Every year when we get to Holy Week, it builds my faith as a Christian and as a priest. As the title suggests, it’s the holiest time of the year. The best description I’ve heard of it is “the greatest love story ever told.”

My hope is that as we begin this week, you too will find it a way to grow closer to God.

What I’ve found is that each of the liturgies can have a different way of helping me to grow in my faith. And I hope you’ll think about that as you prepare to celebrate this most solemn week on our calendar.

We begin at Palm Sunday, and Bishop Robert Baron has called the reading of the Passion the “Symphony of Sin.” You have the crowds who say “Hosanna!” but then drop the palms and walk away quickly when they realize Jesus is not going to be a political leader. You have jealousy from the Sanhedrin and those who see Jesus as a threat to their power. You have the cowardice of Pilate who knows the right thing to do but doesn’t do it, even when God is literally staring him in the face. You have Judas pretending to be loyal but betraying his friend with a kiss. And Peter and the others run away showing cowardice too. We have lies, wrath, jealousy, betrayal, cowardice, all kinds of sins at play. This liturgy challenges us in a way to think about how serious we are about the word “love” (more on that on Good Friday). Do we really mean that word when we say it, or only when it is convenient? Where do we fall in terms of sin? Palm Sunday gives us the opportunity to think about how serious we are about love, being a disciple, and following Jesus.

Holy Thursday is when we celebrate the Institution of the Eucharist and Jesus giving us this Memorial to bring us closer to Him as we come to Mass. We are also reminded of service, in the Washing of the Feet as Jesus washes the feet of His apostles and think about how we can do this for one another through spiritual and corporal works of mercy to both family and loved ones and to the greater community. This day is a challenge to “become who it is we receive” as we are the hands and face of Jesus to one another.

Good Friday is a unique liturgy in that it’s the only day of the year with no Mass. We again ponder the ugliness of sin and the depth of God’s love; and we receive Holy Communion and also venerate the Cross taking time to again reflect on how deeply we are loved by God, and think about the response of God to this sin – not to condemn, but to liberate and show us how deeply we are loved.

Lastly, Holy Saturday. The light dispelling the darkness, the triumph of life over death, of love over sin. If you have never been to the Easter Vigil, do consider going. What I love with this liturgy is how we hear of salvation history; of God time and time again coming to our rescue. It’s so amazing to see the light dispelling the darkness as the Easter fire is lit; the new Easter candle blessed and all the candles being lit from that candle. Our lives can be so tough – we face sin, suffering, and death – but God did not abandon us, rather He liberates us. As Jesus is risen, so too do we rise – and until that day we are with Him forever, He is still with us in so many ways here on earth.

I hope you have a blessed Holy Week, and that this beautiful week helps you on your faith journey grow closer to the God who loves us so deeply as we again reflect on the greatest love story ever told. Each of these liturgies is so beautiful (as is of course Easter Sunday). If you can make it to each one, please come – each year they deepen and renew my faith as I reflect on the radical nature of the love of our God.

God Bless,

Fr. Paul

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March 29, 2026