Category: Parish News & Events

Blessed Are They

Today is a very special day for our family. It is the first time we will be able to celebrate a birthday with a new family member we have just met. So many years that seemed lost are now being caught up in just a few months. Some of us wonder how we ever got along without her. We are amazed at her joy, her generosity and her drive. She has given us the impetus to better ourselves, to break through barriers and to achieve what we once thought impossible. Truly a ray of sunshine in our otherwise dull lives. Now we can rejoice on this day instead of wonder, celebrate instead of suffer.

In just a few days, we also celebrate my oldest son’s birthday, the one who made me a mommy. I cannot even begin to tell you how long I waited for that day. After being a missionary in my late teens and early 20’s, I just assumed that God would bring me a husband right away, since I had given these tender years to Him. Boy, was I wrong! I had to endure 11 long years of ups and downs, difficult lessons as a result of wrong decisions, mixed with plenty of travel, work experience and life-long friendships. Finally, God led me to the love of my life and less than a year later we were holding our first son in our arms. What an amazing and undeserved gift.

Realizing all I have received in these two people definitely make the words of the First Reading come alive: “you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you…you will be a people sacred to the Lord, your God, as he promised.” (from DT 26) God has chosen to make me His own. He has chosen to love me in a peculiar, specific, singular way. He does not love me in the same way He loves anyone else. He does not shower the same blessings on me as He does anyone else. He loves me in the way my heart needs to be loved.

He loves me so much that I am sacred to Him. He holds me in a tender, delicate and holy way. And all of this is fulfilling His promise, His promise to never let me falter, lack or want. He did not promise there would be no suffering, but with that suffering there is always a lesson learned, or a good fruit that sprouts forth. He promises to love me and be with me always.

Lord, grant me the strength and conviction to always observe your statues, commandments and decrees. May I hearken to your voice so that I might walk in your ways and thus proclaim with the Psalmist: “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”

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Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Reading 1 Dt 26:16-19

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”

Responsorial Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8

R.    (1b)  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Verse Before the Gospel2 Cor 6:2b

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel Mt 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 

 

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, please go here.

– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Friday of the First Week of Lent

I had no understanding of what it meant to fast or what Lent was really all about as a child. The crucifix and painting of Jesus were covered with purple cloth in my grandparents’ house and at church. We didn’t eat meat on Fridays. That was about it.

I do have many memories of eating fish sticks, tuna noodle casserole, grilled cheese & tomato soup or creamed peas on toast, on many Fridays during my youth. My favorite meals were when we had a dinner of pancakes or waffles. There were no parish fish frys available where we lived or in any of the communities to which we moved during my childhood.

Today, I understand more about the universal Church, Lent, sacrifice and penance. I really like how the Catholic Bishops of Ireland describe penance:

“Penance is an essential part of the lives of all Christ’s faithful. It arises from the Lord’s call to conversion and repentance. We do penance: in memory of the passion and death of the Lord, as a sharing in Christ’s suffering, as an expression of inner conversion, and as a form of reparation for sin.

Fridays hold a day of special intention during our Lenten journey. Some suggestions for penance to be done on Fridays include:

Abstaining from meat or some other food
Abstaining from alcoholic drink or smoking
Making a special effort at involvement in family prayer
Making a special effort to participate in Mass on Fridays
Visiting the Blessed Sacrament
Making the Stations of the Cross
Fasting from all food for a longer period than usual and perhaps giving what is saved to those in need
Helping the poor, sick, old, or lonely.”  

Pope Francis  reminds us in his Lenten message that prayer is very important during Lent, as it is an expression of our need to respond to God’s love which sustains us. Through our prayer, a dialog with God develops and our hearts are softened to help convert us to His will. Jesus’s passion, the Way of the Cross, is a way I can enter into sharing the journey with Christ who willingly accepted the Cross for my sinfulness and for yours.

The Stations of the Cross have been a great comfort to me during my own times of challenging life situations, through sickness, marital strife, job and financial insecurity, tragedy. Set aside some time to spend praying one of the Stations of the Cross listed below. May they lead you to a more open dialog with God as you continue on your Lenten journey.

Stations by Lebanese Young People led by Pope Francis at the Colosseum

youtube Stations of the Cross

Knights of Columbus Traditional & Modern Stations

USCCB Scriptural Stations of the Cross

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Reading 1 Ez 18:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Responsorial Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8

R.    (3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R.    If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R.    If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R.    If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R.    If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Verse Before the GospelEz 18:31

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel Mt 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.