Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Catholic Church continues to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection, His triumph over death, and within this Easter joy every Sunday. There is a special emphasis on God's triumph over death as we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. God's Divine Mercy is an unfathomable gift of His love for us. In his encyclical Dives in Misericordia, Saint John Paul II reminds the world that Divine Mercy is the loving manifestation of God in a history wounded by sin and that God places our miserable situation due to sin in His Fatherly heart, which is faithful to His designs. Jesus Christ, dead and risen, is the supreme manifestation and action of Divine Mercy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Blessed Easter Sunday! Alleluia! Resurrexit Sicut Dixit: He Is Risen as He Said! Every Sunday we celebrate the reality that Jesus, Our Lord, has risen from the dead, but on Easter Sunday the Church sends a proclamation of the Risen Lord that resounds throughout the world. Beginning with the Easter Vigil, and the lighting of the Paschal Candle from the Easter fire, Christ the Light of the world shines brightly for all to see. On this night, the family of God grows as we welcome our newest Catholics into the Church. Despite the presence of violence, war, division, and death, the resurrection of the Messiah, Our Savior, brings hope and joy to the world and scatters the darkness.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin the holiest week of the Church calendar. On Palm Sunday, the Sacred Scriptures invite us into Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Today we hear shouts of "Hosanna" as the people joyfully greet Our Lord, cheering and welcoming Him with palm branches. What an interesting way of honoring the Messiah. Notice how the King of Kings enters riding a colt. This is not because they couldn't find a fitting white stallion. Jesus intentionally offers Himself in humility to show that His kingdom is not of this world.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I can hardly believe that we have arrived to the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Next Sunday will be Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. These past several weeks are meant to be a time of preparation for Easter and the Resurrection of Christ who conquered even death. Throughout Lent, Our Lord calls us to offer sacrifices, prayers, and penances. These 40 days are meant to be a special time to reconnect us with God and to clear out the clutter that has accumulated through our sinful decisions. It is never too late to reconnect with Our Lord's mercy and love. Prayerfully consider making a good confession. A good confession can bring peace to the soul and strength to deal with future temptations.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Laetare Sunday We are celebrating the Fourth Sunday of Lent which offers a foretaste of Easter joy. The priest's vestments this Sunday are rose because we celebrate Laetare Sunday. The entrance antiphon chanted at the beginning of Mass begins with the word "rejoice”. “Rejoice in Jerusalem, rejoicе with her, all you who love her..." God wants us to be filled with hope and joy. In a world that can beat us up and steal our peace, Our Lord desires for us to experience His joyful presence in our lives.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Thirsty? As Arizona desert dwellers, we know the importance of drinking water... and lots of it. During those hot summer months, there are few things as refreshing as a nice cold beverage to quench our thirst. Not only do wewe enjoy a cool beverage on those hot days, we absolutely must hydrate our bodies or we will not last very long in the summer's heat.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The foundational call of Christians to charity is a frequent theme of the Gospels. During Lent, we are asked to focus more intently on "almsgiving," which means donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity. As one of the three pillars of Lenten practice, almsgiving is "a witness to fraternal charity" and "a work of justice pleasing to God." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2462).