Dear Cathedral Family,
Our Easter celebration last Sunday was a glorious day of worship and community. Almost 400 people filled the pews. 15 small children occupied the nursery. A huge crowd of children “hunted” 3 bushels of Easter eggs in Mardi Gras Park. Family, friends, and visitors posed for the annual parish photo. The Easter Cross was raised. The Risen Lord was praised.
And the Good News continues this week because it’s still Easter! This “low Sunday” gives us the opportunity to catch our collective breath before the Cathedral Celebration and bishop’s visit for baptism, confirmation, and reception on April 23—to be followed the next Sunday, April 30, with Senior Sunday and Sunday School recognition.
In this Sunday’s gospel reading, the Risen Jesus appears later on the day of the Resurrection to his disciples, and he breathes on them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The absent Thomas refuses to believe, so a week later Jesus appears among them again to dispel his doubt and give him belief. John says, here near the end of his gospel account, that he has written “so that you may come to believe … and that through believing you may have life in his name.”
The living and active Word has been given to us—both in scripture and in the Body of the community itself—so that we may experience life in all its fullness. This week, come and see the new life we share together, reach out and receive and touch in the gift of the Eucharist, and experience for yourself the Easter life that we share.
Faithfully,
Beverly+