All are welcome on Easter Sunday! (And other Sundays too!)

Last evening, Easter Vigil, tens of thousands of candidates and catechumens came into full communion with the Catholic Church.

However, just as importantly, today, Easter Sunday, there are many cradle Catholics in the pews who attend Mass on no other Sunday during the year.

Are we reaching out to them?

It is hard for many of us not to feel like the other brother in the story of the Prodigal Son.

Here we have been attending Mass faithfully all year long. Now on the greatest feast of the year we have to fight for pew space with these folks who have been sleeping in or playing golf the rest of the year. Don’t you feel a “That’s not fair!” welling up?

I have even been known to suggest we hand out tickets to Easter Mass on Palm Sunday. Yet, that is not what our Lord wants. His Passion and Resurrection was for the redemption of all of us: the Daily Mass attenders, the Sunday Mass attenders, and even the no Mass attenders.

This morning, Fr. Glenn gave a beautiful homily about this very topic. We must pray that something touches these people on Easter that will bring them back to the Church next Sunday.

As weekly parishioners, we must show an open mind, heart and spirit to those that perhaps have not attended Mass since Christmas (or last Easter). Offer a welcoming smile as people join you in the pew.

Today, I welcome all those who come to us on Easter from outside the Church. I welcome those who are renewing their acquaintance with the Catholic Church. As we squeeze into the pews, let us be joyful that so many members of the Body of Christ have gathered to celebrate our redemption.

So, on this Easter Sunday, let us pray for those who will be celebrating Mass with us -- as it's much harder for us to judge them if we are sincerely praying for their return!

HAPPY EASTER!