Resurrection Parish - Batavia, NY

Welcome to the Deacon's Bench

Happy Easter!  Alleluia Alleluia.  

   I have created this blog as a source of community to keep you spiritually connected.  I thought this could be a forum where you can ask questions or respond to questions.  A place of hope and a source of comfort.  Let's begin by talking about Easter.

   The Church now enters the Easter Season also known as "Eastertide."  The Easter season is one of the longest seasons in the liturgical year.  Second only to Ordiantry time.  Eastertide lasts for 50 days and concludes with Pentecost.  You may be wondering why is it 50 days?  The answer is, Jesus spent that amount of time on Earth before the Ascension.  During that time he ministered to His disciples, preparing them to continue His work here on earth.  Jesus was also preparing His disciples for His ascension to Heaven.  These 50 days give us time to reflect on the resurrection and to refocus ourselves on ministry and purpose, just as the early disciples did.  What is your ministry?   How do you continue Christ's mission here on earth?  Questions are worth pondering and praying about.  If you are lost and find yourself without direction, pray that the Lord will refocus you and redefine your ministry and purpose.  

   You will also notice that the liturgical vestments and the altar cloth are white.  Have you ever wondered why we vest in the colors we do?   White or Gold vestments are used to symbolize rejoicing or purity.  We wear white vestments during Eastertide, Christmas, and other select feasts of the Lord.  

   Now that you know a little more about Eastertide and the liturgical color of white, you will better understand the Mass.  Explore within yourself how you carry on Jesus' message of love, or how you can improve on this.  What is your ministry?  Ministry is a vocation that you are called to do.  We are all called by God in the spirit of love.  How do we discharge that ministry or show that love is unique for every person?  Spend some time in prayer thinking about this.  

   In the upcoming discussion, we may have interviews with people of the parish, maybe even a homily or two.  Until next time, may the peace of the risen Christ be with you, now and forever.

Deacon Henry