EASTER MONDAY, 2ND DAY OF THE 50 GLORIOUS DAYS...........

For the unbelieving or non practicing citizens of the World, the high holydays Catholic-Christians have celebrated the past week, ended last night - done, over, finished, for another year.  But Easter is more than a day, or a week of celebration.  Easter is a liturgical, Season of Living Faith, that is 50 Glorious Days, of commemorating the New and Risen Life of Jesus Christ in our lives.  In many countries and cultures, Easter Monday is a holiday, allowing believers in the Resurrection to freely continue celebrating and save returning to work until at least tomorrow.  The spring break of most Catholic-Christian schools is an Easter holiday, as students are given days off from Holy Thursday through this week.  Whereas, others are resuming their normal duties and pretty much leaving the thought of Easter behind.  We as Disciples of the Risen Jesus, cannot and must not do that.  We must continue rejoicing and embracing the spirit of the Paschal Season, responding to reality of our Redemption, by our openness to the experiences of New Life, our Faith provides us.  So today, as Easter Monday unfolds, may you not be in a hurry to cast Easter off, but find personal and communal ways to outwardly,as well as interiorly,keep it alive and flowing through your lives.  Here at OLOL Parish, that means preparing for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist with our Religious Education, on the Second and Third Sundays of Easter.  Bishop Jaime Soto, will be here next Sunday at 10:30 am Mass to administer Confirmation; and I will preside over First Holy Communion Mass, the following Sunday - Mother's Day.  May the Blessings of Easter continue to teem through all you are and do, today and in the seven weeks ahead...........Paschal Peace + Prayers,   Fr.  Troy