 years ago, we gather around the table of the Lord. We take time to commemorate the great things He instituted for our benefit.

In the washing of the Apostle’s feet, Jesus instituted the sacrament of penance. As Jesus washed their feet before they gathered around the table, so we too do the same, engage in the Sacrament of Penance at the beginning of every Holy Mass.

At the table Jesus not only celebrates the annual Jewish Passover meal but He more importantly reconfigured the sacrifice and consumption of the Passover lamb around His own passion and death. He institutes a new Passover memorial. Jesus identifies Himself as the new Passover Lamb Who will be sacrificed for the redemption of the new Israel in a new exodus.

We have the privilege of living in this new exodus. We are headed across the dessert of this earthly life to God’s eternal kingdom.

As with the Israelites in the dessert, our journey to the Kingdom is a protected journey. As God went with the Israelites as a pillar of fire and pillar of cloud. This dual theophany (manifestation of God) guided the Israelites through the desert during the Exodus from Egypt. The pillar of cloud provided a visible guide for the Israelites during the day, while the pillar of fire lit their way by night.

The pillars of cloud and fire are first mentioned in Exodus 13, shortly after Moses leads the Israelites out of their captivity in Egypt. When Pharaoh brought his army in pursuit of the Israelites the pillar of cloud intervened to keep the army from approaching during the night. The pillar positioned itself behind the Israelites, casting light upon their camp while leaving the Egyptian army in darkness.

As I mentioned, we have protection, and it is a far better protection than a pillar of fire and cloud. We have a lasting memorial in Jesus’ body and blood, His real physical presence with us always. The dessert of life is a far better place with the assurance and protection we have in Jesus’ eternal presence. 

In penance we are reconciled over and over and work to change what negatively affects us. We are spiritually healed and brought back. Jesus assures us of his mercy and compassion for us.

In the Holy Eucharist and in receiving His body and blood in communion Jesus remains in and with us. He is always present here, in the church where we may receive Him and adore Him, where we may just sit with Him and converse with Him is a very special and privileged way because He is truly physically present just as He was this night about 2022 years ago.

The worst part of life’s dessert, of our exodus journey, is feeling alone and abandoned. Like a child, we all feel afraid of that kind of solitude. Jesus Himself cried out from the cross when He experienced it: My God, My God, why have You abandoned me!?! Jesus did not and does not want that for any one of us. So, we have tonight, and the gifts of awesome assurance, gifts so we are never alone and always protected.

Bible Study for the 2nd Week of Passiontide and the Pascal Triduum 2025

This week’s memory verse: But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. — Romans 6:22

  • 3/13 – Romans 6:3-4
  • 3/14 – Romans 6:5-7
  • 3/15 – Romans 6:8-9
  • 3/16 – Romans 6:10
  • 3/17 – Romans 6:11
  • 3/18 – Romans 6:12-14
  • 3/19 – Romans 6:15-19

Pray the Week: Lord Jesus, As I reflect on the troubles I have lived I am ashamed. Grant that I may perceive the great sacrifice You made to wash me clean and to make me beautiful in the Father’s eyes.  Amen.

Reflection for Palm Sunday 2025

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

God uses imagery so we might clearly understand His intent for us, the picture He envisions for us. May God’s imagery help us to achieve the vision He has for us.

This week God provides more than just images, but rather a whole movie filled with a cast of characters illustrating exactly what Jesus came to save us from.

Brandon Lake appeared on the Grand Old Opry last night. He is a Christian artist and his song; Daddy’s DNA carries this refrain: ‘all I’ve given you is trouble all you’ve given me is grace.’

Certainly, true for each of us. In big and small ways.

Jesus came to solve those troubles we offer God and most particularly their consequences. As St. Paul reminds us In Romans 6:23: the consequence of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We could spend some time here recalling the big and small sins of all the characters in the Passion, we could see ourselves in those sins, think about the ways we have bought in to wrong, but let’s not do that.

Instead, let us focus on our Daddy’s DNA – the image of God that He has placed into each of us. Let us look to the beauty we have in God’s eyes and give thanks for what Jesus has done to make us beautiful. Let us further exhibit in worship and praise our gratitude for God’s outpouring of grace that renews us when we fail and fall, grace that restores our beauty.

All God gives us is love, great grace, restoration, and an amazing promise. All the proof we need of what God gives us is in our bibles and on that cross.

Holy Week and Easter Schedule for 2025

The following is our Holy Week and Easter schedule for 2025:

  • April 13: Palm Sunday; Traditional Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Mass at 10am. Second Holy Mass at noon.
  • April 16: Spy Wednesday: Holy Mass at Noon. Private Confessions until 2pm.
  • April 17: Maundy Thursday: Solemn Holy Mass with Reception of Oils, Procession, Reposition, and Stripping of the Altar at 7pm. Church open until 9pm for Private Adoration.
  • April 18: Good Friday: Church Opens at Noon. Last Words at 1pm. Bitter Lamentations/Gorzkie Zale at 2pm. Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified and Opening of the Tomb at 3pm. 
  • April 19: Holy Saturday: Liturgy of New Fire, Renewal of Baptismal Vows, and Blessing of Baskets at 10am. Church open until 2pm for basket blessings and private devotion.
  • April 20: Solemnity of the Resurrection (Easter): Traditional Resurrection Liturgy, Procession, and Solemn High Holy Mass at 8am. Second Holy Mass at 10am.

For more information, call the parish at 518-372-1992 or visit our Facebook page.

Bible Study for the 1st Week of Passiontide 2025

This week’s memory verse: Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” — Acts 2:37

  • 4/6 – 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
  • 4/7 – John 16:8
  • 4/8 – John 3:19-21
  • 4/9 – 1 John 1:9
  • 4/10 – Titus 1:9
  • 4/11 – Romans 6:23
  • 4/12 – 2 Timothy 3:16

Pray the Week: Lord Jesus, I stand convicted before You, the Just Judge. Help me to perceive the outpouring of Your mercy amidst my guilt and help me not to fear. Grant that I may amend those things I am guilty of and sin no more.  Amen.

Reflection for Passion Sunday 2025

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

God uses imagery so we might clearly understand His intent for us, the picture He envisions for us. May God’s imagery help us to achieve the vision He has for us.

This week God’s set of images call us to self-reflection and a merciful attitude toward all.

As many of you know, and occasionally see, I get emotional when I proclaim certain of the gospels. I mentioned this last week, and those who were at our Seniorate Lenten Retreat may have picked up on that as I led the Seven Last Words devotion.

We call this conviction. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit where an individual is confronted with what God sees. We face the guilt we know we have and realize we are unable to save ourselves. Further, we get overwhelmed as we consider our guilt in light of God’s tremendous mercy. His love overpowers the sentence we deserve.

In the Passion we see Jesus telling the good thief that he will be with Him in paradise. The good thief’s effort to seek forgiveness is enough for Jesus to welcome him. In the parable of the Prodigal, we see both sons’ sinfulness set aside by a father whose forgiveness and mercy is limitless. We see the image of our heavenly Father waiting for us as we return.

Today we see two sets of sinners standing before Jesus. The prostitute, obviously being manipulated as sex workers so often are, is used here to trap Jesus. That does not discount her sin, but it is minor compared to the allegedly righteous who brought her there. The others, they are masters of manipulation, deceit, and an inner anger that causes them to hate God Himself. A stark reminder that we must not judge.

Jesus attempts to break through. By ignoring the accusers, He points out His knowledge of their evil. In His mercy He attempts to convict them of their sin, but they will not accept that conviction. They merely walk away. What a loss!

For the woman Jesus does indeed break through. He doesn’t question or interrogate her. She does not make excuses. Rather, she accepts His mercy and His instruction: from now on do not sin any more.”

Over this Passiontide, listen and allow Jesus in. Then accept His mercy. Finally, like St. Paul, forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead.

April 2025 Newsletter – Bear His Image

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Throughout the PreLenten and Lenten season we have been focused on God’s imagery. We have considered the many ways in which God’s Holy Word in Scripture, and in particular in the Person of Jesus, draws for us mental images of what He wants us to see and be. When we see God’s images we quickly perceive who and what He wants us to be, to become, and what He does not want us to be. He draws us a picture so we might clearly perceive His intent for us. We’ve all heard the old saying: ‘Can you draw me a picture?’ Well, God does.

Among our reflections we saw that we must resist evil and persevere as Jesus did in His desert fast. In the Transfiguration we saw that we are to be people of light entering into the fray and the chaos. In the parable of the fig tree owner we saw that we are to be fruitful and that we must avoid barrenness. We will continue to see images that speak to us, images of judgment and of what the Lord has done for us in His passion and death. At the end of our Lenten journey as will occur at the end of our lives we reach the image of the resurrected Christ.

St. Paul reminds the faithful of Corinth that they have been changed by their faith in Christ. Our former image as dust, of the earthly, has been transformed into the image of Jesus, of the heavenly. That is the wonderful promise of Easter to we who are Easter people. St. Paul goes on to tell them and us that our image has been changed. We are no longer just flesh and blood nor are we perishable. Because of that we will inherit the kingdom of God and will be imperishable. Because of Jesus, and by our acceptance of His salvation in our baptism (which we will specifically recall and celebrate on Holy Saturday morning) and lived faith in the image He wishes us to bear, we will be transformed to be like Jesus and live in glory forever. Let Easter joy fill our hearts and strengthen us to bear His image.

Welcome to our April 2025 Newsletter. It is chock full of information for Holy Week, Easter, and the Fifty Days of Easter. Please join us as we walk with Jesus through His passion and death so to arrive together at His resurrection and our own.

Our 21st Basket Social is just around the corner, on Sunday, March 27th starting at Noon at the South Schenectady Fire Hall (6 Old Mariaville Road, Schenectady). Join us for this amazingly fun event and get some of that great Polish Food that will be served.

We provide information about the great events coming in the months ahead (our Mission and Evangelism Conference, Men’s Spiritual Retreat, the Kurs Youth Encampment, Music Convention and Workshop, Golf Tournament, and Bowling Outing). Also, check out the amazing things God is doing to provide workers for His vineyard.

All this and more in our April 2025 Newsletter.

Bible Study for the 4th Week of Lent 2025

This week’s memory verse: For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. — Matthew 7:8

  • 3/30 – Proverbs 8:17
  • 3/31 – Matthew 6:33
  • 4/1 – Matthew 7:7-8
  • 4/2 – Hebrews 11:1
  • 4/3 – Psalm 139:23-24
  • 4/4 – Isaiah 48:17
  • 4/5 – Acts 2:25-26

Pray the Week: Lord Jesus, grant that as I go forth, I may continually seek You. Help me with the humility necessary to turn back to You and to accept Your compassionate and extravagant forgiveness and love. Amen.

Reflection for the 4th Sunday in Lent 2025

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

God uses imagery so we might clearly understand His intent for us, the picture He envisions for us. May God’s imagery help us to achieve the vision He has for us and help us to arrive at Easter as light.

This week God’s set of images call us to reliance on His mercy. I, for one, can barely get through the proclamation of this gospel without breaking down because I see the image of God’s infinite mercy as He welcomes me back over and over, embraces me again and again despite my failures.

The richness of God’s imagery in this parable of the Prodigal makes it a sort of movie. We can see what is happening, how each person acts and reacts. Despite the things that are pretty evident, God as the perfect artist has inserted some less obvious images.

In movies and games this is often referred to as an Easter Egg. The term was first coined around 1979 by Steve Wright at Atari Computers to describe a hidden message in a video game. Since then, creators, like our Creator, have inserted things we must search for in their creations.

Let’s look at some Easter Eggs in the Parable of the Prodigal.

The younger son is unwilling to wait for his inheritance. He exhibits selfishness. Once he has wasted everything the Parable tells us he went to care for the swine. The slightly hidden thing is that the swine owner was probably a Gentile. If he were a Jew, he would have let his servants take a portion of the feed for themselves (a commandment in the Law), but here he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. The son’s selfishness is confronted by the owner’s.

As the son returns, he has no need to search for his father. The father is shown waiting. Imagine that, from the moment the son left the father stood in the road waiting for his return. Prodigal means extravagant – and the father’s love was indeed extravagant.

Finally, the older son is upset. It is not just the father’s extravagance. It is the fact that all that remains of the estate is his, yet he feels unable to enjoy it.

We are called to confront those areas where we are selfish, to seek the less than obvious ways God shows us where we fall short thus taking the lesson to heart. When we turn around and return, let us recognize God’s extravagant love and accept His embrace. Finally, let us enjoy God’s Kingdom here on earth and spend time rejoicing with all who find their way home. In all things let us seek Him so never giving up we may find Him.