Dear Beloved Parishioners and Visitors,

Greetings in the joy of the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ!

On this beautiful Easter day, we celebrate the cornerstone of our Christian faith, as the apostle Paul aptly states, "If Christ had not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is in vain, and so is your faith" (1Corinthians 15:14). Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus has redeemed us. As the Lamb of God, He has taken away our sins and renewed our relationship with the Father through His sacrifice. The offspring of the new Eve, that is, Our Lord and Savior, has crushed the head of the offspring of the ancient Serpent, that is, Satan, as foretold in the book of Genesis 3:15. We owe Him infinite gratitude and praise!

Easter helps us to better understand the gift of justification. Because of Christ's redemptive work, we are not just forgiven; we are transformed and made righteous as beloved children of God.

This incredible mystery is not far away; it is made real in our lives through the sacraments. In Baptism, we join in Christ's death and Resurrection, leaving sin behind, and rising to a new life in Him. In the Eucharist, we participate in the one sacrifice of Christ, receiving His true Body and Blood and the life of the Risen Lord. Through Confession, we continually renew the grace of Easter, finding restoration and strength to live holy lives.

On this note, I would like to officially welcome our seven catechumens and nine candidates who have been participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults process over the past year. During the Easter Vigil, they were fully initiated into the body of Christ, the church, through the sacraments of initiation. We are proud to have them as full members of the Blessed Sacrament faith community. To celebrate this significant milestone, we are planning to hold a welcome party for them in the parish courtyard on Sunday, April 12, following the 9:30 AM Mass.

Each year, the church provides us with the opportunity to celebrate Lent and Easter, allowing us to relive the central events of our Catholic faith, reflect on our lives, and grow closer to God. This experience is not merely about historical remembrance; it is intended for spiritual renewal. Thus, after being schooled through the Lenten observance, which included acts of prayer, penance, fasting, and almsgiving, we are freed from sin and death, we have embraced a new life in Christ, and have entered into a new relationship with Him. We can identify ourselves with the Risen Lord.

As your pastor, I encourage you to avoid the temptation to return to our sinful habits, lest the Biblical proverb come true for us: "A dog goes back to its own vomit" or "A pig that was washed returns to wallowing in the mud" (2 Peter 2:22). The price that Christ has paid to redeem us from the filth of sin has nothing to compare. We should not let it go to waste.

We will remain a resurrected people if we stay close to the sacraments, especially during this Easter season. Therefore, let us approach the Eucharist with joy, seek Confession with trust in God's mercу, and remember the grace of our Baptism daily. This way, the power of the Resurrection will flourish in us.

May the Risen Lord bless you and your families, and may Our Lady, who shared deeply in her Son's suffering and glory, pray for us all.

Let us rejoice together in the good news: "He is risen; He is truly risen, Alleluia!" (Luke 24:34).

Sincerely yours in the Risen Lord,

Fr. Thomas Kagumisa

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