Hey, everybody. This is Father John Ricardo with Acts 29. And in the middle of all the craziness

and the uncertainty that's going on right now, it seems from our perspective as a team that it's

worth using these days to reflect in a more deliberate way on the scriptures every day, which

for many of us now is the only spiritual food that we're receiving. And so we're going to do a special podcast series simply entitled,

Be Not Afraid, God's Word in Uncertain Times.

And we'll try to post something every day, usually reflecting on the scriptures,

so that we can listen in on what God is trying to say to us in these days.

Just a couple of days now from the holiest days of the year, the most significant days in the history of the universe, the days when the God who made the

universe, who out of his love for us became flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, went to war

on our behalf against our ancient foe, the devil, and against the power of sin and death.

Just a couple of thoughts on my mind. First, I just thought I'd share with you an experience that I

had on Palm Sunday. So I know it was a

bizarre experience for those of you who are the lay faithful who couldn't get to Mass on Sunday.

I just want to tell you that from a priest's perspective, it was equally bizarre. Fortunately, I have a

chance to celebrate Mass with another priest of Father Jim,

with whom I live. But I got to tell you, it was a Palm Sunday, the likes of which I hope I

never celebrate again. I mean, here we are celebrating the beginning of this extraordinary week.

And there's nobody in the church church and you could feel the ache.

We could feel the ache of all of you who want to be there and can't be there.

I think he and I both just started to cry at a particular point almost immediately as we began

the celebration of the Palm Sunday Mass, just again experiencing how many people want to be here

and can't be here. So I just want to share that with you.

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