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April 1, 2026Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:
Our long Lenten journey -- characterized by our acts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is at an end and the celebrations of his Blessed Resurrection begin. The next fifty days will draw our focus to the power of life over death, love over hatred, and good over evil.
Lent was very poignant this year for many reasons. The starkness of the season was marked by much negativity and fear around us. We suffered under the weight of several significant snow events, disrupting our ordinary daily life, and causing some real struggles.
At the same time we saw our world become embroiled in another serious war, fueled by mutual distrust, hatred, and to some extent inspired by a heretical theological perspective which runs contrary to our Catholic faith. Mutual hatred fueled by competing theological worldviews sounds more ancient than modern, and yet here we are.
The fallout of war, terrorism, and social upheaval at home have left a veil of darkness in the lives of so many of us. We struggle to understand, to explain this to our children, and we ponder the consequences of the outcomes.
This leaves many in darkness and fear. Easter is our reminder that we are children of light and not darkness, of life and not death; of good and not evil. Therefore, today we celebrate the most foundational point of our faith: Jesus Christ is Risen, he is Lord of all.
Easter is, of course, not a day but a season. First, we celebrate with an Octave -- Easter is an eight-day feast -- followed by the season. We set aside the violet vestments for white for the entire fifty days until Pentecost (May 24th) when we will don the red vestments to celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. It is only then that we return to the green vestments, celebrating Ordinary Time, until the Advent Season (November 30th).
In a world shrouded in darkness and fear, let us all become beacons of light and hope. Do not feed the fear, the anger, or the uncertainty. Rather, allow the peace of Christ and the hopeful promise of eternal life, to wash over each of us.
Easter reminds us of hope in life eternal and the power of life over death. The late Pope Francis challenged the church to become ‘pilgrims of hope” in a world of darkness and despair.
It is my prayer that each of us has a blessed holiday, gets to enjoy some time off, and finds peace and joy amidst all of the struggles.
Jesus is truly risen -- let us live as disciples of the light and pilgrims of hope,
Fr. Garry