Continuing his weekly Lenten tradition, Bishop Edward Malesic headed to St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights for the final Stations of the Cross/fish fry visit of the year on March 23.
He began the visit with stations in the church. Father Matt Byrne, pastor, and Father Joe Workman, parochial vicar, greeted the bishop, who spoke briefly after stations, telling the faithful in attendance how the stations are one of his favorite Lenten traditions.
He also told them at one point during college, he wasn’t sure if he would stick with the Catholic faith. However, he received a free Bible from the Gideons and for the first time, read through the Gospels.
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“When you look at who founded the Catholic Church, it always comes back to one answer: Jesus,” he said.
After thoroughly reading the Gospels, Bishop Malesic said he began to understand why he was drawn to the Stations of the Cross and musical productions like “Jesus Christ Superstar.” The cross was actually a sign of love, he said.
“But the problem with ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is that it ends with Jesus dying. With the Stations of the Cross, that’s not the end. There is the Resurrection. Jesus tells us to follow him from death into life. We’re going somewhere and he is taking us,” he said.
On Palm Sunday, Bishop Malesic said the same people who enthusiastically greeted Jesus with cries of “Hosanna” as he entered Jerusalem were the same people who days later shouted, “Crucify him.”
After his passion, death and resurrection, Jesus went back among those who crucified him. “His desire to forgive us is much greater than our sins,” he added.
“When I walk the way of the cross, I walk with Jesus and he tells me to carry the cross. He knows your story better than you do,” he said. “Christians should have a sense of joy and faith because we are going somewhere.”
Pointing to the altar, the bishop reminded the faithful that it is the place where heaven and earth meet. Jesus became one of us and someday, we will join him in heaven “not because we’re good and powerful, but because he is. That’s the message I get every time I pray the stations.”
Even though he is a priest and a bishop, “I still need to be reminded. That little green Bible I received will go with me to the grave because that’s how I learned that Jesus really loved me and would always be with me,” Bishop Malesic said. “Thank you for praying with me and for being faithful,” he added.
After stations, he joined parishioners and others in the parish’s Bell Tower room for a fish fry and conversation.