Friday, March 27th is a day of abstinence

Wednesday, March 25th is the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, so our prayer for the week is the Hail Mary.

(Click here if you need a refresher for this prayer)

Enjoy Laetare Sunday!

Laetare Sunday is the day when the Church relents a bit in the solemn, penitential spirit of Lent and gives a hint of the joy to come. The name Laetare means "rejoice." The traditional entrance antiphon for this Sunday is from Isaiah 66:10-11 and begins, "Rejoice Jerusalem!"

Laetare Sunday also reminds us Lent is more than half over. It is a good time to reflect on how our Lenten practices have affected our spiritual journeys. If there is little or no spiritual growth, adjust those practices to make this Lent the best ever!

Use your violet candle Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
for the season of  Lent.

For some great reading this Lent, we recommend The Apostles by Pope Benedict XVI.

• Wednesday, March 25 use a white candle for the solemnity of the Annunciation, the day we recall the Archangel Gabriel's request that the Blessed Virgin Mary be the Mother of God. It is one of the few days in Lent in which a white candle is used instead of a violet candle. This is a great example of why celebrating the liturgical year is so wonderful. Here we are in the middle of Lent and we can once again celebrate the good news that our Redeemer is soon to be born. We can celebrate the Blessed Mother's gracious "Yes" and realize that it was only after her acceptance of God's will that Jesus became the Incarnation, that God became a human being in His mother's womb.

A solemnity is a day of greatest importance. The celebration starts the evening before the actual solemnity. Easter is our most important solemnity. A feast is the next most important day. It commemorates Mary, the apostles, martyrs and other saints, and the events associated with them. Mass readings often reflect the special feast day. A memorial is a special day, but often an optional celebration. The scripture readings for Mass may or may not be specially selected for the memorial.
 

During Lent we'll be meditating on the
Last Seven Words.
These are not simply words,
but the seven things Jesus said as He was dying on the cross.
We encourage you to consider the impact of these words on your life this Lenten season.

As we prepare for Lent to begin, we consider Jesus' first words:
I Thirst.

Our favorite Lenten readings about the Seven Last Words are from
Richard John Neuhaus' Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross and Fulton Sheen's The Seven Last Words

Choosing Darkness over Light?

We refuse the Light because we love the darkness

The first reading is from the second book of Chronicles. First and Second Chronicles, along with the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, were probably the work of an anonymous author who was inspired to write the history of Israel from the reign of King Saul to the return from the Babylonian Exile. The author's purpose in these writings was not simply reporting factual events; instead, his primary focus was to report God's works of salvation in the affairs of His beloved mankind. This Sunday's reading tells us what people were like just before being overcome by the Babylonians - unfaithful to God. Perhaps worst of all, they failed to honor the Sabbath. Finally their kingdom was destroyed. They were only rescued through the generosity of a pagan king. Even at the seemingly worst times, God is merciful and shows His love for us.

St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians also passionately reveals God's love and mercy toward us. We, in our sinfulness, do not deserve salvation. God gives it to us anyway. It is a free gift. Nothing we do can compare to God's free gift. That does not mean that faith alone is enough. At the end of the reading St. Paul tells us that God's plan includes our good works; we must live our faith through our actions.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus' words to Nicodemus, the Pharisee who came to Jesus in the dark because he was attracted by the Light. Jesus shares the words that are almost beyond our comprehension, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." God sent Jesus to save us, despite our sinfulness. The end of the reading is similar to the letter from St. Paul. It is our decision to forego the darkness and live in the Light. Our choice will be made clear by our works.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

The readings this week remind us that when we focus on our world we are in darkness. When we focus on God, we see the Light. Giving our devout attention to God may be lonely at times. Others may sneer, be indifferent, and even attack our beliefs. We must stand firm when we have chosen the path of God.

In the first reading Samuel, the great judge of the Israelites, follows God's direction in anointing the new king. The choice of the youngest son is remarkable. After all, the older sons all seem quite worthy of the honor. But God saw something special in David that no one else could see. Through God David became a great king.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians is lovely. He tells us we are not just in darkness, but we are darkness when we are not actively pleasing God. When we strive for goodness, righteousness, and truth we are light. It is time to recall our past lives and recognize how much closer we have now come to the Light of Christ.

The Gospel story from John shows us practically every way possible to experience faith -- through true conversion, indifference, ignoring, and even unbelief. The blind man has a true conversion. He has seen God and can never go back to his former life. He is loving and humble, but matter-of-fact with his conviction. His own parents prefer not to get involved if it means facing harsh consequences. Neighbors give absurd excuses, such as the man was never blind in the first place, to downplay the possibility of a miracle. The Pharisees are so sure of their beliefs they refuse to open their hearts to the possibility of God being in their midst.

Lectionary readings for the 4th Week of Lent: