Dear St. Gabriel Parishioners:
JESUS IS RISEN … … ALLELUIA! …
a familiar phrase for all Christians, but so special for all of us to proclaim not just with our lips but living as witnesses to this new reality. May the “risen Christ” bless you and all your families in this Holy Easter Season and throughout the whole year.
- We have celebrated “Divine Mercy Sunday”; this is a feast where even the worst “sinners” are called to receive God’s incredible “Mercy and Love”. Praying the “Chaplet of Divine Mercy” is a meaningful way for individual or family in this Easter Season and beyond to continue receiving God’s Mercy and Graces.
- Scripture Reading for this Third Sunday of Easter is the most well-known of these stories - the Emmaus Journey, where the two disciples of Jesus met but didn’t recognize the Risen Christ on the way. It serves as a transition between the events of the Passion and discovery of the tomb and the appearance tradition. It is different from the other resurrection appearances because the Lord disappears at the moment of recognition.
The Emmaus Journey (Lk 24:13-35) serves as a bridge between the empty tomb (Lk 24:1-12) and Jesus' self-revelation to his apostles (Lk 24:36-49) immediately following the Emmaus disciples' meal, their recognition of Jesus, and hasty return to Jerusalem.
The believer encounters the Risen Christ. His followers saw, touched, and heard the voice of the Risen Christ. We, today at Eucharist, see, hear, and touch Christ today through the sacraments, through shared witness and service to others.
- CONGRATULATION TO ALL Newly Confirmed by Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg at St. Gabriel Church - 3:00 PM for Candidates for Confirmation at Prince of Peace Parish and 6:30 PM for Candidates for Confirmation at St. Gabriel Parish on Saturday, April 17. The “common theme” from many of our young people’s desire to be confirmed came from: A deepening of their faith; a realization of living faith as an adult and an opportunity to participate in many different ministries to serve our parish community.
- Please remember to pray for “the children” from our parish community who are preparing for their First Communion – an encounter of Christ in the Sacrament of Eucharist for the first time in their lives – in May.
- Finally, it is that time of the year where we are very well aware of the “universal Church” in this Easter Season, but we also notice of how we are formed together in this “Local Church of the Archdiocese of Seattle”. May I ask you to pray for the success of the Annual Catholic Appeal on “Announcement Sunday next week”. Materials will be forth coming in the weeks ahead as we share God’s gifts to us in supporting our common ministries in the Archdiocese
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang