A Simple Something To Take Into Your Day

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year  grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his  step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly  grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk  spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.  We must do something about Grandfather, said the son. I've had enough of  his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and  wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while  the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in  Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.  Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he  dropped a fork or spilled food.  The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the  father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the  child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded,  "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mom for when you are old ".  The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

May we today be aware of someone slower, someone who is challenged, someone who is clumsy, someone who is frail and may we not make a wooden bowl for them, or ourselves, by our behavior. 

4th Sunday of Lent

Throughout this season of Lent, we want to continually focus on the Cross as we move towards Good Friday. The Cross serves as a reminder not only of the great gift that Jesus gave each of us but also the ultimate reward of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

We have placed a large wooden cross at the front of the church. On Ash Wednesday, each Sunday during Lent, and in Holy Week we will place a symbol of Christ’s upcoming, Passion, death, and Resurrection at the foot of the cross to serve as a visual reminder of what this Season of Lent represents. Take note each week of what the symbol is that has been added and seek to comprehend and apply how it connects to His word and our journey.

This week, a cane was put to the side of the cross near the bucket, beside the three branches of a cactus, and the candle which were placed near the bowl of ashes. This reminds us of aide, the strengthening, that Jesus gave to the Man Born Blind, and that we are called to give to one another.

In the Gospel of today we are introduced to the born blind: here are a couple things we know about him – he never saw light, he never knew vision, he never experienced sight, but he always wanted all three!  Today’s Gospel provides us with an opportunity to discuss aiding those who have lost their sight.

Recently, I ran across a "fascinating list" that carried this intriguing title: "Great Truths About Life That Little Children Have Learned." Let me share a few of these "great truths" with you.

1. "When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair."
2. "Never ask your 3-year-old brother to hold a tomato… or an egg."
3. "You can't trust dogs to watch your food for you."
4. "Don't sneeze when somebody is cutting your hair."
5. "You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk."
6. "Never wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts… no matter how cute the underwear is."

Now, it is virtually certain that the children learned these "great truths" and came to these bold new insights after some dramatic eye-opening experience in their own personal lives. Can't you just see in your mind's eye…some children trying all of those things and learning full well from that experience that this is just not a good thing to do. The point is clear: A dramatic personal eye-opening experience can give us new insight, new perception, new vision.

On a much deeper level and on a much more positive level, that's precisely what we discover in this amazing story in the Gospel of today. A man blind from birth has a dramatic eye-opening experience with Jesus… and talk about new vision, talk about new insight… he is completely and totally healed. He is made whole and he comes back from the pool of Siloam with 20/20 vision,… able to see perfectly for the first time in his life. His transformation is so complete and so dramatic that he even looks a little different. The townspeople see him and say: "Hey, isn't that the blind beggar? He can see now. Is that him? No, it's just someone who looks like him. Couldn't be him," And the formerly blind man says: "It's me alright. I am the man."

The Season of Lent calls us to that time of encounter with Jesus – rooted in a personal moment with Him where by we see more clearly. This encounter comes through such experiences of Mercy as the Sacrament of Reconciliation which I hope you participated in last week. It also comes in our outreach as we seek to help others encounter Christ – especially those who have lost their sight. Maybe not their literal sight; but their ability to see the light of hope, their vision of a future, their sight of a world, a life, rooted in goodness and charity

Signs of Love

Once upon a time there was a man who loved his little son so much that he gave him presents all the time. He lived so far from the nearest village that he couldn't buy his son anything. But he didn't have to. Whenever he wanted to give his son a present, he'd design it himself, build it from scratch, all by himself, and then give it to his son. That's how much he loved his son, and his son loved him in return.

One day, the little boy asked his father if he could have a piano. So, right away, the father designed a piano, and then started building it right there in their humble shack.

As he was making the piano, his noisy work was observed by a family of mice that lived in the wall of the house. As they watched, one mouse said to another, "What is the giant building now?" "I don't know," replied another, "but it looks like a huge box of some kind." "Maybe it's a new mouse house just for us!" cried a baby mouse. "Yes, that's it!" they all squeaked excitedly, "We won't have to live in these cold, damp walls any more! What a wonderful giant he is! Let's move into our new house the moment he finishes building it! I wonder what it'll be like?"

And so the mice watched the piano grow day by day, thinking that it was being built for them, not knowing that the father was really building it for his son.

One day when the boy was outside playing, his father finished building the piano. The mice watched as the father sat down in front of it, paused a moment, and then reached out and touched it. The mice were astonished at the beautiful music that suddenly filled the shack. "What is that sound?" they whispered to one another. "It's coming from our new mouse house!" said one. "It's finished and the giant is playing music to welcome us into our new home!" And with much rejoicing they scurried across the floor and squeezed through the holes into the back of the piano.

Once inside, they were speechless.The Father left the shack to find his son and show him his handiwork. When the music stopped, the oldest and wisest mouse told the others, "Now don't you ever forget who made this house for us, and who plays that music for us! The giant must love us very much to do such wonderful things for us! We can never repay him, so let's always remember this day! Let's never bother the giant any more! Let's only go hunting for food at night when he=s asleep! If you agree, I'll remind you of this every day of my life!" And they all enthusiastically agreed.

The father and son sometimes took turns playing the piano, and sometimes they played it together. And as the boy learned to play, his father was glad that he had built the piano for him, and even more glad that he had such an intelligent son. And when they were playing the piano together, they laughed and sang together with such love and enthusiasm that the whole mountain rang with the joyful sound.

Now, it came to pass that the old mouse died. The next oldest mouse took up his cause of passing down to the next generation the story of the giant who built their mouse house and who played the music for them. As the months flew by, he too died and was replaced by the next generation, and the following generation, and so on. Years went by, and all the original mice died, and none of the new mice had ever actually seen the giant because they only left at night. More years went by, until the mice had only their traditions and legends to tell them about the giant.

One day, as the father and grown-up son were playing the piano together, the oldest mouse was passing their mousy traditions on to the little ones. One young mouse piped up. "I don't believe it," he said. "I don't think there's any giant out there. Have you ever seen this giant?" "No," replied the old mouse, "but I know he's there." "How do you know that?" challenged the young mouse; "maybe this mouse house just came into being by random chance." " but what about the music?" the old mouse replied. "If there's no giant making the music, where does it come from?" The old mouse was satisfied with this display of logic, but the young mouse was not satisfied. he shouted, "it's NOT from some mythical giant! It comes from METAL STRINGS that VIBRATE! I told you that there wasn't any giant!"

Another mouse, shocked by this revelation, began to doubt not only everything he'd ever heard before. The oldest mouse sadly shook his head, but all the other mice began to argue angrily about whether there really was a giant at all.

The old mouse slipped away from the other mice and silently crept into unexplored regions inside the piano. When he saw the vibrating metal strings his heart skipped a beat, but he kept on going. Then he saw the hammers, and kept on going. Then he saw a tiny hole in the mouse house wall, with sunlight streaming through it. He peeked out the hole, and when his eye got accustomed to the light, he knew immediately that the legend was true, but incomplete. For there in plain view before him were TWO giants, playing the music with their fingers. And they were clearly enjoying it so much that the love between them was almost tangible.

That's when it dawned on the old mouse: they had not seen the giant for far too long and it was time to show the other mice the giant to they could understand what the music was all about. 

The Fable of the Wise Servant

The fable of the wise servant and the philosopher has an important lesson for us. Xanthus, the philosopher, sent his faithful servant Aesop and told him to bring the best food he could find for a sumptuous banquet. Aesop went to the market and brought back tongues from all kinds of different animals. He served a full-course dinner. He would serve one tongue with a certain kind of sauce, and then the next course came along, and it was another kind of tongue with a different sauce on it.

Finally, Xanthus was just furious and called Aesop in and said to him, "Servant, I sent you to the market to get the best thing you could find – the best thing possible – and you brought us these tongues. Now tell me, what is this madness?"

Aesop, the wise servant, said, "Tongues are the best of all foods. For out of the tongue comes the bond of civilization. Out of the tongue comes the organ of truth and reason. The tongue is the instrument of praise and adoration. What better food could there be than a tongue?"

Xanthus said, "Then tomorrow you go to the marketplace and bring me the worst food you can find."

The next day Aesop served the meal, and he had tongues for every course – served with different sauces, but tongues again.

Xanthus called him aside and said, "I thought I told you to bring the worst food. You've got tongues again. Yesterday it was the best food, and today it is the worst food! Tell me, why are we having tongues as the worst food?"

Aesop the faithful servant said, "Tongues are the instrument of all strife and tension. Tongues! The inventor of lawsuits and slander. Tongues! The organ of error, lies, and all kinds of strife and problems. So I brought you the worst food – that is the tongue."

The best of foods and the worst of foods, this instrument called the tongue.

The tongue is the greatest force in the universe! Our words have the power to elevate our thinking. Your self-talk and the words you speak will determine whether you think negative or positive thoughts and whether you feel bad or feel good. Our words can also do the same for another.  

Pride and Rebellion

I have been think a great deal about the The Gospel from this past Sunday —the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well. We don’t know her name or her age. But her conversation with Jesus is his longest one-on-one conversation recorded in Scripture. So maybe this is a real important passage that we

should pay attention to.

It was midday and hot. Jesus, tired from traveling, chose a sensible rest stop—Jacob’s well on the outskirts of town. He decided to wait there while his disciples went into town for food. An unnamed woman appears with clay jar in hand. Jesus makes a simple request: “Will you give me a drink?” This is where Jesus broke all the barriers of nationality and Jewish custom. Jews weren’t supposed to speak to Samaritans. Men weren’t

permitted to address women without their husbands present. And rabbis had no business speaking to shady ladies such as this one. Jesus was willing to toss out the rules, but the woman at the well wasn’t. “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman,” she reminded him. “How can you ask me for a drink?” The Jews and Samaritans had been divided for centuries. They had no dealings with one another, avoiding all social contact. If their paths crossed it would not be unusual for hostility to break out. But instead of insisting she pour him a drink of water, he offered her Living Water. She begins to question Jesus wanting to know how he was going to draw this Living Water when he didn’t even have a bucket.

To continue the conversation Jesus tells her to go and get her husband. When she confessed, “I have no husband” Jesus affirmed her answer, then gently exposed her sin: “The fact is, you have had five husbands,

and the man you now have is not your husband.” Five marriages didn’t make her a sinner. But sharing her bed with a sixth man who wasn’t her husband? That was a sin. Did she confess? Nope. She changed the subject. She talked about worship, Jerusalem, the differences between Jews and Samaritans. Again, we understand her evasion. We’ve probably done it ourselves. This conversation was getting too scary and way too personal. Finally, the woman at the well did her best to shut Jesus down. “When [the Messiah] comes, he will explain everything to us”. How stunned she must have been at Jesus’ revelation: “I who speak to you am he”.

Now the disciples show up and confirm his identity and gave the woman time to process the truth: The Anointed One had come! Overjoyed, she left her water jar and went back into town to urge her

neighbors, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” What can we learn from this encounter? Jesus showed the universality of the Gospel. No one is barred from the love of God and the good news of salvation. Where will we encounter Jesus? What will our reaction be? Remember, the only thing that can keep us from God and his redeeming love — our stubborn pride and willful rebellion. 

The Annunciation

"The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, so highly favored! The Lord is with you.'"She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her,

'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a Son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob forever and his reign will have no end.'

"Mary said to the angel,

'How can this come about, since I am a virgin?'
"'The Holy Spirit will come upon you,' the angel answered, 'and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.'

The Annunciation - Fra Angelico

"'I am the handmaid of the Lord,' said Mary. 'Let what you have said be done to me.'
"And the angel left her." (Luke 1:26-38)

The Gospels, compiled years after these events at Nazareth, tell the story of Jesus and recall Mary only incidentally. True, St. Luke's account sees Mary favored by God, the Lord's handmaid, a model believer. His story describes her fear and perplexity, her faith and acceptance during the angel's visit. But still, we are left to ourselves to imagine Mary's life and her experience when the angel left her.

The angel's message struck like lightning, changing everthing for her. Immense joy filled the young girl's soul when she conceived the child by the power of the Holy Spirit. But when the angel left, Mary was alone.

Yet Mary, profoundly knew she was not alone. God was with Her. So the same for us. The Lord is with us as events of life strike us, occurrences take us off track, life derails. We are not alone. 

Sacrament of Reconciliation - An examination of conscience

Tomorrow evening - Tuesday March 25th at 7:00pm - our parish celebrates the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some five priests will join us to offer this Sacrament not only in English, but Italian, French, Portuguese, and Polish. We pray that as we mark the Annunication of Our Lord, that our Blessed Mother will truly intercede and permit many to come and experience God's mercy and refreshment on Tuesday evening. 

A good examination of conscience can be a great help in making a new start in the life of faith.We use an examination of conscience to help call to mind our sins and failings during a period of quiet reflection before approaching the priest in Confession.

It's important for a good examination of conscience to be thorough. This will help you learn about things that you may not be aware of. It's also a chance to develop your conscience. 

To make an examination:

• Set aside some quiet time for reflection.
• Start by praying to the Holy Spirit, asking for help in making a good examination to prepare for Confession.
• Read through the items on this list and honestly reflect on your behavior for each item.
• If necessary, take this list or some brief notes (keep them private!) to Confession to help you remember things. 

First Commandment: I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.

1. Have I treated people, events, or things as more important than God?

Second Commandment:You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

1. Have my words, actively or passively, put down God, the Church, or people?

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

1. Do I go to Mass every Sunday (or Saturday Vigil) ? 
2. Do I avoid, when possible, work that impedes worship to God, joy for the Lord’s Day, and proper relaxation of mind and body? 
3. Do I look for ways to spend time with family or in service on Sunday?

Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.

1. Do I show my parents due respect? 
2. Do I seek to maintain good communication with my parents where possible? 
3. Do I criticize them for lacking skills I think they should have?

Fifth & Eighth Commandments: You shall not kill & You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

1. Have I harmed another through physical, verbal, or emotional means, including gossip or manipulation of any kind?
2. Have I gossiped, told lies, or embellished stories at the expense of another?

Sixth & Ninth Commandments: You shall not commit adultery & You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse.

1. Have I respected the physical and sexual dignity of others and of myself?
2. Have I honored my spouse with my full affection and exclusive love?

Seventh & Tenth Commandments: You shall not steal &You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

1. Have I taken or wasted time or resources that belonged to another?
2. Am I content with my own means and needs, or do I compare myself to others unnecessarily?

Third Sunday of Lent - an Encounter with Mercy

On this Third Sunday of Lent we have a wonderful encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan Women at the Well. This is truly an encounter of Mercy. Our theme for Lent in 2014 is “From These Ashes”. What connection might the Mercy have with our theme of the Lenten Season for us as we continue to rise from the ashes?

Throughout this season of Lent, we want to continually focus on the Cross as we move towards Good Friday. The Cross serves as a reminder not only of the great gift that Jesus gave each of us but also the ultimate reward of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

We have placed a large wooden cross at the front of the church. On Ash Wednesday, each Sunday during Lent, and in Holy Week we will place a symbol of Christ’s upcoming, Passion, death, and Resurrection at the foot of the cross to serve as a visual reminder of what this Season of Lent represents. Take note each week of what the symbol is that has been added and seek to comprehend and apply how it connects to His word and our journey.

This week, a bucket was added to the place beside the three branches of a cactus, and the candle which were placed near the bowl of ashes. This reminds us of the thirst we have for the refreshment of the Lord. So often during our lives we thirst for forgiveness. Events, conversations, hurts prevent us from truly being quenched of our thirst. The Woman at the Well had experienced great thirst, not for the water she came at high soon to draw, but for a fulfillment in her life that could only come if she in fact knew forgiveness.

The Woman at the Well was surprised that Jesus was speaking to her - she felt alone in her life. She was resistant of what Jesus wanted to offer her and was reluctant to speak to Him. But she wanted a better way - not a self absorbed way. In order for her life to change, she had to let Him increase and she had to decrease. She wanted the refreshing water of life that Jesus offered.

For each of us, our Lenten journey from the ashes calls us to allow Jesus to increase and

we to decrease - more of Jesus and less of me! But how?

1. Daily surrender your ego & pride to the Lord. It is so strong within us that we have to do it daily. This is why Jesus said “Take up your Cross - daily - and follow me”. This is why saying something daily like “God let their be more of Jesus and Less of Me today”  before you right that nasty email or blow up at the bank teller is so important.

2. Fight for God’s fame and not your own. Our purpose is not to build ourselves up or leave a legacy for ourselves - but to glorify Him. As we have said before our goal in life is our sanctification - to become Holy. The way to become Holy is to be molded into the image of God - to become who He wishes for us to be, not our glory but His.

3. The Sacrament of Reconciliation. The woman at the well changed her life because she came to know the mercy of the God. That mercy is most purely found in the Sacrament of Reconciliation for it is a time to ask ourselves - who am I focused on, and to repent when it more of us then Jesus.

The goal of Lent is to reflect again and again on what Jesus has done for us on the cross and consider how you can grow in holiness as a result.

 How can I accept Gospel poverty in my life (1^st Week of Lent) so I can be rich in eternal life?

How can I take on Mercy in my life (2^nd Week of Lent), so that I can be transfigured in how I listen and in my openness to change?

 How can I experience and share Mercy in my life? (3^rd Week of Lent). Do I share the life giving water of Christ’s words with others to quench their thirst, or am I focused on myself, (ego and pride)?

Let us prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation which we can celebrate communally on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 7:00pm or privately on Saturday from 4-4:30pm. Let us experience His life giving refreshment of Mercy as we encounter Him.

The Greatest Force in the Universe

The fable of the wise servant and the philosopher has an important lesson for us. Xanthus, the philosopher, sent his faithful servant Aesop and told him to bring the best food he could find for a sumptuous banquet. Aesop went to the market and brought back tongues from all kinds of different animals. He served a full-course dinner. He would serve one tongue with a certain kind of sauce, and then the next course came along, and it was another kind of tongue with a different sauce on it.

Finally, Xanthus was just furious and called Aesop in and said to him, "Servant, I sent you to the market to get the best thing you could find – the best thing possible – and you brought us these tongues. Now tell me, what is this madness?"

Aesop, the wise servant, said, "Tongues are the best of all foods. For out of the tongue comes the bond of civilization. Out of the tongue comes the organ of truth and reason. The tongue is the instrument of praise and adoration. What better food could there be than a tongue?"

Xanthus said, "Then tomorrow you go to the marketplace and bring me the worst food you can find."

The next day Aesop served the meal, and he had tongues for every course – served with different sauces, but tongues again.

Xanthus called him aside and said, "I thought I told you to bring the worst food. You've got tongues again. Yesterday it was the best food, and today it is the worst food! Tell me, why are we having tongues as the worst food?"

Aesop the faithful servant said, "Tongues are the instrument of all strife and tension. Tongues! The inventor of lawsuits and slander. Tongues! The organ of error, lies, and all kinds of strife and problems. So I brought you the worst food – that is the tongue."

The best of foods and the worst of foods, this instrument called the tongue.

The tongue is the greatest force in the universe! Our words have the power to elevate our thinking. Your self-talk and the words you speak will determine whether you think negative or positive thoughts and whether you feel bad or feel good. Our words can also do the same for another.  This Lord's Day we will hear the story of Jesus' encounter with the Woman of Samaria. Jesus chose that His words would not only build up the Woman at the Well, but it ended up changing a community as the Gospel tells us many more came to believe in Him.

Lent - bring down the Walls

Probably the best known of all of Jesus’ stories is the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32). Again we read of how the religious hypocrites pointed fingers at Jesus and whispered, "There goes that Jesus. See how He welcomes sinners and eats with them."

We read of a son who took his share of the inheritance and went off to a far country and blew all of his cash on high living. Again we read of his fall from prosperity to penury, of his hunger, of his decision to return home and be a servant in his father's house. And again we read of the welcome of the Father -- who sees him coming and rushes out to welcome him home in joy and relief.

Reconciliation seems to require the willingness to take risks for the sake of the Gospel, to be ready to sacrifice position and status in order to correct the wickedness that caused the breech and bring about a right resolution. Indeed, without such risk-taking, reconciliation would seem to be impossible.

A further challenge to reconciliation is when the reconciliation isn't wanted by all concerned, or when there is little communication among the parties. But it would seem to me that we don't have to rely solely on our own strength, but we can access grace and the love of God to help us break down the barriers that separate and divide us.

I remember, November 9, 1989, when the peoples of East and West Berlin took pickaxes and began to tear away at the Berlin Wall. Today, the Wall is no more. A seemingly impenetrable wall of separation and division gave way miraculously (there is no other way to describe it) to unity and peace. This perhaps can be a model for us in terms of reconciliation. Sometimes you just have to take your pickaxe and go chip away at a large barrier. It's crazy to think that with your little implement you could move a barrier as massive as the Berlin Wall. But if it happened once, it can happen again. 

P.S. - This TUESDAY is our Parish Celebration of Reconciliation. Five visiting priests will be with us beginning at 7:00p.m. Join us for this time of receiving God’s Pardon and Peace. I also invite you to check out details on 24 Hours of Mercy, an initiative by our Holy Father Pope Francis.

How do we worship God?

What is the greatest commandment Jesus asks? To love God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength. And the second? To love your neighbor as yourself.

How do we worship God?

The readings of this Lenten season have described this in detail -- faith, trust, hope, obedience, and grace, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and those in prison. . . repentance, reconciliation, and covenant.

If we love our God with all our heart, might, mind, and soul, we love our neighbors as ourselves, we grow in solidarity with them. This again falls under "Pious Platitude Alert", but the repetitive nature of the saying should not blind us to its compelling reality.

The Prophet Hosea (14:2-10) calls us to put our trust in God, not in the work of human hands, not in the military might of the superpowers of the era, but rather in the God who gives compassion to the fatherless. As we do this, our "defection" is healed, wrath is turned away, the desert blossoms and becomes fruitful. This is the true wisdom, even if it isn't endorsed by the "conventional wisdom" of our secular era. No wonder the crowd didn't dare ask Jesus any more questions. He had already explained what they needed to know -- clearly and without ambiguity. When we understand this, like the scribe who questioned Jesus, we are not far from the Reign of God. 

St Joseph - our guide and patron

From Abraham and Sarah, to David and Bathsheba, and thence to Joseph and Mary, perhaps two thousand years of covenant history -- an angel calling Joseph to faithfulness to his betrothal covenant with Mary, an unwed mother, and Joseph not the father -- this is a thread of love and obedience, not by perfect artificial constructs but by all-too-human persons, in diverse times, places, and situations.

Today our attention is drawn to St. Joseph, husband of Mary. He is a carpenter, a skilled worker. He stands by Mary, brings her to Bethlehem, flees with her and the Child into Egypt, and returns later with them to Nazareth, where the Child Jesus grew "in wisdom and stature and in favor before God and man," as Luke records.

His voice in the Gospels is not extensive, but his influence passes through all time to the present day -- father, intercessor, protector, and patron. Today let us call upon St. Joseph, and in his name remember the poor. Let us recall his example of fatherhood -- how he stood by his covenant of betrothal with Mary, how he protected her and cared for her, how he worked with his hands to provide for his family. Let us ask for his intercession on the part of fathers and families everywhere. Let us remind ourselves of his protection when we are in need. And let us commit ourselves to him as our patron and protector. May we share his faith in God's covenant, and may this be for us a strong source of hope. 

Prayer intentions today:

+ For all homeless families, especially those who are refugees, we pray to the Lord.
+ For all fathers, that they will see in St. Joseph an example to emulate, we pray to the Lord.

Five Simple Ways to Deepen Your Prayer Life

Today I received an email from a young adult who is struggling to "find something to do for Lent". It got to thinking about Five Simple Ways to Deepen Your Prayer Life

1. Pray before the Blessed Sacrament - Spend some time if you can, everyday or maybe once a week, praying in front of Our Lord. Don't just talk--be still and listen. We have a Perpetual Adoration Chapel which is open 24 hours per day - all are welcome to drop in.

2. The Jesus Prayer - Pray this simple prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Repeat it over and over again throughout the day, for one minute, five minutes, or half an hour. Pray it at the beginning and end of the day. Let its calming rhythm focus your mind on God.

3. "Come, Holy Spirit" prayer - Simply praying, "Come, Holy Spirit" works anytime, anywhere--it's always a good prayer.

4. The Rosary - If you haven't prayed the Rosary in a long time, pick it up during Lent. If you're unsure how, or if you've forgotten which mysteries to pray, there are pamphlets by main doors of our Church Church.

5. The Mass - If you don't go to Sunday Mass, go--you're obligated if you're a Catholic. If you go to Sunday Mass, go to daily Mass during Lent. Decide to attend one extra Mass each week. 

All of these are simple, straightforward ways to deepen your prayer life during Lent. You don't have to do them all, but just choose one and commit yourself.

Getting Ready for Pardon and Peace

With the holy season of Lent upon us, we are all invited to redouble our efforts to 'make space' for Jesus in our busy lives and divided hearts. Many of the traditional ways we have carried out this preparation as Catholics (Lenten penances, Stations of the Cross, Sacrament of Reconciliation) remain as vital and valid today as they were when first adopted. Lenten practices don't have to be severe and onerous (It's not about

beating ourselves up!) but they should lead us to a deeper understanding of the need to welcome Christ into each and every corner of our lives. 

Above all, we should seek to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this season of purification. The mercy and unconditional forgiveness received  in the Sacrament are the perfect accompaniment to the self-reflection and penance of Lent. Remember that when we “behold the wondrous Cross” we see not only a Lord sacrificed in atonement for our sins, but a Lord who desired to make this sacrifice for you! On March 25th at 7:00pm; we have our parish Reconciliation Celebration. I hope you will mark your calendar and join us for that. The blog will give you some more ways to gently prepare for this special time of pardon and peace.  

Second Sunday of Lent - The Transfiguration

Each year on the Second Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect on an account of the Transfiguration.Our theme for Lent in 2014 is “From These Ashes”. What connection might the Transfiguration have with our theme of the Lenten Season for us as we continue to rise from the ashes? 

On Ash Wednesday we set out on the Lenten journey with the Lord to prepare to celebrate or renew our baptismal promises. We were invited to become more God-centred people through prayer, more other-centred people through almsgiving and less self-centred through acts of self-denial. Is the proclamation of one of the Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration intended to reassure us that this journey is important, even though we might be finding it difficult, and that we should listen to Jesus as he calls us to share in His suffering, death and resurrection?

The Transfiguration could well have been a sign from God intended to help Jesus and the disciples to trust that this is God’s plan for the salvation of the world. The disciples heard a voice from heaven assuring them that they should listen to Jesus even when His message was difficult. It must have been reassuring for Jesus to hear God call Him His beloved Son and to acknowledge that God was well pleased with Him.

One of the privileged ways in which God’s Beloved Son, Jesus, speaks to us today is through Sacred Scripture. John Powell, S.J in his 1974 Argus Communications book, He Touched Me, says that we have five antennae for listening :

The Mind: Jesus gives me his mind and heart so that I can judge as he judges and love as he loves. The questions he asks are addressed to me personally. The words of love, encouragement and challenge are directed to me. He confronts illusions that I might have about God as he reveals the Father to me. Sometimes this enlightenment comes to me after I reflect (meditate) on his words, but at other times it can come to me as a flash of new insight.

The Will: This is my spiritual motor and it has two gears: forward and reverse. The Word of God can deepen my desire to draw closer (the forward gear) to each of the persons of the Trinity and to all the people that I am called to love and serve. It can also deepen my desire to turn away from any sin (the reverse gear) which it might reveal to me.

The Emotions: When I am afraid God is inviting me to turn to God for courage. When I am angry or full of hatred, God could be calling me to forgive or to speak the truth in love to another. When I am feeling guilty. God is inviting me to seek forgiveness. When I am feeling despair, God can give me hope. When I am feeling loved, I can turn to God in gratitude. God desires to calm the storms of life which I experience and share with God. God is a God who comforts the afflicted but who also afflicts the comfortable.

The Imagination: When the passage from Scripture on which I am reflecting involves a saving action which Jesus is performing I can use my imagination to place myself right into the gospel scene and allow Jesus to touch me or to speak to me personally. Great things can happen when we do this.

The Memory: The Word of God can awaken gratitude in me when it reminds me of how I have experienced the saving actions of Jesus personally on my faith journey. At times it can also awaken the desire for conversion and forgiveness when it reminds me of my sinfulness.

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us

even as we hope in you” (Psalm 33).

As We Continue ......

Perhaps more so than any other day in the church year, Lent is a Season where we know we are going to hear about Sin. We might think we are always aware of our sin, but in day-to-day life, it’s easy to push it aside. It’s easy to make excuses. “I slipped up.” “I’m just tired.” “I’ll try harder next time.” “It could be worse.” “It’s not that big a deal.” But during Lent, there are no excuses. There’s nowhere to hide. We’re all equal. 

All of us, sitting calmly in the pews, have a feeling that is more than a bit uneasy on the inside. We know this occasion marks the beginning of Jesus’ journey to the cross, and we know that it is our sins that put him there. When we walk into church during Lent, things will be a little different. We’ll see a barren cross off to the side. We’ll see purples replace the greens and whites. Our sins and our mortality are made even more real as we are signed with ashes in the shape of a cross on Ash Wednesday. 

Ashes are a sign that we all share in this business of sin. We all fall short when it comes to Faith. We all could use a lesson on how to better Love our neighbor. Our priorities get out of whack and our focus gets out of focus. We get mired down in the day-to-day things we call “important” and soon find ourselves buried—buried under a pile of those same ashes. God knows that. 

He gives us this Season of Lent to recognize once again that he is a truly loving God, always forgiving and always there by our side through the sin, through the pain, through the disgrace, through the addictions, through the financial struggles, and through the grief. God is there when we think we are all alone. God is there when we think we can no longer breathe under the weight of the ashes. God is there reaching down with his hand to pull us up. Is this going to be one of those “go-through-the-motions” Lenten seasons or are we ready to reach for that hand to rise “From These Ashes” with him on Easter?

Lent - Its Kind of Serious

Every car or truck carries in the glove compartment a maintenance schedule. Having your oil changed, your tires rotated and balanced, and the rest of the engine checked keeps your vehicle in excellent shape.  Lent provides us an opportunity to open our personal maintenance schedule and take a close look at ourselves as we journey towards eternal life. Lent provides us with an excellent opportunity to strengthen ourselves so that we can keep walking against the current. A successful Lent requires us to develop a serious plan of action. Our program should consist of both the general practices that the Catholic Church requires of everyone, and our own particular Lenten program. 

As a general practice for all Catholics, the Church requires that we fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We are also asked to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. 

Aside from what the Church law of fast and abstinence requires of us, we should come up with a personal program for spiritual growth. This is our personal maintenance program. I have always recommended that we come up with something negative and something positive. 

By something negative, I mean that each person should commit themselves to giving up something or a number of things. This sacrifice should be serious and demanding. The self-control that we exercise in giving up a legitimate pleasure strengthens our will and curbs the inclinations of our passions. 

By something positive, I mean that each one should also do some kind of act that we would not normally do on a regular basis. Attending daily Mass, visiting the sick, volunteering time at the parish or praying a Sunday evening Rosary with the entire family are positive acts of virtue that have helped many people progress in their relationship with God. 

Lenten practices of penance have great benefits for our spiritual lives. A serious Lent will be like a spring cleaning which will purify the clutter that has accumulated in our souls. A serious commitment to penance will also help us to conquer addictions, obsessions and compulsive behavior. A serious Lent will purify our soul and allow us to experience a deeper interior freedom. 

As We Persevere

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) 

Daily the gardener went out to his garden to check on his melon patch. He smiled in delight to see exactly what he expected to see: each day his melons were growing bigger and bigger and changing color as they ripened. That pleasure turned to puzzlement one day as he noticed the melons on one plant starting to shrivel up. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the vine had been nearly completely severed. There was nothing he could do. There was no way to save the fruit parted from its source of nourishment. That summarizes our relationship with God. 

Jesus told us that we are like the branches that bear fruit and that, just like the plants in the garden, we need to be connected to the Vine in order to bear that fruit. Apart from our Vine, however, we can do nothing. Through our connection we are empowered to minister to the needs of others just as Jesus did. In Christ’s name, we provide shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry, and clothes for needy. As God’s people, we discover through prayer and the study of his Word what his will is for our lives and what fruit he wants us to bear. God invites each of us to come to him, but he never forces us. Only when we stay connected will our lives have purpose, and we will bear the fruit he wants us to bear. 

Prayer: Lord, we give you thanks and praise for the gift of life. Help us always to be mindful that you have created us to give you praise and to be fruitful in your kingdom. Through Christ Jesus we ask all of this. Amen.

From These Ashes - its been a week now

For most of us, the first Bible story we ever heard was Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And while we want to concentrate on the Gospel, that story is a great lead-in to the Gospel. Whether you believe the account of Adam and Eve literally or figuratively, their sin is the reason Jesus came to earth to be like us. If it were not for sin, the whole salvation story would not exist. So, the story sets the stage for this season of Lent leading to Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. 

On the first Sunday of Lent we heard about about Jesus going into the desert for 40 days. Our 40 days have begun as well. This year our theme for Lent is From These Ashes. One week ago today, we were reminded of our own mortality; we were reminded of death in the world through receiving ashes on our forehead. Lent is our time of personal reflection but also an opportunity to extend our hand and ask Jesus to pull us out of the ashes of sin and death, selfishness and pride.

Jesus spent forty days and nights in prayer and fasting in a lonely place. It kind of reminds me of a silent retreat? It’s tough, if not impossible, to remain silent and alone for 2-3 days. Some people have to talk to themselves to keep their sanity. So why such a lengthy period of time for Jesus? Well, during that time we hear about Jesus being tempted by the devil just like Adam and Eve. We’ve actually heard that story so many times that I doubt that we could actually recite the three temptations that Jesus faced.

The word “tempt” in English usually means to entice to sin. But it also means “test” in the sense of preparing someone to see if they are ready for the task at hand. We test pilots to see that they are fit to fly. Likewise, God tests his servants to see if they are fit to be used by him. God tested Abraham to prove his faith. The Israelites were sorely tested in Egypt before God delivered them from their enemies. Jesus was no exception to this testing. 

In our lives, Satan will surely tempt us and will try his best to get us to choose our will over God’s will. If he can’t make us renounce our faith or to sin mortally, he will then try to get us to make choices that will lead us, little by little, away from what God wants for us. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, he did not try to fight with human strength. He relied on the power that the Spirit gave him. Jesus’ mission, his reason for becoming man, was both to be an example to us and to defeat the devil. His willingness to embrace the cross reversed the curse of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. So, how can we overcome sin in our personal lives? 

Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit, as well, to be our strength in times of temptation and testing. The question is: Do we rely on that offer of help or do we try and go it alone? We have the greatest opportunity laid at our feet over these this Lenten Season. There are multiple opportunities here from personal prayer time to Stations of the Cross, to Holy Hours to the Lenten Reconciliation service, to daily Mass to make this Lent a special one. Instead of giving up something, take advantage of what is being given to you so on

Easter Sunday you can rise from the ashes with Jesus.

How can I relate to You?

When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

“It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Mark 14:17-21

Lord, You came as a person to relate to me. How can I relate to You? I want to know Your ways. I want to understand Your will. My soul longs for intimacy with You above all other things – and when it doesn't, I wish it would.

Help me, God, where I am weak. I tend to get pulled toward lesser things –things that distract me from the what matters most, things that distract me from You. As Easter approaches, help me to eliminate distractions and elevate Jesus. I'm not even sure what that means, but I know I want more of you and less of this world. Help it be so.

As We Continue

For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

If you’ve ever been on a farm, you may be familiar with old-fashioned water pumps. When pumps have been out of use for a time, they can often be pumped fruitlessly. Priming the pump with water, which expands the cork, bringing up water, rather than just air, can solve the problem.

Our lives can be compared to that pump. Just as pumping of the water pump is of no value without proper priming, our lives without Jesus remain empty and without purpose. Sure, our lives can be busy and appear okay on the surface, but, without a relationship with Christ, there is emptiness and no hope. Jesus came to bring us hope.

Jesus himself has primed our pumps so that, as new creations, we are free to serve him in grateful response to what he has done for us. God takes imperfect, inadequate people like us and equips us to do the marvelous works, which he has prepared for us to do.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, grant us the desire to keep our pumps primed by keeping our eyes and our lives focused on you. We thank you for the selfless love of your son who gave his life that we might have the sure hope of eternal life. We pray this in his name. Amen.

First Sunday of Lent - Do we walk in His will ?

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him...Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. 

Mark 14:1,10-11 

Lent is that special time of the year when each of us is called to see what is truly “in our hearts.” And to help us do that, we do as Jesus did: We go into the “wilderness” for 40 days; we pray, fast, and remind ourselves again to be faithful to what our true calling is: “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”

Father, each time I long for the thing I’ve chosen to give up, I pray that You would allow that longing to remind me of the sacrifice Jesus made for me. That out of my small sacrifice, I would remember an infinite love and sacrifice I can’t even begin to comprehend…a love that drove Jesus to completely surrender His position, power, and authority to become a man and sacrifice His life to pay an eternal, moral debt I could never pay. May my heart be overwhelmed with gratitude by Your love in this season. 

Our Temptation in the Desert

We are approaching the first weekend of Lent. We are going to be introduced to the desert - the symbolic illustration for what Lent is all about. So, we are in the desert - for a few more days - we know that fasting, prayer and almsgiving will be our only companions - are we prepared?

Read for a couple of minutes the following passage : John 3:19-20. What strikes you about it?

Prayer: God, what sacrifice can I make that would be a sacrifice? Every gift is from You. You are the Provider of every good thing. Everything I have is because of You. Everything exists because of You. What would I go without that wasn't Yours to begin with? What can I claim as if it's my "right?" Search me, Lord, and know me. Test my allegiance and my willingness to surrender. Expose what is displeasing to You. Help me to fully embrace what You have for me in this season. 

Lent continues

"But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14:61-62

God, the whole idea of Lent – choosing to intentionally fast from something in my life – is foreign to me as a Christian. I’m so used to getting and having what I want, whenever I want it. The idea of fasting is actually is a little intimidating for me. Can I really do it? Do I even want to do it? 

Forgive me, Lord, for my selfish spirit. The only way I’ll make it through this season is with Your strength, and the only way my desires will become Your desires is if You change my heart. Lord, have mercy on me…give me Your heart, Your spirit, Your strength as I walk through this season of Lenten sacrifice with You.

Lent - the walk in the wilderness begins

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, prayer, and service. The intention of Lent is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus – His suffering and His sacrifice, His life, death, burial, and resurrection. This period of fasting and discipline is a way of recalling Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness. Some Christians "fast from fasting" on each Sunday of Lent, and celebrate the resurrection and hope of Jesus. Lent can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to Him. There are three basic tasks that traditionally have been associated with Lent. These are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (or service). When we "give up something" for Lent, we embrace a form of fasting. Whether we abstain from a certain behavior, food, or media, by giving it up, we learn to control a particular part of our lives, which leads to greater self-discipline even when Lent is over. Lent is a good time to develop or strengthen the discipline of daily prayer. Spending regular, focused time listening and responding to God is important always, but Lent is an ideal time to cultivate this discipline and seek to hear God's voice. While Lent is about giving up something, it's also about putting something positive in its place. Traditionally, Lent has been a time of serving the poor. For Christians this is a year-round calling, but Lent is a good time to find ways to get involved and step into a lifestyle of service. Join me this season of Lent. I will be posting every day, as we seek God and respond to Him. Matthew 4:1 “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...” God, for so much of my life, I imagine that Your principle role in my life is to smooth things out – to make things work better, more efficiently, more painlessly. But the Bible offers up a peculiar and different account of what You occasionally intend to do with the ones You love – to lead them into the wilderness. Lord, in this Lenten season, help me to envision the wilderness wanderings of my own life differently than I have in the past – not as obstacles to Your work in my life. Instead, help me to see the wilderness as a way in which You may choose to work within me. .

As We Begin

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1Corinthians 15:57,58)

Each year, we look forward to the penitential season of Lent. That seems strange to some who don’t understand the blessings this time affords. Among these blessings is time set aside to focus on our own sins and then to place them purposefully at the foot of the cross, knowing that Christ has already paid the price in our place.

A blessing arises from knowing that Lent is a period of time that culminates in Easter, that day the whole Church rejoices together in the victory Christ won as he rose from the dead. His resurrection is ours! The apostle Paul wrote, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul followed this declaration with the word “therefore,” implying that something should happen as a result of this great victory: we should “be firm.” Therefore, as we begin our Lenten Journey we should keep our eyes on Jesus, and we should do the work the Father has prepared for us to do, for we know what the fruits of our labor will be.

Our parish theme for Lent in 2014 is “From These Ashes”. What’s the significance of the theme? Throughout our lives we constantly face obstacles that prevent us from developing a closer relationship with God. We can look at these obstacles as the ashes in our lives. Unfortunately for some of us, we can get mired in those ashes and feel there is no way out. During this Lenten Season, we want the Cross to serve as a reminder that there is a way out of whatever troubles or obstacles we face. The promise of the Resurrection, as a result of Jesus dying in the cross, is all we need. We have been given the next 6 weeks as a gift. Unwrap the gift. We take advantage of this time to nurture our relationship with God. Rise from these ashes. Dust yourself off and bask in the splendor of Easter morning.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we rejoice in the victory you have won for us! Give us eagerness to live in that victory as we go about your work on earth. We pray this in your name. Amen.