Even though we were still in Lent, last Saturday we got a foretaste of Easter joy.  It was the multi-faith prayer service. We felt it first while gathered at the County Building, and then walking together on Harbor Drive and Broadway, and then as we blessed the Federal Building.  On that eve of Palm Sunday, as we carried palm branches through the streets, we could feel that there was something much more than our fears and worries about increasingly threatening immigration policies.  We could feel a joy that was deeper than our darkest fears.  We were giving ourselves a gift, which was community and connection.  We realized again we are not alone, and that we have power.  We could feel the Spirit with us.  We could feel Jesus with us.

That is Easter joy.  It is the experience of the disciples, who, once they figured out that Jesus had risen from the dead, ran to tell others.  For what the empty tomb represented was victory of life over death, of light over darkness.  It was the ultimate lesson that death does not have the ultimate word.  God has the last word.  God calls his Son to life.  God calls us to life.

I think any of us can be tempted to let the darkness rule our lives.  We can give up hope, thinking we will never change, our obstacles will never go away, we will just live life and then finish lives in darkness.  I am pretty sure that Jesus on the cross was tempted to think his life had ended in failure.  And yet, we know it didn’t.  God had the ultimate word.  God got to write the end of the story.  And he raised Jesus to life.  God also raises us to new life, and he writes the end of our story.                         It is a joyful ending.

Every Sunday we celebrate Easter.  Every Sunday we celebrate the victory of life over death.  Every Sunday we gather and give one another the gift we gave ourselves last Saturday, which is the gift of community and connection:  two conditions that make it easy for God to let his light shine upon us.  In the difficult days ahead, we will need to give ourselves this gift. God will use that gift to raise us again and again to new life.

Parish Office Closed
The parish office will be closed from Monday, April 21 to Wednesday, April 23.
We will resume our regular office hours on Thursday, April 24.

Thank You for Your Generosity!
We are grateful to all who contributed to the Easter lilies.
The church looks beautiful thanks to you! 

Thank you to everyone who helped organize and attended the prayer service and the procession to the federal building on Saturday, April 12. 

Your presence and voice are matters!

Reporting allegations of Sexual Misconduct 
The Diocese of San Diego treats all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and deals with them in a prompt, confidential, and thorough manner.
To report sexual misconduct by clergy or Church personnel, including abuse, please contact the Victim Assistance Coordinator.

Situations of recent or ongoing sexual abuse should be reported to local law enforcement.

Mary Acosta

Victim Assistance Coordinator

858-490-8353