"Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. ”    (Taken from the Gloria at Mass) 
     At every Mass we implore the Lord Jesus to "have mercy on us," and at Easter we recognize most profoundly that Jesus is a "God of everlasting mercy... by whose Spirit we have been reborn and by whose Blood we have been redeemed."  We focus anew on the consummate manifestation of love God has shown, in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of His only begotten Son.  The Eternal Father has held nothing back from us of His love and mercy.  For that reason, we should "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting."  (Psalm 118: 1)    
     From the moment of our Baptism, we are "born anew" as God's children, "Temples of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (1st Cor. 6: 19)  We are filled with Divine Life and are meant to live in a godly way.  But what happens to our new life in Christ if we sin after Baptism, what do we do with those new sins?  Knowing our weaknesses, Christ provided a healing medicine in the Sacrament of Penance, also known as Confessions or the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  On the evening of that first Easter, Jesus appeared to the apostles and gave them the power to forgive sins: "Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.'  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.'”   (John 20: 19b - 23)       
     Through the Sacraments, prayer, spiritual exercise, and care for those in need, we are continually strengthened by God's grace.  Make this the best Easter Season ever; make the commitment to reject Satan and sin in your personal life, and be healed by the Sacrament of Penance.  Finally, make the commitment to care for those in need.  This Easter Season, be renewed by God's mercy, be merciful to others, and grow in God's grace!      
     -  Fr. Francis P. Foley  

 

Living the Life of a Baptized Child of God 
      "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord." 
 -  1st Peter 3: 8 - 15a
 
A Prayer to Learn from Jesus
O Lord, teach me by Your example on the Cross.  Grant that I may love like You, who gave Your life for sinners.  Help me to forgive like You, who said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."  Help me to be patient and hold my tongue when people annoy me.  Help me to do what is right, true, and honest, even when I am tempted to sin or run away, remembering Your prayer, "Father, not my will, but Thy will be done."  Jesus, help me to live, day by day, so that when that day of judgement comes and I stand in Your presence, I may hear You say, "This day you shall be with me in Paradise!"  
 
Pray for the Happy Repose of the Soul of Pope Francis 
 
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. 
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy 
of God, rest in peace.  Amen!"
   -  Pray one "Our Father", on "Hail Mary", and one "Glory Be" for 
the soul of Pope Francis.  
     -  Please pray as well for the cardinals as they prepare to choose the next Pope.  
 
What Love Looks Like
  “It has the hands to help others.  It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.  It has eyes to see the misery and want.  It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.  That is what love looks like.”  
 -  St. Augustine
 
Regina Caeli Prayer (This prayer replaces the Angelus during the Easter Season)
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
 The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia, 
has risen as he said, alleluia.
 Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
 R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
 
Let us pray.
O God, who have been pleased to gladden the world by the Resurrection of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we pray, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may receive the joys of everlasting life.
 Through Christ our Lord. Amen.