Holy Week Schedule

ST. PAUL’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
523 Pablo Avenue, Jacksonville Beach, Florida

 Tuesday, April 15th – Parish Penance Service at 7:00 PM

Holy Thursday, April 17th – Mass of the Last Supper at 7:00 PM
Eucharistic Adoration until 9:00 PM.
(There will be no other daily Masses celebrated on Holy Thursday or Good Friday).

 Good Friday, April 18th– Liturgy of the Word and Communion at 3:00 & 7:00 PM
Stations of the Cross at 6:00 PM.

Holy Saturday, April 19th – No Masses at 8:00 AM or 5:30 PM
8:00-10:00 AM Priests will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The Easter Vigil will begin at 8:30 PM.
All are encouraged and welcome to attend.

 Easter Sunday, April 20th – Masses at St. Paul’s:
8:00 & 10:30 AM in the Main Church and the Fr. Kelly Athletic Center.
5:30 PM in the Main Church only.
Mass at St. Peter’s Mission:  9:30 AM

Fifth Sunday of Lent-God’s Justice, Treasures from Our Tradition & Saint Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr

The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery is sometimes considered as a put-down of the scribes and Pharisees. While their motive for bringing the woman to Jesus was to test him, they were technically trying to uphold the law. But they were hoping to get Jesus to cause a scandal by refuting the law, or, if he upheld the law, the woman would be killed with Jesus’ approval. Jesus had a better idea. He shows that God’s justice is mercy and forgiveness. When he told them that the one without sin could be first to throw a stone, he knew that they all were sinners in one way or another. And a sinner could not judge another sinner. He also knew that someone whose sins were forgiven would be willing to forgive the woman.

That’s what St. Paul means in the second reading when he says he did not have “any righteousness of my own based on the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:9). He says he has given up the idea of making himself righteous (right with God) by keeping the laws of his people. Now he depends on his faith in Christ and Christ’s forgiveness, which was shown in his death and resurrection. He is even willing to follow Christ in suffering and eventually death, so that he too can share the Resurrection. Why did Paul come to this kind of faith? Because he had been forgiven for persecuting Christians. And he had persecuted them, not because he was evil, but because he thought he was keeping the law.

Jesus probably surprised the woman when he let her go. He was the only one who could have judged her, but he chose to forgive. Just as the woman was changed by the mercy of Christ, Paul too was affected by being forgiven by the One whom he was persecuting (Acts 9:4).

So, is keeping the law a bad thing? No, but the important thing is why we keep the law. We can do it like the Pharisees—keeping the law as a status symbol: “I’m too good (or too important) to break the law.” Or we can choose to follow Jesus’ way of love. Then we keep the laws and commandments, only because they are examples of how to love God and love each other. For we too have been forgiven by Jesus on the cross.  As we approach Holy Week, let us remember how much Jesus has done for us.                   -Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION   

Next weekend, many churches provide palms as we gratefully recall Jesus’ entry into the holy city of Jerusalem. The children who greeted him on that day used what was both handy and traditional, since palms were carried to inaugurate the joyful harvest feast of Succoth. Faithful Jews are still directed to take a beautiful palm branch, green and straight as possible, called a lulav, and bind it with three myrtle branches fifteen inches long, and two longer willow branches. At the end of the temple service, everyone carries the lulav, circling the sanctuary in a dance called the Hoshanot, singing hymns of joy.  In Italy, everyone carries olive branches, often brought from their own garden. In England, forsythia branches are preferred. Germans use pussywillows, and others look for flowering spring branches. All of these express joy and welcome and remind us of Christ’s victory even as we prepare to commemorate his passion.

-James Field, Diocesan Publications

SAINT STANISLAUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR (1030-1079)

Have you ever had to confront evil or injustice? Have you ever tried to reason with those who could not see reason, or share your faith with those who were not open to God?  Have you ever asked those around you not to use foul language?  Maybe, but all of this pales in comparison to what Stanislaus went through. He was born near Kraków, Poland in 1030. He was ordained a priest, became known for his preaching and holy example, and was ordained bishop of Kraków in 1072. He was known for his boldness and spoke out against unjust wars, immorality and other evils. Preceding Thomas More and Thomas Becket, all three of them vigorously opposed the evils of unjust government, even to the point of standing up to the king.  King Boleslaus killed Stanislaus himself, after the saintly bishop excommunicated him due to his evil ways.  May we learn from the example of Saint Stanislaus to boldly proclaim the truth, no matter what the cost.