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20 | March 22, 2018 | The Homer Horizon FAITH
homerhorizon.com
Pastor Column
Resurrection and new life
in the future and today
Pastor Dana O’Brien
Cross of Glory Lutheran Church
In just one week, we’ll
be moving into the three
days of Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday and Easter
Sunday, one of the holiest
periods of the church year,
and one conveying a roller
coaster of emotions and responses.
On Thursday night,
we’ll remember Jesus’ last
meal with his closest friends
and the agony of his betrayal.
On Friday, we’ll remember
his suffering and death, and
we experience the despair of
that day while also recognizing
that we are complicit in
his death. And then, after that
long wait on Saturday, we’ll
joyfully celebrate the risen
Christ on Easter morning.
And while the despair
and guilt and ultimate joy
of those days are feelings
that affect us all, I hope we
are not simply living out an
historical drama. Instead, I
hope that the death we will
remember on Friday and
the resurrection we will
celebrate on Sunday serve
as guideposts for the endings
and hope we constantly
encounter in our own lives.
For we know that in God’s
world, resurrection and new
life always follow death and
despair. There is no doubt
that it is true of our redemption
and ultimate victory
over death. But it is also
true in our daily lives, as
God is present, even in the
midst of our darkest and
most difficult times.
I know that, sometimes, it
is difficult to see God when
our lives are at their lowest,
but God is there, nevertheless.
Moreover, God is
working in that darkness to
bring about something good.
Resurrection cannot happen
without death, although
that is often something
we see only in hindsight. I
know that in my own life,
and I suspect in many of
yours, as well, you can look
back on some of the most
difficult times and now see
in hindsight, how God was
there, walking with you in
the midst of the darkness and
working for the good. That is
part of God’s Easter promise.
And that remains God’s last
word — one of resurrection
and new life for all of God’s
children.
Postscript: A few weeks
ago, I wrote about the tragic
school shooting in Florida
and how, as Christians,
we are called to both pray
and act to help our prayers
become reality. In these last
weeks, I am amazed and
humbled to see so many
young people take the lead
in acting to help reduce
the likelihood of similar
gun tragedies. Like young
Samuel who was raised up
to speak a prophetic voice to
God’s people (see 1 Samuel
3), I pray that we follow the
lead of these young people,
as we all discern how God
is calling us to change our
communities for the better.
The opinions of this column are
that of the writer. They do not
necessarily reflect those of The
Homer Horizon.
FAITH BRIEFS
Cross of Glory Lutheran Church
(14719 W. 163rd St., Homer Glen)
Palm Sunday Service
9:30 a.m. Sunday, March
25.
Seder Meal Worship
6:30 p.m. Thursday,
March 29. Experience a
traditional Passover Seder
Meal in a Christian setting.
Good Friday Cross Walk
Noon Friday, March 30.
Join other local congregations
in downtown Lockport,
stopping at various church
buildings and ending at the
Lockport band shell. First
church starts at Shepherd of
the Hill in Lockport.
Good Friday Worship
7 p.m. Friday, March 30.
Christian Life Church
(15609 W. 159th St., Homer Glen)
Sunday Service
10 a.m.
Thursday Service
7:30 p.m.
EDGE Youth Service
7:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays.
Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish
(16043 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen)
Lenten Penance Service
7 p.m. March 22.
Soup Suppers
6 p.m. Every Friday
during Lent followed by
Stations of the Cross at
7 p.m.
The Choice Wine: 7 Steps to
a Superabundant Marriage
6-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays,
March 28 and April 11.
This free program will put
couples on a path to superabundance
through seven
simple, yet effective, steps.
Register online at www.
omgcc.org or call Janet at
(708) 301-0214.
‘That Man is You’
7 p.m. Mondays. This talk
is for men 21 years old and
older. The talk will address
the pressure and temptations
that men face in a
modern culture, especially
those relating to husbands
and fathers. The program
harmonizes current social
and medical science with
the teaching of the Church
and the wisdom of the saints
to develop the vision of man
fully alive. For more information,
visit www.omgccc.
org.
Daily Mass
8 a.m. Monday-Saturday
Weekend Mass
5 p.m. Saturday
8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. Sunday
Bible Study
7 p.m. Mondays. Books of
the Bible are read and discussed
to develop a deeper
understanding of Scripture.
For more information, contact
Mati Principe at (708)
301-6246.
Confessions
4-4:45 p.m. Saturdays;
9:30-10:15 a.m. Sundays;
8:30 a.m. every first
Friday
Council of Catholic Women
7 p.m. Second Tuesday of
the month.
Women of the parish meet
to discuss its needs. The
group also hosts a monthly
charity bake sale.
St. Bernard Parish
(13030 W. 143rd St., Homer Glen)
Weekday Worship
9:30 a.m. weekdays. Communion
Service on Thursdays.
Weekend Worship
4:30 p.m. Saturdays. 8:30
a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.
every Sunday.
Confession
3:30-4:15 p.m. First and
third Saturday of the month.
Confessions are also available
upon request at any
time.
Community Choir Practice
7:30-9 p.m. Thursdays.
Parish members ages 16
and older may join the
choir. The choir needs vocalists
and instrumentalists.
For more information,
join the weekly rehearsal
or contact Julie Kane, music
director, after Mass on
Sundays.
First United Methodist Church of Lockport
(1000 S. Washington St., Lockport)
Sunday Worship
9 a.m. Sunday School
10:25 a.m. Worship
Circle of Love
9 a.m. Wednesdays. Circle
of Love provides diapers,
feminine and incontinence
products to clients who are
qualified to use the local
FISH Food Pantry. For more
information, call (815) 838-
1017.
Communion
First Sunday of the month.
Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church
(14610 S. Will Cook Road, Homer Glen)
Sunday Services
8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30
a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 a.m.
Sunday School. For more
information, call (708) 645-
0652.
Adult Bible Study
9-9:45 a.m., first and third
Sundays of the month
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
(15625 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen)
Sunday Services
8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30
a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 a.m.
Sunday School. For more
information, call (708) 645-
0652.
New Life Community Church - Homer Glen
(14832 W. 163rd St., Homer Glen)
Weekly Worship Services
10 a.m. Sundays; for more
information, call (815) 838-
1416.
Palm Sunday Service
10 a.m. Sunday, March 25.
Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Friday, March 30.
Easter Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Sunday, April 1.
Easter Service
10 a.m. Sunday, April 1.
Parkview Christian Church - Homer Glen
(14367 W. 159th St., Homer Glen)
Senior Connections
10:45 a.m.-1 p.m.. Orland
Park Campus, 11110
Orland Parkway, Orland
Park. Second Friday of the
month, chili lunch and program.
The cost is $10, and
Pastor Chaz will speak. To
RSVP, call (708) 478-7477
ext. 272 or email merry-o@
att.net.
Sunday Services
9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Lemont United Methodist Church
(25 W. Custer St., Lemont)
Palm Sunday Last Supper
7:30 p.m. Sunday, March
25. The play will take place
at the church.
Sunday Services
8:30 a.m. Communion
Worship Service
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:45 a.m. Contemporary
Worship Service (nursery
available)
Christ Community Church
(13400 Bell Road, Lemont)
Sunday Worship
9:30 a.m. Sundays. Worship
is casual.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Jacquelyn Schlabach at
j.schlabach@22
ndcenturymedia.com or
call (708) 326-9170 ext. 15.
Information is due by noon
Thursday one week prior to
publication.