Did you celebrate yesterday? Isn't it wonderful to be able to proclaim that our Lord is alive. He is risen! We are freed from the bondage of death by His sacrifice. But before we declare a complete victory, we must turn our eyes to China. Did you also see the incredibly sad story of Christians being arrested just for praying. I am adding the news report here so that you can share it with others. We must not allow China or any secular entity to deny us the right to worship our Lord and Savior. It does remind us that our mission is far from complete. Until we bring the message of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, Jesus will not return. The site of a planned outdoor Easter service at one of China's largest independent "house" churches was eerily silent Sunday as police blocked more than 500 worshipers from leaving their homes and detained more than 36 for attempting to attend religious services in Beijing, church officials said. The gathering place for worshipers was empty as church-like bells sounded in northwest Beijing. Worshipers spent several months preparing for the Easter service, according to members. Police on the scene said they were stationed there for "security reasons."
Shouwang Church's senior pastor Jin Tianming is currently under house arrest by the authorities. "More police have come to stand watch in front of my door in anticipation of Easter," Jin told the news agencies in a phone interview. "I've spoken to several of my fellow worshipers who attempted to attend our planned service this morning," but some were detained, Jin said. "But we will not change our plans. We will not change our decision to worship as this is a matter of faith," Jin said. A few worshipers were seen praying with bowed heads near Shouwang's proposed site for the service, but the site itself was sealed off by law enforcement. Vigilant plainclothes officers filmed passersby. Shouwang means "to keep watch" in Mandarin. Usually hundreds of worshipers gather at this illegal "house" -- or unofficial -- church, which is one of the largest Christian gathering places in the country. Shouwang Church is an unregistered Christian group that was forced outdoors after authorities blocked the rental of its previous office space in November, the church said. It has not been able to obtain a new location since. "This is the worst time in terms of religious freedom across the board in two decades," said Bob Fu, a former independent church pastor and founder of the non-governmental organization China Aid. Fu has been speaking with Shouwang worshipers unable to attend the service. "[Worshipers] are not a threat to stability, not a threat to society, and not a threat to China's harmonious society," Fu said. "By cracking down on these hundreds of thousands of worshipers, it will only create the opposite effect. To the churches, I would encourage them to stand firm." Over the past month, more than 200 Shouwang churchgoers have been arrested and detained, according to the church. The leaders of the church remain under house arrest amid a wider government crackdown on dissidents throughout China over the past three months. Shouwang Church representatives had vowed to defy Communist government mandates to cancel outdoor public services on Easter Sunday. According to a notice from the Governing Committee of Shouwang Church on Saturday evening, the outdoor worship service location would remain the same despite pressure from authorities. On Shouwang's Google Buzz page, Jin warned that police would likely detain those gathering at a set meeting site but that it was important that members stood up for their faith. "Each believer may act in accordance to his or her own faith, whether to be taken away quietly (by police) or to meet in a nearby location," the statement read. The number of practicing Christians in China is disputed. Recent official data states there are approximately five million Catholics worshiping at official churches in China, but unofficial estimates are as high as 130 million. Authorities have cracked down hard on dissidents, activists and rights lawyers since anonymous Internet calls emerged in February for regular "Jasmine" protests. Prominent artist Ai Weiwei has been detained for approximately three weeks by police. Sunday's worship ban came just days before an annual human rights dialogue between U.S. and Chinese diplomats scheduled for later this week in Beijing.

The Vigil Mass of Holy Thursday deepens our understanding of the mystery of the self-emptying of Jesus Christ. We celebrate the gift of the ministerial priesthood which continues to make present the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. When our Priest stands at that altar, it is Jesus Christ in whom He stands, Christ is the victim, and Christ is the Holy Oblation. Jesus gave Himself to us in the great meal in which we participate in on this Holy Night. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the Holy Oblation of Incarnate Love and we are the beneficiaries, receiving the very life of God. At the Last Supper, Jesus sacramentally anticipated the altar of the Cross at which He would willingly pour out the very last drop of His Blood so that we could be set free to live free. St. Paul told the Galatians, "For freedom Christ set us free." (Gal. 5:1) We are set free to live our real human lives in Him, for Him and with Him, for the sake of the world. When the Lord rose from that table, He showed us the naturally supernatural expression of that Love; an expression that reveals the heart of the Christian vocation. He, who is Lord and Master, King of Kings, took off His Cloak of Royal Splendor and became a Servant. He washed the feet of those whom He had chosen to continue His Redemptive work. He showed them what they were chosen to do and then He enlisted them to live lives of self emptying Love for the world. To bear the name "Christian" is to walk in this kind of love in the midst of a broken and wounded world that is waiting to be reborn. This is the world which He still loves. It is being recreated anew as He continues His Mission through the Church. The early Christians spoke of the Church as the world in the process of being transfigured. And, my friends, we are a part of that Body, that Communion, which brings heaven to earth and earth to heaven. It is in this sense that we come to understand that Christian love is to be lived, love is a verb.

Palm Sunday always sets such a beautiful beginning to the holiest of weeks. As we draw our Lenten season to a close and begin the Triduum on Thursday, I am reminded of the sacrifice of our Lord. Yesterday's Gospel reading always reveals something new to me or perhaps I notice something new as a focus area. In the end, it is God who is placing new insights before me. Yesterday it was the Lord asking that His Father allow the chore of the crucifixion to pass Him by. Reading the words triggered the image of our Lord suffering on the cross. The imagery took me to the foot of the cross looking up at Jesus. The sacrifice is enormous but realizing that He is God and could have just as easily chosen another way truly defines the magnitude of the event. It is the ultimate display of obedience. It is what God asks of all of us. God sacrificed His son for us. The immeasurable depths of the love it takes to do something like that is almost unimaginable. But of course, trying to measure it would place limits on God in human ways and He is not constrained in that way. God is so much greater than any human measurement or expectation. He is! I encourage you to take part in the Triduum masses this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They are some of the most beautiful and tranformative celebrations the Church offers us. You cannot help but be moved by the adoration of the cross or the reenactment of the washing of the feet. Easter vigil literally defines anticipation and hope. It is a consuming need that has grown in us over the last 40 days of fast and preparation. And so the week begins.

In honor of the upcoming beatification of Pope John Paul II, the U.S. bishops' conference launched a new website featuring a 17-minute video with footage from the late pontiff's life. “Pope John Paul II touched the lives of many people across the globe, in particular Americans during his seven visits to the United States,” said conference spokeswoman Helen Osman on April 12. “The bishops’ conference created the web site to assist people in realizing the magnitude of his work, and the video to illustrate his remarkable relationship with the American people.” The “John Paul II Memorial Video” shows clips of his most touching moments captured on camera as well as key messages during his visits to the United States. Other site content includes a biography and a timeline of Pope John Paul as well as many of his major writings. The site also holds several essays by U.S. bishops' conference experts also explore the Polish pontiff’s influence and legacy in areas from East-West relations, the social mission of the Church, his interaction with mass media and ethical uses of technology. The launch comes as global excitement continues to build over John Paul II's upcoming beatification in Rome. The celebrations – which are expected to draw over 300,000 people – will run from April 30-May 2, with the beatification itself taking place on May 1. For most events, the Vatican said, no tickets will be required and all will be welcomed.

Please pray for Bryan Stow, the 42-year old paramedic from Santa Cruz who was brutally attacked at Dodger Stadium just because he had the audacity to wear San Francisco Giant apparel. Two cowards attacked him from behind and now the father of two is in a coma. Apparently close to 100 people witnessed this tragedy but the cowards have not been arrested yet. I love sports and I dislike the rivals of my teams but I would never think of violently attacking someone over the issue. Has our world really come to this? I understand that the psychological mood of the country continues to be greatly affected by the inability of our leadership to remedy our economic problems but nothing excuses this action. It is shameful and unacceptable. Then there is the story of Brianna Montecalvo who gives us hope in the future. She recently was confirmed and received gifts of cash from friends and relatives. Instead of spending it on herself, she decided to donate the cash to a worthy cause. Brianna recently gave $800 from her confirmation gifts to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of her grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died four years ago. The 16-year-old student from La Salle Academy in Providence said she was happy to make the contribution and felt her grandmother would be proud of her. She also said she hoped the donation would help her mature. She only wished she had done something like this before. She noted, rather maturely, that some people need the money more than she does.

Do you have faith in God but never do any of His work? Do you serve as the hands and feet of God on earth? There are a number of great examples in the Bible of why merely declaring that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior is not enough. That is the first step but you must do the work as well. Look at the story of Noah in the Old Testament. God told Noah, "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood, put various compartments in it, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall build it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and finish the ark a cubit above it. Put an entrance in the side of the ark, which you shall make with bottom, second and third decks." At that point Noah had a choice. He had declared his allegiance to God. He was, in fact, leading the life that God asked of all of the people in the Old Testament. Noah was a good person, a Godly man. He had tremendous faith. So when the Lord came to him and told him to build an arc, what did he do? He put his faith into action. He did the work that accompanied his faith. He built the ark for his family and the animals. He was faithful to the word of God and did the work as well. Mary, the mother of God, is another example of putting the work and the faith together. She was a teenager, living with her parents and betrothed to a wonderful man, Joseph. He was a carpenter and so very capable of providing a good living for Mary. She loved God and had faith. We know that she was a good Jew. When God came to her and asked her to be the earthen vessel for the Savior, she could have said many things. She could have told God that she loved Him very much but that she was only a teenager. She could have run from the situation. She said yes to God. She carried Jesus in her womb. She provided the human support so that God could come and dwell among us as man. She had faith and she did the work. It is what God calls us to do. As we enter the last part of the Lenten season, try to focus on doing the work of God on earth. Find your purpose and fulfill it. Be an example of God's grace and His goodness. Show others that you are truly an earthen vessel for God and allow Him to work through you. Faith without works is empty. Fill the vessel.

Why do we as creations of God continue to try to place the spotlight on ourselves? Why do we succumb to our basest desires of being praised and recognized? We do love to be noticed and stroked. It is a desire that we must work to control. St. James talks about this desire over and over in his Epistle. He tells us that when our unfulfilled desires lead us to frustration, we usually create problems for others. We want to tear others down so that they feel as bad as we do. It is the devil busy at work. The thoughts we have create a battlefield in our minds. We focus so much on them that we let our relationship with the Father diminish. God is waiting for us to turn to Him in our every need. He loves us and wants to comfort us. St. James tells us that the desires create an emptiness that can only be filled by God. So often we think the food, created things, whatever will satisfy us but they do not. The everlasting fulfillment provided by God is so good. As Jesus tells us, the water He provides will cause us never to be thirty again. The imagery is so compelling. It is comforting. You would think it would send us running to Jesus. Many of us have and continue to come to the Lord. It is part of our priestly ministry to bring everyone to God's saving grace. Have you done your part this week?

No one can fully understand the personality and courage of Pope John Paul II without examining the "flying press conferences" he held on airplanes during 104 trips outside of Italy, said retired Cardinal Roberto Tucci, who organized most of those trips. "He was not evasive. He wasn't afraid to answer, even if sometimes he was irritated by the question," Cardinal Tucci said at the presentation of a book containing the transcripts in Italian of most of Pope John Paul's high-altitude encounters with the press. The transcripts were made from recordings in the archives of Vatican Radio and reflect the often-informal and sometimes chaotic atmosphere in the journalists' section of the papal plane, particularly during the early years of Pope John Paul's 1978-2005 pontificate. Cardinal Tucci said the speeches, books and poetry of Pope John Paul give people what he thought when he had time to reflect in a methodical way, but his responses to reporters -- which include some light-hearted joking and some good-natured scolding -- show more of his personality, his ability to think on his feet and his real facility with languages, since he would respond in the language in which the question was posed. The transcripts help people recognize the late pope's "great ability to face the great questions of the day without fear," the cardinal said. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of Vatican Radio and the Vatican press office, said the tapes demonstrate Pope John Paul's "spontaneity and good nature in meeting journalists." He said 70 percent of Vatican Radio's entire sound archive consists of the voice of Pope John Paul, not only because his was the longest reign of any pope in Vatican Radio's 80-year history, but also because "he was the pope who spoke the most." In the introduction to the book, Father Lombardi wrote, "The pontificate of John Paul II probably was the first to be documented in a truly systematic and almost complete way through audio recordings." It was only in his pontificate that the radio started recording and archiving what the pope said off-the-cuff, he said.