Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Isaiah 50:4–7: Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6–11; Luke 22:14—23:56 This year we hear Luke’s account of Jesus’ Passion. Alone among the evangelists, Luke tells the story of the good thief, who acknowledges his sin and asks forgiveness from the Lord before he dies. In Jesus’ response, we hear him promise what in a matter of moments will be promised to us all. Throughout his passion, Jesus continually cares for those needing to be made whole, from the servant whose ear was severed to the mourning women of Jerusalem to the repentant thief, all scenes narrated only by Luke. May we experience the compassion the Lord brings through his tender care.

  
四旬期第五主日 

今天福音記載一個我們熟悉的故事，展示出人類的劣根性。法學士和法利賽人不懷好意地帶來一個犯姦淫的婦人，要耶穌定罪。他們一方面要給耶穌一個進退兩難的抉擇，好能誣告祂 ； 一方面又要處死那位犯罪的婦人。 

耶穌並沒有被他們難倒，祂做了一件出人意表的 、當時法律上從不曾做過的事，祂沒有宣判，祇靜靜地用指頭在地上寫一些字。這時原告和被告都急切等待宣判，祂祇簡單地說：「你們中誰沒有罪的，先向她投石罷！」大家都是罪人，誰也不能判斷誰，祇好離去了。唯獨吾主耶穌是無罪的，祇有祂才有權定罪。然而，祂對罪婦說：「我也不定你的罪……從今以後，不要再犯罪了！」耶穌要的是一顆悔罪的心。 

我們在《宗徒大事錄》中，讀到聖保祿宗徒皈化的事實，他原本是個殺害基督徒的人，因耶穌的召叫而悔改，把自己祖傳的信仰、習慣、和生活完全放棄了，把它們「當作廢物，為賺得基督」（斐理伯書三：8 ）他這種決心向善的行動，出於勇德，就像孟子所說的「雖千萬人，吾往矣」，這就是說，如果我知道一件事是正確的、良善的事，合乎天主誡命的、雖然千萬人阻止我反對我，雖然要放一切，我都要做。有什麼比歸向天主更正確、更好、更重要呢？

  
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Today our Church celebrates Palm Sunday, the day Jesus enters Jerusalem to go through His passion. In October 2019, I visited Mount Olive and the path where Jesus rode on a donkey and entered into Jerusalem. I meditated on the scripture passage (Luke 19) that people laid down cloaks along the path and cut branches from the trees, a spontaneous and heartfelt outpouring of adoration for Jesus Christ. They recognized in Him something special, something divine. They saw the hope of Israel riding on that humble donkey, a symbol not of earthly might, but of peace and humility. 

Every year, on Palm Sunday, people in Jerusalem gather on this road to reenact Jesus Christ’s entering Jerusalem. People stand on both sides of the road, waving olive branches, and playing drums with joyful sounds as they participate in the procession. 

As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, we also participate in the procession by waving these blessed palms, echoing the cries of the crowds who lined the dusty road to Jerusalem. We sing, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the Highest!” We lift our palms as a sign of our own welcome, our own allegiance to Christ. We acknowledge Him as our King, the one who has come to save us, the one who speaks the words of eternal life. This is a moment of joy, a moment of celebration, a moment when we, like those first disciples and pilgrims, proclaim our faith in Jesus as Lord. We rejoice with a sense of triumph to welcome a King, a Messiah, who enters His city with power and glory. 

It is a dramatic scene as we celebrate the entrance procession with joy. When we listen to today’s Gospel, the tone shifts dramatically. We turn our ears to hear of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. We hear of betrayal, of denial, of unjust accusations, of brutal suffering, and ultimately, of the agonizing death on the cross.

As we begin this Holy Week, let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to follow Jesus not just in his moments of triumph, but also in his hour of agony? Are we willing to carry our own crosses, however small, and unite them with his? Are we willing to let go of our own desires for worldly glory and embrace the humble path of service and love that Jesus has shown us?
 
May these blessed palms be a symbol of our commitment to follow Christ, the King who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. May they remind us that true glory is found not in earthly power, but in the selfless love that leads to eternal life. 

Together let us pray for the grace to truly understand the depth of God’s love for us, a love that led Jesus to embrace the cross. And let us pray for the courage to follow him, not just with joyful cries of “Hosanna,” but with hearts willing to share in his suffering, so that we may also share in the glory of his resurrection. 

Have a blessed Holy Week! 

Fr. Tho 
Pastor
 
Mass Intentions For The Week 

Sunday              April, 13 2025
8:45     Irene Moreci +
10:15  For the People of Saints Peter and Paul
12:00  Steve & Lena Cuneo + – Nelida Morales +
5:00     Ettorina Cardella & Family  + – Fumiko Satoda + 

Monday             April 14, 2025
7:00     Angelo Sanguinetti +
9:00     Caterina, Antonio, & Albert Romeo + 

Tuesday            April 15, 2025
7:00     Ettorina Cardella & Family +
9:00     Flora Marcucci + – Healing Mauricio Castellani 

Wednesday      April 16, 2025
7:00     Frank & Linda Machi +
9:00     Peter Domenici & Peter Domenici, III + – Healing Cecilia Torre
 
THE SACRED TRIDUUM 
Holy Thursday             April 17, 2025
7:30 PM                       Lorriane DeNicolai + – Dolores Brockenshire + 

Good Friday                   April 18, 2025
No Masses 

Holy Saturday              April 19, 2025
8:00 PM                 The Giurlani Family + – Edward Sabini + –  Anniversary of the Death of Mike Baglin +
 

 
Particular Items

From Pope Francis: “On Calvary, two ways of thinking collided. In the Gospel, the words of the crucified Jesus are in sharp contrast with the words of those who crucified him. The latter keep saying: ‘Save yourself.’ The leaders of the people said: ‘Let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One’ (Lk 23:35).  The soldiers said the same thing: ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself’ (v. 37). Finally, one of the criminals, echoing their words, said to him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself” (v. 39).  Save yourself. Take care of yourself. Think of yourself. Not of others, but only of your own well-being, your own success, your own interests: your possessions, your power, your image.  Save yourself.  This is the constant refrain of the world that crucified the Lord. Let us think about it.

Against this self-centered mindset is God’s way of thinking. The mantra ‘save yourself’ collides with the words of the Savior who offers his self. Like his adversaries, Jesus speaks three times in today’s Gospel (cf. vv. 34.43.46). Yet he did not claim anything for himself; indeed, he did not even defend or justify himself. He prayed to the Father and offered mercy to the good thief. One of his words, in particular, marked the difference with regard to the mantra ‘save yourself.’ He said: ‘Father, forgive them’ (v. 34). – 2022 Palm Sunday Homily, Pope Francis. 

Second Collections: Today we will have a second collection for the poor, on Friday we will have the traditional Good Friday collection for the Holy Land, and on Easter we will have a collection for our music ministry. 

Sacred Triduum & Easter Sunday
 
Thursday, April 17: Holy Thursday
Morning Prayer: 8:00 AM (No Morning Mass)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 7:30 PM
Adoration until 10:00 PM 

Friday, April 18: Good Friday
Morning Prayer: 8:00 AM (No Morning Mass)
Stations of the Cross: Italian: 12:00 PM    English: 1:30 PM
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: English: 2:00 PM
The Passion in Cantonese 6:00 PM 

Saturday, April 19:   Easter Vigil in the Holy Night
Morning Prayer: 8:00 AM (No Morning Mass)
The Easter Vigil: 8:00 PM 

Sunday, April 20:   Easter Sunday Masses:
English: 7:30 & 8:45 AM, Cantonese/English: 10:15 AM, Italian/English: 12:00 PM 
(There will be no 5:00 PM Mass)  

Bible Study with Fr. Vien: We will not have Bible Study will this week because it is Holy Thursday. Join us next Thursday at 7:00 PM to deepen your understanding of the Word of God! 

Salesian Old Timers Mass & Dinners: Join us on May 5 for the Old Timers Mass and dinners. Mass begins at 5:30 PM and the dinners (men in the auditorium; women at the Italian Athletic Club) follow. This year’s recipients of the Fr. Oreste Trinchieri Award is Frank Lavin, and the winner of the Bertha Bedoni Award is Lisa Gumina Rivera. For tickets, visit salesianclub.org/events or call 415-397-3068.

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION! Join the Franciscans, the Salesians, and your brothers and sisters in Christ on June 22 as we process with Jesus through the streets of North Beach at our annual Corpus Christi procession! We will process from Saints Peter and Paul to the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi. The procession begins following the 1:00 PM Mass. 

Archbishops Annual Appeal 2025! Our AAA for 2025 has begun. This year’s assessment is $65,600, a little lower than last year’s, which we did not quite make. So far, 34 parishioners/families have given $22,518, leaving us with a balance of $43,082. Join the 1% club! But all amounts greatly appreciated.

Saints Peter and Paul Salesian School & Pre-K Accepting Applications: Our K-8 Salesian school is accepting applications for this year and next. Please email Dr. Lisa Harris at the school at [email protected], or Barbara Simons at the Pre-K at [email protected] to learn more! 

Sponsor a Student! We are receiving more request for financial aid than ever before. The Salesians started by educating the children of the poor and we are not about to stop now—but like Don Bosco before us we need your help! We invite financially able parishioners to help with this ministry. Please call Fr. Tho at 415-421-0809 or Dr. Lisa Harris at 415-421-5219.

Want to go deeper in Salesian Spirituality? Founded by Don Bosco himself, the Salesian Cooperators are an association of Christians living in the world according to the Chrism of Don Bosco. Formation meetings are held monthly. For more information: Frank Lavin at (415.310.8551, or [email protected]). 

Catholic Medical Care right in our Parish! Bella Primary Care offers primary & pediatric healthcare in accordance with Catholic principles. They are located at 2000 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 304, in San Francisco. Now scheduling appointments for: 
PEDIATRICS: Wellness visits for ages 6 months to 18 years with our pro-life pediatrician Dr. Virginia Schneider.
WOMEN and MEN: Comprehensive annual exam.
EXPECTANT MOMS: Pregnancy verification, initial ultrasound and blood work.
FERTILITY: Initial and follow-up appointments using natural fertility assessment methods. 
For appointments, call 415-775-1500 or email our office at [email protected]  We look forward to caring for your families in a Christ-centered way! 

Liturgical Calendar
Sunday               13          Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Monday              14          Monday of Holy Week
Tuesday             15          Tuesday of Holy Week
Wednesday       16          Wednesday of Holy Week
Thursday           17          Holy Thursday
Friday                18          Good Friday
Saturday            19          Holy Saturday
Sunday              20          Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
 
Your gifts of April 5 & 6:         $3,150.
Goal:                                          $8,670.
Shortall:                                     $5,520.

We are always in shortfall. Fr. Tho asks for your help Please consider donating an amount equal to a breakfast or lunch or movie ticket. Your parish needs & appreciates your support!