A Lenten Thought
Hear the call to worship this Lent!
EASTER SUNDAY
It’s EASTER! JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!
May this be a happy day for you and those you love. As the stone was rolled away for Jesus, may any obstacles to your joy today be rolled away. Blessed and Happy Easter. Enjoy these 50 days of the Easter Season.
HOLY SATURDAY
Today is a quiet day in the Church. Take some quiet time today to reflect on where the Lenten Season has brought. How has God and his grace been present to you? How have you been present to God. Even in the silence of Holy Saturday, the day Jesus spent in the tomb, God speaks to us.
GOOD FRIDAY
We remember today that Jesus died. For you. For me. For us all. We all share the cross. Jesus shared his love with all of us.
HOLY THURSDAY
Tonight we recall the Last Supper of the Lord. We remember how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. We begin tonight at 7:30PM. It would be a joy for us if you joined us this evening for this special liturgy.
Wednesday of Holy Week
We are soon to begin these important days of Holy Week. Don’t let these days pass you by. Draw close to the Lord and the Lord will be close to you. Think about joining the parish for Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper or the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion.
Tuesday of Holy Week
Jesus is aware of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denials. Their weakness got the best of them. We know we can be weak. How important it is to turn to the Lord when we feel weak and ask for Jesus’ help.
Monday of Holy Week
Today is a great day for Confession and Reconciliation. Go to any church in the New York metropolitan area, including all churches on Long Island and hear the beautiful works of absolution. “God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It may be a very long time since you have heard those words. Hear them today. Do not worry about how long it’s been and what to do. We will help you.
PALM SUNDAY
Today we hear the Gospel of the Passion of the Lord. Out of love for us, Jesus sacrifices and dies on the Cross. When you come to Mass today and hear the Passion, listen for some detail that you never noticed before. If we listen carefully, we always discover something new about Jesus.
Saturday - Lent Week 5
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Palm is a treasured symbol of our faith. We find it in our homes often placed on the wall with a crucifix. Palm was used as part of Jesus’ entry procession into Jerusalem. Make plans to join the procession of friends and neighbors to Palm Sunday Mass tomorrow at St. Anne’s.
Friday - Lent Week 5
Jesus felt the hostility of the crowds around him. Hostility often arises from anger. Hostility brings trouble! There is too much hostility in our world. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” said Jesus.
Thursday - Lent Week 5
We are drawing ever closer to remembering the Passion of Christ. In today’s gospel they threatened Jesus with stones. May we seek not to threaten anyone. May those who feel threatened find relief and mercy from a person of faith.
Wednesday - Lent Week 5
Spring is here. New life accompanies spring. A prayer of the church for today includes a prayer for hope. The Easter Season is not far off. It is a time for hope. Hope is more than optimism. How do you understand hope.
Tuesday - Lent Week 5
A prayer in the liturgy today prays that we might weep for the evil we have done. Perhaps we will not weep; still we pray that we might acknowledge our need for God’s mercy.
Monday - Lent Week 5
Happy St. Joseph's Day. Let's honor all the Josephs of our lives, all those who share with St. Joseph the vocation of being a dad. Honor them. Love them. Remember them. Pray for those dads of our young children and those who wish to be dads.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
"Create a clean heart in me, O God," prays the psalm for today. Lord transform our hearts. Help me put aside bitterness, anger, hard-heartedness. Give to me a heart that feels joy, compassion, and kindness.
Saturday - Lent Week 4
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. For some, this day reminds us of the heritage of our faith. For all, tomorrow is the Fifth Sunday of Lent, a day we all need to come together to pray for one another and so many other good things. Praying at Sunday Mass was something dear to our ancestors. May we honor their faith, and ours, and hold sacred the tradition of Sunday Mass. Enjoy your day!
Friday - Lent Week 4
In today’s gospel, Jesus is threatened. He cries out. We might listen carefully to the voices of those who feel threatened in our time.
Thursday - Lent Week 4
Maybe something will make you angry today as the Lord is described as angry in today’s first reading. We are told that the Lord “relented in the punishment he had threatened.” God “thought twice.” If anger disrupts you today, “think twice.”
Wednesday - Lent Week 4
The psalm proclaims today, “The Lord is gracious and merciful.” The psalmist continues “The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” You may well have the chance to uplift the spirits of someone today. See that opportunity and use it well.
Tuesday - Lent Week 4
Another healing story in today’s gospel. Someone you know needs healing. Say a prayer for that person today.
Monday - Lent Week 4
Jesus works a healing miracle in today’s gospel. Many of us have prayed for miracles. One author commented: Miracles “seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always.” Read that quote again. What miracles have you seen or heard this year
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Nicodemus comes at night, curious about who Jesus is. Jesus invites him to live in the light of truth. Many of us have dark moments in our lives. Can we leave the darkness behind and accept the light of Christ? These days of Lent guide us and prepare us to receive the Easter Light of Christ.
Saturday - Lent Week 3
Today, Jesys speaks about prayer. In our prayer we don't need to be concerned with how others pray. Prayer is a time when we can share with the Lord, unconcerned about how others pray.
Friday - Lent Week 3
As we abstain from meat today, someone needs your help and prayer. Who needs your kindness today? Who needs your prayer today?
Thursday - Lent Week 3
Division is destructive. Unity brings us together and reminds us what we share in common. Lent looks to disarm division and promote unity.
Wednesday - Lent Week 3
Commandments and law are part of our religious tradition. These are given to us to guide us and help live a life of virtue. Some are more difficult than others. Pray for openness and strength when obedience is difficult.
Tuesday - Lent Week 3
Jesus offers a parable today about the necessity of forgiveness. Can I understand forgiveness as a necessity in my life? Do I need to pray for the grace to forgive?
Monday - Lent Week 3
The gospel for today demonstrates clearly how Jesus was the object of people’s anger: “They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.” Anger can be destructive. Lent is a time to heal anger.
Third Sunday of Lent
The gospel today tells the story of Jesus cleansing the temple and driving out the money changers. Help to make our “temple” more complete this weekend as you bring your prayers and prayers for those you love to Mass on this Third Sunday of Lent
Saturday - Lent Week 2
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the elder son feels the call within to return to his father and the family home. Allow yourself to feel the call to worship that is in your heart and soul and be sure to get to Mass for the Third Sunday of Lent.
Friday - Lent Week 2
Violence stretches back to Old Testament biblical stories and Jesus speaks today a parable of violence. Jesus died from violence. Violence kills innocent people today. Amid the violence of our day, we know the Beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Who are the peacemakers in our lives. Do we accept the call to be a peacemaker?
Thursday - Lent Week 2
The story of Lazarus and the rich man reminds us of our gospel call to have a bias to help the poor. At the same time, Lazarus’ story also reminds us to know where we are poor in our lives. Not necessarily material poverty, but that poverty in our lives that only God can heal in his mercy.
Wednesday - Lent Week 2
There was competition and anger among the disciples as they vied for Jesus’ acceptance and approval. Even their parents became involved. Jesus shifts the conversation away from self-importance to service. Allow service to mark these Lenten days.
Tuesday - Lent Week 2
The Church today looks to God’s mercy. How can we extend mercy today? Not only the mercy of forgiveness, but the mercy of the Good Samaritan that uplifts others when they are weak or wounded.
Monday - Lent Week 2
Fasting and abstaining and acts of charity are basic elements of Lenten practice. Today’s words of Jesus in the gospel are “Stop judging… No judging today, okay. Fasting and abstaining from judgement can be understood as an act of charity because judgement can be so hurtful.
Second Sunday of Lent
Today we hear the Transfiguration. Make sure you get to Mass today to hear this mysterious story filled with symbols. Make sure you get to Mass today to be strengthened by the Eucharist for this coming week.
Saturday - Lent Week 1
Tomorrow is the Second Sunday of Lent. We hear the gospel story of Jesus’ Transfiguration, a very special event for him and some apostles. Jesus invites them to see and understand differently. Lent is a time to see and understand differently.
Friday - Lent Week 1
We’re coming to the end of the first week of Lent. How are you doing? Going well? Great! Going fair? Keep at it. Going poorly? Start this weekend.
Thursday - Lent Week 1
In today’s gospel, Jesus makes promises about prayer. “Ask and it will be given to you.” Sometimes our prayers are not answered as we would like. When that happens, we need the faith to keep praying because we believe Jesus is faithful to his promises.
Wednesday - Lent Week 1
Jonah is a Lenten figure. Jonah’s story tells us something of God. Scripture tells us God “repented of the evil He had threatened to do to them; He did not carry it out.” God repented??? What does that mean?
Tuesday - Lent Week 1
Take time to pray today. A short simple prayer during some quiet time may be just what you need to help you through the day. Your prayer will probably help somebody else as well. A double “bonus”!!
Monday - Lent Week 1
Acts of charity are a traditional part of Lent. Doing an act of kindness for someone today is a living expression of today’s Gospel Mt. 25. “When I was hungry, you gave me food, when I was thirsty, you gave me drink etc…”
First Sunday of Lent
We all experience temptation. Jesus did. He offers us a strategy and an example. Turn to the Lord in times of temptation.
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Tomorrow is the First Sunday of Lent. Make your plan to attend Sunday Mass. Ask others to join you. We hear in tomorrow’s gospel about the temptations of Jesus. Be strong against the temptation of skipping Sunday Mass.
Friday after Ash Wednesday
Many of us struggle with fasting and abstinence. Part of the purpose of these Lenten acts is to remind us of our need for the Lord.
Fasting and abstinence may create a feeling of missing something. Let the Lord into that empty space.
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Now that the ashes have been cleaned off, the Lenten journey becomes less public, more personal. Whatever we choose to do during Lent as an individual, we all share a common goal: to draw closer to the Lord as we allow the Lord to draw close to us.
Ash Wednesday
By our ashes we signal our Christian faith. With our ashes we join the mighty procession of the six week journey to Easter. Reminded by our ashes we know our need for repentance from sin.
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