Every life is shaped by defining moments. Sometimes, they are joyful. Sometimes, they are painful. But they leave a mark — not just on our memories, but on our character. This Sunday, Passion Sunday, we enter into the defining moment of Jesus’ life — the Passion. Everything in his public ministry was leading to this moment. And everything that follows — the Resurrection, the birth of the Church, the transformation of the disciples — flows from it.
For Jesus, this was not just a moment of suffering; it was the moment of self-giving love. He emptied himself, even unto death, to reveal the full depth of God’s love for us. For the disciples, it was a moment of reckoning — most of them fled, one betrayed him, one denied him. But in time, it became the moment that transformed them from fearful followers into fearless apostles. The Passion leads to the Resurrection. The Cross becomes the seedbed of new life.
We all have defining moments in our own lives — when we are tested, when we are forced to make a choice, when something deep in us is revealed or formed. One such moment happened when I was a student. Another boy accused me of stealing money from the senior boys’ dressing room. Without any real investigation, the Brother Principal expelled me from school on that one accusation.
When I got home, my parents were upset, but then something happened I will never forget. My father looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I want you to tell me the truth — one way or the other. Did you take that money?” I answered, “No. I did not. I never took any money.”
Without another word, he drove me back to the school and met with the Brother Principal. Calm but insistent, my father asked the Brother to explain how I came to be accused, since no money had been found. My father wouldn’t back down, and eventually the Brother agreed to bring in the other boy. My father said, “Every person has the right to face their accuser.”
When the boy came in and was asked to empty his pockets, he began to cry. There was the money. The Brother Principal was furious. After calming down — with my father’s help — the Brother turned to me and said the decision was now mine: should the boy receive the same punishment I would have received? My father looked at me again. I answered, “I think he’s learned his lesson.” That was a defining moment. For me. For that boy. For the Brother. And for my father, who modeled justice, truth, and mercy all in one moment. It is a passion and resurrection moment all in one. My father and his faith led the way for my transformation.
Last weekend, we were blessed with more defining moments in the life of our parish community. Our eighth-grade students received the Sacrament of Confirmation — a moment that seals them with the gift of the Holy Spirit and sends them out as full members of the Church. It was moving to see their joy and reverence, and to witness how God continues to call the next generation of disciples. Bishop Cantú challenged them to be light in the world and not let the world define them but for them to define the world with their witness of faith.
We also celebrated the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA) retreat — a powerful defining moment for our Elect preparing to enter the Church at the Easter Vigil. Meredith Augustin graced us with her gift of music and prayer, helping our Elect (and all of us) open our hearts to the mystery of God’s love and mercy. We ask you to please pray for them and to take a notecard from the entrance of the Church and write a kind, encouraging note to at least one new Catholic and help them to make this a defining moment in their lives.
I also want to share a significant defining moment for Fr. Chris. Recently, he achieved a remarkable milestone by earning his Doctor of Ministry in Evangelization with an Emphasis on Creation Care. His dissertation, titled “The Gospel of Water: An Evangelical and Catechetical Series for the Local Church,” is a defining moment in his ministry. It addresses the global water crisis and powerfully argues for the Church’s role in responding to this crisis, affirming that water is sacred and a fundamental right. Fr. Chris’s work draws from scripture and Catholic Social Teaching. The foundation of his project is Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Sí.
Fr. Chris, congratulations on this remarkable achievement! We are immensely grateful for your dedication to your studies and for your continued ministry to St. Simon Parish and the wider community. Your commitment to both academic excellence and pastoral care is truly inspiring. (In fact, we’ve been calling him “Dr. Water” around the rectory and parish office – it seems fitting!)
Earlier this week, I joined priests, deacons, religious, and lay leaders from across our diocese at the annual Chrism Mass at the Cathedral. Bishop Cantú blessed the holy oils that will be used for Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Ordination throughout the year. It’s a powerful sign of our unity in Christ and a reminder of how the sacraments touch our lives at every stage. That liturgy is always a defining moment in the lead-up to Holy Week. It is so powerful to gather as men and women of faith to prepare for the journey of the year ahead.
And now, we step into Holy Week — the defining moment of our liturgical year. This is our story. This is the heart of our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. I encourage everyone — whether you’ve never missed a Triduum or it’s been a while — to come. Come to Passion (Palm) Sunday. Come to the moving liturgy of Holy Thursday as we remember the Last Supper. Come to Good Friday, as we venerate the Cross. And come, above all, to the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday to rejoice in the Resurrection.
We live in a world that demands much from us. It’s easy to get swept up in the noise. But Holy Week calls us back to the center — to the defining moment of our salvation. And perhaps, this week will become a defining moment for you. Let’s walk this path together and renew ourselves in the hope of the Cross. Return to the e-bulletin here. Easter Triduum schedule here.
God Bless,
Fr. Brendan