SATURDAY MORNING MASS HOMILY – FATHER SHANNON 

It is First Saturday. We look at Our Lady of Sorrows. We would also have to go through Her own Passion, Holy Week and martyrdom. Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows – one grief, one sorrow, but sevenfold. The seven sorrows of Our Lady are: 1) Prophecy of Simeon; 2) the flight into Egypt; 3) the child Jesus is lost for three days; 4) meeting of Mother and Son on the Way of the Cross; 5) Jesus is crucified and dies on the Cross; 6) His body taken down from the Cross and placed in Mary's arms;and 7) Jesus' body is placed in the sepulcher. 

The Friday before Good Friday – Our Lady of Sorrows – how can you express the sorrow She had, the grief of seeing the death of Her own Son. Any time a parent has to bury their child it is a great grief. 

Jesus tells His Mother, "Woman, behold your Son", meaning St. John. She witnessed the death of Her Son at 33 years old in the prime of His life. Jesus had a spear thrust in His heart, but a sword  went to Her own heart.    

Mary is co-redemptrix is a teaching of the Church, but it has not been dogmatically proclaimed. When the angel came to Mary, She gave Her fiat. That fiat would have to continue at the foot of the cross. Her fiat would require Her compassion, tears, sweat and Her own agony. Our Lady spoke no words to anyone about taking it easy on Her Son. She knew from the first moment of Her fiat that this would be a mission of redemption and salvation and would require a sword to go through Her heart. 

Let me die with You. She kissed His foot at the Cross. She trusted that He would rise and be resurrected. Our Lady, after burying Her Son, as one of Her joys, would be the first one to see Her Son.

SATURDAY MORNING INSTRUCTION – FATHER SHANNON 

Father read the Gospel of the Good Samaritan. Father said he had a new series on cassettes and CD's entitled "Does the Church Still Teach That?" Does the Church still hold that? The most controversial talk you will ever hear from the pulpit is the topic people want to avoid and not talk about.  "Outside the Church no one is saved." Protestant brothers and sisters do not like that topic - a teaching that many do not understand but we need to accept.    

We will begin to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection, the Triduum. Jesus Christ, the Savior -some do not like to use this title. Christianity is a religion of redemption, liberation and salvation. We are next to the pigs in the mud and someone needs to pick us up. God sent us His only begotten Son to save us. He is the only savior of the human race, He who is God, who is from Heaven.  Jesus Christ is the ladder between Heaven and earth. Only Jesus can connect God and man. He is the head of the Church, of His mystical body. Christ and the Church are one and they cannot be separated. The Church cannot change Her teachings. The world sometimes does not accept the teachings. 

Why did Father read the story about the Good Samaritan? Jesus Christ is the Good Samaritan. God desires salvation of all men. Salvation will come forth from one source, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. People who do not have the whole truth, if they are connected with Christ and the Church, they can be saved. People have not been passing on the Faith. From the pulpit we have failed. The truth has been watered down. God has revealed Himself in the Church. The Catholic Church and Jesus Christ are the ones bringing about the light to the world. There is only one way to get to Heaven. We have to be connected, united, with Christ. One can attain salvation with union with the Church. 

We seek as Roman Catholics that we give people the fullness of the light. Jesus has the whole ocean of grace. Helping people by our example, give them the Sacraments gives them access of the whole ocean. Try to place as many people as possible into the Catholic Church. Our Lady wants conversions. We need to be good Samaritans in our example and in teaching how to fallen people to lift them up. I can give you Jesus Christ who picked up the Samaritan. 

HEALING SERVICE – FATHER SHANNON 

We are in the presence of Our Lord. Tomorrow we begin Holy Week – the Triduum, those three most holy days. 

Holy Thursday – Our Lord gave us the mystery, the Blessed Sacrament, instituting the Holy Priesthood.

Good Friday – Our Lord in the hour of 3:00 P.M. laid down His life in atonement for our sins.

Saturday Easter Vigil – Mother of all vigils – defeated sin and Satan.

They begin with the triumph of our Lord in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Our Lord is truly the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. He is deserving of our prayers, Adoration and worship. Within six days the hosannas are replaced by insults, blasphemies, etc. 

The procession 2000 years ago of Our Lord in Jerusalem is symbolic of our entry into the heavenly Jerusalem. He is the only savior of the human race. He said "I am the Way". The doors could only be opened in one way, that is by a key in the shape of a Cross. Only the Cross and Christ could open those gates. 

Let us honor our Lord today, but let us not reject Him on Good Friday. How good is He to weep over the troubles of others. He weeps for us, but His tears are merciful intercessions with His Father for this fallen human race. We want to live out our commitment to our Lord.