A blessed and prayerful Lent unfolds before us. Each year, we are in a different place as we enter into the holy season of renewal. We journey with family. We journey with parishioners. We journey as members of the Roman Catholic Church.
This year, parishioners are being invited to ENGAGE more concretely as a member of St. Mary's Parish. Invitations have been extended since we first began this forty day journey to receive a daily text message with a brief reflection for the Lenten season. It is offered through Bishop Barron's
W
ord on Fire
. Signing up is very easy, just
send a text to 84576 with the message PALMS.
A brief registration screen appears so you can ENGAGE with God in prayer, along with fellow parishioners, these forty days. It is not too late to sign up - may the message, the prayer, the opportunity to grow in your relationship with God bear fruit in your life and world these Lenten days.
How is this Lent different for you than previous Lents as you pray, fast, and give alms? Maybe you are more focused. Perhaps there are new graces in which you are giving thanks. Possibly, there are new crosses that you are trying to carry in faith.
Personally, Lent 2019 is much different for me than Lent one year ago. One year ago, parishioners and friends were lifting up the Nacius family in prayer as my brother and nephew were keeping vigil with their wife and mother and her battle with ovarian cancer. The support and prayers were very life giving in the face of illness, suffering, and death. The continued prayers have been a welcome support to my family.
I am going to New York this coming Thursday to spend two days with my brother and nephew. On Friday, March 22, the first anniversary of Marcela's death, I will be celebrating Mass at the grade school my nephew attends as a 7
th
grader in Harlem, NY. The past year has been filled with highs and lows as I saw my brother and nephew wrestle with the grief and loss they knew intimately well. With God's grace and time, healing comes. I see that in new ways in their lives. They continue to do the best they can, without their wife and mother. I am sure the celebration of the first anniversary of her death will be filled with many emotions for them and those who support them this coming week.
We celebrate somewhere between 45 and 60 funerals every year at St. Mary's. We have celebrated five funerals in the first two weeks of March. The Bereavement Ministry of St. Mary's does a wonderful job, offering heartfelt consolation to families in their grief. Some loss is overwhelming. Some grief is incredibly deep in the hearts of parishioners. The gift of faith and hope for eternal life sustains believers. The prayers offered and the support provided in accompanying others makes a profound difference. May each of us, with compassionate hearts be a supportive, healing, comforting presence to neighbor, family member and parishioner who grieve the death of a family member and friend.
Our Lenten journey, our prayers, almsgiving, and sacrifice are directed to the person and example of Jesus Christ.
We are in the first weeks of Lent, with our eyes, hearts, and prayers focused on Easter Sunday - and the joy and hope shared amongst believers. Lent for many is a somber time - Easter Sunday is still weeks away when believers participate and share the glory and hope of resurrection. May the faith we share this Lent, lead us to trust in the power of the Cross and belief in the joy of resurrection.
This Sunday, we welcome Bishop Alberto Rojas to our parish to celebrate the 10:00am Mass. Bishop Rojas is coming to the parish as the Vicar of Vicariate 1 to meet people as he gets to know the parishes of the Vicariate. Bishop Rojas has served the diocese as the Vicar for Vicariate 3 since he was made bishop in 2011. Bishop Rojas took over after Bishop Rassas retired this past September. You are welcome to greet Bishop Rojas at the reception the School cafeteria following the Sunday Mass.
On this March 17
th
, may the following Irish blessings be known in our lives, through God's loving grace:
May your days be many and your troubles be few,
May all God's blessings descend upon you,
May peace be within you, May your heart be strong,
May you find what you're seeking wherever you roam.
May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
the foresight to know where you're going,
...and the insight to know when you're going too far.
God bless you with a prayerful heart!!!
