Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Regina Coeli, laetare, alleluia! Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia! Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia! Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia! Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia! For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia! Has risen, as he said, Alleluia! Pray for us to God, Alle- luia!
We cry out with these beautiful words on Easter day, a Marian hymn tracing back to at least the 12th Century, possibly as far back St. Gregory the Great in the 6th Century. We celebrate that Christ is risen, he is risen indeed! We rejoice with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with all Christians over the past 2,000 years, that Christ has risen as he said and gives hope to us all of life with God in heaven.
What more can be said? Today is what we are all about. Today we remember the miraculous moment when Christ conquered death and sin, when he rose from the underworld to redeem a broken humanity and make it possible for all of us to share in his glory. Today we thank Almighty God for the gift of His only begotten Son who has purchased for us everlasting life. Today we celebrate a moment which should be on our mind every minute of every day, which we should renew in our hearts each week here at Mass, because it is the only thing that could ever make sense of our lives and give us meaning and purpose.
Without today, we are nothing. But thanks to today, we can become one with God Him- self. So on this most joyous and sacred day, the priests, deacons, and entire staff extend to you and your families Easter blessings and prayers. We are blessed to walk with you through good times and bad – baptisms, funerals, and weddings – and are grateful to God that we can bring the grace and consolation of the cross and resurrection into your lives. May the joy of this day be with you throughout the Easter Season and beyond.
Yours in Christ,
Father Scolaro
