HOSANNA TO THE KING OF DAVID

Transcription

1 HOSANNA TO THE KING OF DAVID The Son of Man outsmarted malicious men, All their traps and schemes failed and they couldn t win. But they wouldn t stop until they had Him crucified, In His ignominious death He would be glorified. His time has come and He could clearly see the cross, He was born to die but His death wouldn t be a loss. Jesus would turn the cross from a symbol of shame, And make it a clear stamp of every Christian name. The shouts and cheers grew louder by every minute, The crowd kept swelling as people would gladly greet- Jesus, the King of kings, who humbly rode the colt, Jesus enemies feared there would be a revolt. Excitement and happiness filled the atmosphere, People, young and old, assembled from far and near. Some spread a carpet of coats and cloaks on the ground, A new spirit had men and women specially bound. Hosanna to the King of David, they shouted, Blessed is the name of the Lord, others lauded. Jesus smiled to children who waved olive branches, In heaven, He told, children have special status. Pharisees were restless and revealed their contempt, For fear of the crowd, to arrest Him they didn t attempt. Our Savior gently coaxed the donkey up the hill, With His praises people had Kidron Valley fill. Questions: 1. Which stanza of this poem reminds you of your divine nature? 2. Which stanza of this poem reminds you of your sinful nature? 3. How will you resolve the struggle within to follow Jesus to Heaven? Reflections: In total contrast to all earthly kings who rode in golden chariots, the King of the universe and King of all kings rode on a donkey, which is considered the dumbest of all animals. Unlike these kings, Jesus had no cohorts to accompany Him and had no dignitaries or prelates to welcome Him. His only trusted friends, the twelve apostles whom He had chosen at the beginning of His public ministry, were too busy fighting among themselves to capture coveted positions in the kingdom they thought He would establish. As a matter of fact, one of them, Judas Iscariot, was not among them. He had sneaked out of the group and was bargaining with the authorities over the price for betraying his Master. Unlike all other kings of the world, Jesus was the only King who was born a King. Answering Pilate s query about whether He was the king of the Jews, Jesus answered, You say so. No one else was born a king. Some of them were born as heirs to the throne, while others usurped their throne and became kings. (Continued on page 2) PARISH CALENDAR Mar 27 Pastoral Council 7:00pm March Holy Week April 1 Easter Sunday April 6 First Friday April 8 Divine Mercy Sunday April 8 KofC Novena Prayer for the Unborn after 10am Mass April 9 St. Vincent de Paul Meeting 7:00pm April 16 KofC Business Meeting 7:30pm April 24 Pastoral Council 7:00pm April 26 Bishop Begin Assembly 3546 Bus. Mtg 7:30pm May 4 First Friday May 7 KofC Novena Prayer for the Unborn after 10am Mass May 13 Fatima Devotion May 14 St. Vincent de Paul Meeting 7:00pm May 21 KofC Business Meeting 7:30pm May 24 Bishop Begin Assembly 3546 Bus. Mtg 7:30pm May 29 Pastoral Council 7:00pm Devotion Schedule on the bulletin flap Holy Week Schedule on the flap Fremont Blvd Fremont, CA office@sjapostle.net

2 Divine Mercy Apostolate of St. James invites you to join us during DIVINE MERCY NOVENA, MARCH 30 - APRIL 7, 2018 March 30 Good Friday March 31 Holy Saturday April 1 Easter Sunday April 2 Monday April 3 Tuesday April 4 Wednesday April 5 Thursday April 6 Friday April 7 Saturday April 8 Sunday After the Good Friday Liturgy at 1:00PM, the Divine Mercy Novena begins After the 8:30AM prayers After the 12:00PM Mass and at 6:15PM before the Perpetual Help Novena followed by Exposition of Blessed Sacrament, Benediction and Reconciliation Divine Mercy Sunday Feast, after the 12:00PM Mass. God the Father Choir will chant the chaplet. Fellowship and Potluck to follow. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION For many centuries, Christian pilgrims have longed to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and on Passion Sunday the eyes of the world are on the Via Dolorosa, the Road of Sorrows, in Jerusalem. As soon as it became safe for Christians to worship in public in the fourth century, a way was marked out. It was changed a few times over the years, and today s usual route was sketched by the Franciscans six hundred years ago, although Anglicans and Byzantines have their own unique detours. Friday is the most favored day, although it is crowded then. Almost everyone begins at the Lion s Gate in the Muslim Quarter, and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It s less than a quarter mile, but it threads its way through crowded markets with souvenir shops and fast-food snacks. There are, just as in your parish church, fourteen stations along the way. The exact spots are not known, but what matters is the pilgrim s unique ability to see even an ordinary road in a teeming city as something more than meets the eye. Rev. James Field, J. S. Paluch Co. PASSION The contrast between the processional reading in today s liturgy and the proclamation of the Passion is striking. We are given a glimpse of how profoundly the word of God is fulfilled in Jesus. First he must be hailed as the Messiah, the One who is to come. He must be acknowledged by all, though they do not know what they are saying. They think he is the promised king, Message from Father Antony (Continued from page 1) The news had spread that Jesus would be coming to Jerusalem for the Passover, which was the most significant Jewish feast and the Pharisees had everything well planned to arrest Him. Actually they had set many traps to arrest Him by trying to find something with which to accuse Him. Jesus outsmarted them all and their schemes to arrest Him had failed. They even sent spies to closely monitor what he did and preached. Blasphemy was a sin punishable by death according to the Jewish law and that is what they wanted Jesus to commit. They wanted to hear Jesus claiming to be the Son of God. That would be enough to have him stoned to death. Jesus outwitted them at every turn. He had cured a blind man on a Sabbath, which was against the law, and they had gathered every possible testimony against Him. On one occasion, He and His disciples were accused of eating without washing their hands. On another occasion they were blamed for not fasting like the disciples of John the Baptist. But none of these charges were serious enough to have Him arrested and tried. Time was running out and they knew they had to act fast. There was even a fear among them that Jesus would not come to Jerusalem, as He had sent His apostles ahead of Him. The name of Jesus had spread far and wide and the Pharisees fear of Him increased. They feared if they did not do anything to stop Him, all would believe in Him and the Romans would take over their land and nation. As a matter of fact, Caiaphas, the high priest, said to them, You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better one should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish (John 11: 50). However, their fear was not unfounded for they had closely followed up this young rising star of Nazareth. They had heard about how Jesus multiplying a couple of fish and few loaves of bread had fed thousands of people who, later on, wanted to make him their king forcefully. The news of the miracle worker had spread by word of mouth. Those who witnessed His teachings and miracles spoke highly of Him. Jesus was so talked about in the neighborhood that curiosity got the better of Zacchaeus, a tax collector, who climbed a sycamore tree to steal a glimpse of Him. This incident ended in his conversion and he followed Jesus as His disciples. The Pharisees had assembled to discuss Jesus arrest. They all looked very sleepy and tired, for they had not been sleeping well of late. This was their last chance to have Jesus arrested. Every intellectual victory over the Pharisees had spread like wildfire, drawing great numbers of people to Jesus. They should have flawless schemes with no loopholes. Intellectually, Jesus has proved Himself far superior to them, and they all knew they stood no chance to defeat him fairly. They decided to resort to treachery and spread lies about Him. Suddenly they heard from outside an unusual commotion and shouting. All of them rushed to see; some ran to the windows and others went out to the balconies. Their hearts stopped at what they saw. In their wildest of imaginations they had not anticipated such a triumphant and majestic entry of Jesus into the golden city. Hundreds and thousands of people had already gathered around Jesus, who rode on a donkey. Some of the men were walking almost naked, for they had taken off their cloaks and spread them on the ground honoring the King of David. They had never seen women so engaged and involved in public gatherings like this. They, vying with each other, shouted Hosanna to the King of David, each one wanting to be louder than others. The Pharisees had never seen so many children together, each one carrying an olive branch, as if to say Long live the Prince of Peace. The Pharisees suddenly realized their plan to arrest Him would be disastrous and fatal, as they [Christ Jesus] humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point death,

3 Easter flower donations for the Easter Altar gratefully accepted on or before Saturday, March 31 (Easter Vigil Day) (Treasures from our Traditions Continued from page 2) Message from Father Antony (Continued from page 2) First Friday April 6 a worldly king of the Jews who will free them from the Roman occupation. They do not yet understand, even the disciples, exactly where this triumphal procession is leading. In our lives, we too do not know where we are going. It is in faith that we can follow Christ wherever he may lead us, trusting that death is not the end, nor evil the victor. J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. Please remember those in the armed services: Nicolas Ecija, Pvt. Christopher Mueller, Dorian Fierro, Brian Christopher Carreiro, Sgt. Kristan Jofel T. Carado, Greg Savella, Major Jenny Ryan, Captain David Evans Pray for our sick parishioners and friends Deacon Ernie Dandan, Joel Rivera, Melanie O Connor, Erika Matulich, Katherine Gomes, Lydia DeGraf, Judy McKenney, Victor Abunjoy Vestil, Tomás Sandoval Klassen, Laura Skaff, John and Rose Barr, Alice Ferreira, Agnes Harris, Ray Ballin, Bob Nehls, Dawn Barker, Martha Torres, Tammy Bumgarner. anticipated a riot. People were really charged with emotions, and they would do anything for Jesus, whom they recognized as their long awaited Messiah. What is most disheartening and shocking is the fact that those very people who shouted praises for Jesus and were carried away by Him, would turn against Him and shout for His life a few days later. In the same breath with which they shouted Hosanna to the King of David, they shouted, Crucify Him. Their religious convictions were very shallow and their faith in Jesus was only skin deep years later, the situation in Christianity remains essentially unchanged. How true it is what Jesus said, Not those who call me Lord, Lord will enter my kingdom. For many of us, religion has not made deep enough impact in our lives. Our lives and actions will reveal what we truly believe. KNIGHT S CORNER Would you like to join the Men in Blue Blazers? The Knights of Columbus of St. James the Apostle Council No is accepting applicants. A prospective candidate must be a practicing Catholic and at least 18 years of age. This is a great opportunity for single and married men to serve God and the parish s community activities, set an example for its youth and make families closer to God. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Marcial Vasco, (650) , vascomarcial@yahoo.com. Also, ask a Knight! Thank you. We are men of faith & men of action. HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE St. James the Apostle Church in collaboration with Father Biju Michael, Salesian Pontifical University, Jerusalem 27 May - 8 June 2018 Kindly address inquiries to Father Antony or Tessie Ricafort (510) ANNOUNCEMENTS Mortuary transport company looking for full time employee. For information, call parishioner Jim Navarro at (510) Young Adults! Are you discerning a Call to be a Sister or a Priest? What does your heart desire? The National Religious Vocation Conference is hosting a Young Adult Encounter Retreat on April 14, 2018 from 2:00 8:00pm at the Dominican Sisters Center in San Rafael. The day will consist of Prayer, Adoration, Reflection Walks, Circle Conversations, Journaling, Vocation Stories by Priests and Sisters and a Vigil Mass. Questions? Contact Sister Carla, carlaop@gmail.com or call Registration is online at Encounter2018 for young adult men and women ages ST. JAMES RCIA: Our RCIA members have faithfully attended weekly meetings, learned about the Catholic Church, and have grown in faith. Next week at the Easter Vigil mass they will receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion). Please pray for them and their sponsors as they make their final preparations for entering into full communion with the Catholic Church: Receiving Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion: Jennifer Ton, Jakira Brown, David Fluckiger, Daniel Mohr, and Dominic Duncan Receiving Confirmation and First Holy Communion: Santiago Illo Receiving Confirmation: Angelo Ladeza and Maria Fluckiger Celebrating the Easter renewal of Baptismal promises: Karla Aruna, Idaline Fontabia, and Nancy Ho even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

4 WORSHIP SCHEDULE Monday-Saturday Mass: Rosary 8:10am, Mass 8:30am Saturday Mass: 5:00pm Sunday Masses: 8:30am, 10:00am, 12:00noon Holy Days of Obligation: Masses 8:30am & 7:30pm Confessions: Saturday 4:00pm or by appt. Every Friday Adoration: 9:00-10:00am First Fridays: Adoration 9:00 am-6:30pm Sacred Heart Novena 6:30pm Benediction 7:15pm Healing Mass 7:30pm Our Mother of Mass & Novena, Perpetual Help: Wednesdays, 7:30pm DEVOTIONS Weekly: Bible Study Divine Mercy Chaplet: In the Small Chapel: Legion of Mary Eternal Life Bible Study Charismatic Prayer Meeting Wed. 9:30 am (Kitchen) Thurs, after morning Mass Tues 9:30am Thurs. 7:30pm 2nd & 3rd Fridays 7:00pm Monthly: Divine Mercy Cenacle 7:00pm, 2nd and 4th Prayer Meeting Mondays (Small Chapel) Our Lady of Vailankanni First Saturday 7:00pm Respect for Life Rosary Second Sunday 11:00am Grotto Sacred Heart 6:30pm 1st Friday Enthronement (formal ceremony to make the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as the King of the house), please contact: Cora Surla (510) ; or Tessie Ricafort (510) PARISH OFFICE HOURS M-F 9:00AM TO NOON REGISTRATION IN THE PARISH Warmest welcome to all who worship in our Community. If you are not registered in the Parish, please complete a registration form available at church entrance or at the Parish Office. ANOINTING OF THE SICK Please call the Parish Office when a parishioner is home-bound or hospitalized to arrange for Holy Communion and Anointing of the Sick. MARRIAGES AND BAPTISMS Please contact the Parish Office at least 6 months in advance for weddings and 3 months in advance for baptisms. BAPTISMS To have your child baptized, please make an appointment with Father Antony. Come to the St. James Parish office or call the Parish Office at For more details, please go to the Church website (Parish Info) or contact Marcial Vasco Baptism Preparation/Training class: First Saturday of the month from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm in the Small Chapel. Baptism Celebration: Last Saturday of the month 11:30am-12:30pm in the church FUNERALS We recommend using Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services / Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and Holy Angels Funeral and Cremation Services. You may contact Shirley X 133. MOTHER TERESA CENTER RESERVATIONS. Contact our Facility Manager & Event Coordinator Larry Bellamy ( , MTC@sjapostle.net) or leave a message at the Parish Office. (No prices or quotes are given over the phone or in an .) Fr. Antony Vazhappilly, Pastor Ernie Dandan, Deacon

5 Holy Week Schedule Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday March 26, 27, 28 Morning Mass - 8:30am Easter Triduum HOLY THURSDAY, MARCH 29 7:30pm Mass of the Lord s Supper Adoration until Midnight GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 30 AFTERNOON SERVICES 12:00-1:00pm Personal Way of the Cross 1:00-3:00pm Good Friday Liturgy with Communion 3:00pm Divine Mercy Novena Day #1 EVENING SERVICES 7:30pm Good Friday Liturgy with Communion HOLY SATURDAY, MARCH 31 3:00pm Divine Mercy Novena Day #2 7:30pm Easter Vigil Easter Sunday, April 1 Masses: 8:30am, 10:00am & 12:00 noon After 12:00 noon Mass, Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by Knights of Columbus 3:00pm Divine Mercy Novena Day #3 Mother Teresa Center Reservations. Contact our Facility Manager & Event Coordinator Larry Bellamy , MTC@sjapostle.net or leave a message at the Parish Office (No prices or quotes are given over the phone or in an .) St. James Bulletin and Website since 2007 Submission deadline is two weeks before publication date. articles to: bulletin@sjapostle.net. Send information for the webpage to: webmaster@sjapostle.net. Carolyn Fiori... Editor Jenna Dancel... Webmaster Facebook: Search St. James the Apostle Church, Like the page. IF posting pictures, you must get consent from the people in the photo (per Oakland diocese Safe Environment). Please, NO tagging pictures.