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Parish Bulletin

3/28/2024 0 Comments

Easter Sunday  March 31, 2024

 
        
       Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile Parish, Waterhen Lake and
St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours: Closed Monday
Tuesday - Friday 1-3:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Psalm 118 Refrain
 
Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.
Pastor: 
Fr. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 
Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Apr. 1 – No mass
 
Tues., Apr. 2 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Peter & Bernice Martell

Wed., Apr. 3 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Edwin Martell & +Arthur Martell

Thurs., Apr. 4 – 8:30 – 9:30 am Adoration before mass
 
Thurs., Apr. 4 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Theresa & William Hetherington

Fri., Apr. 5 – No mass
 
Sat. Apr. 6 – 5:00 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Apr. 7 – 10:00 am – (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
  1. No mass this Friday, Apr. 5. Fr. Uche will be attending meetings in Prince Albert.
  2. No First Saturday BVM Mass on April 6. Fr. Uche will be attending meetings in Prince Albert.
  3. No Service at the Lodge this Tuesday, April 2. Fr. Uche will be away.

Sunday Collection – Mar. 24:  Meadow Lake $1743.05   Green Lake $33.50   Children’s Collection $15.00
                                               
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for April – for the role of women – We pray that the dignity and immense value of women be recognized in every culture, and for the end of discrimination that they experience in different parts of the world.
 
Easter Season – The seven weeks from Easter to Pentecost are celebrated as one great Feast day. St. Athanasius called them “the great Sunday.” Christians sing the “Alleluia” during these days on their rejoicing.
(GNLY, no. 22)       Taken from Ordo  page 99
 
 Scripture Insights – Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2024:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2023, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 156.
 
 Jesus has been raised from the dead. Alleluia! Alleluia!
             John is the only evangelist to report Mary Magdalene as the sole visitor to the tomb of Jesus, “early in the morning,” “on the first day of the week.” John’s simplification of Mary’s visit – she neither encounters an angel nor is she invited to peer into the empty tomb – downplays Mary as a primary witness to the Lord’s resurrection. Instead, John places the emphasis on Peter “and the other disciple,” who come to see and believe because of what they see at the empty tomb.
            There is great urgency in the way Peter and his companion run to the tomb. The unnamed disciple runs faster than Peter and is the first to see the burial cloths. Nevertheless, he refrains from entering the tomb. This honor belongs to Simon Peter alone. He is to be seen as the first of the apostles who witness to the resurrection of the Lord. Peter enters by himself and sees the burial cloths. Only after this does the other disciple enter. John reports that “he saw and believed.” It has long been understood that John intended this unnamed disciple to symbolize the believing Christian in general. Therefore, while Peter is the first to “see,” it is every faithful and loving Christian who is called to “believe.” Because this mysterious disciple is the “beloved disciple,” the one who stood by the cross of Christ.
            Although the beloved disciple believes, John makes it clear that such is not the universal experience of all of Jesus’ followers. Mary Magdalene stands outside the tomb and weeps. However, her agony provides John the opportunity to include an angelic intervention like those found in the synoptic accounts. Interestingly enough, Mary has no reaction to seeing two angels clad in white sitting in the tomb, asking why she is weeping. In fact, she seems quite calm as she explains: “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” In response to this statement, another takes over questioning Mary, who presumes he is the gardener. “Whom are you looking for?” for John, this is the primary evangelical invitation. Mary fails to hear this invitation coming from the lips of the resurrected Lord. Instead, it takes the mention of her name to make her turn to face Jesus and to recognize him at last. With this first sighting of the resurrected Lord, Mary is sent with the mission to tell her good news to the other disciples: “I have seen the Lord.” Mary becomes the first to truly “see and believe.”
                    
Whether it energizes you or frustrates you, or likely some combination of the two, you will see people in your congregation today whom you have not seen before. You will see some that you haven’t seen for quite a while – Christmas, perhaps. Maybe Ash Wednesday. And you will see some people whom you know to expect just these couple times a year. What kind of message, what kind of church are you welcoming them back to? Lean into the Alleluia, the joy of this celebratory day; for what once was lost is now found! Take special care with your words, so that not even a hint of judgement or suspicion be found. Today is about joyful hospitality, new life, reunion, and resurrection.
·         The first person to greet the risen Christ was a woman. Not a priest, not one of the twelve, not the one who will be the rock of the Church. A woman. For a while, the entire Church consisted of just one woman, as Mary Magdalene sprinted from the tomb to spread the Good News. How are women carrying the Good News in your community today? So we offer respect, platforms, opportunities for that woman-borne message to be born?
·         What prevented their eyes from seeing Jesus? Was it the sun? The tears, shed for their dashed hopes and murdered friend? Only after he recounted their history, broke, blessed, and shared bread with them, were they able to recognize him. And by then, he was gone. Where do we miss Christ along our journey? How might we practice better habits to recognize Christ in each other in the moment, in our surprise, and while we are carrying our own grief and questions?
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3/22/2024 0 Comments

Palm Sunday  March 24, 2024

 
        
       Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile Parish, Waterhen Lake and
St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours
: Closed Monday
Tuesday - Friday 1-3:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email
: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22 Refrain
 
Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.
Pastor: 
Fr. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 
Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Mar.25 – No mass
 
Tues., Mar. 26 – 10:00 am  Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Mar. 26 – 9:00 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Fred & Victoria Martell

Wed., Mar. 27 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Marcel & Doris Martell

Thurs., Mar. 28 – 5:00 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake)
Thurs., Mar. 28 – 7:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Holy Thursday

Fri., Mar. 29 – 2:00 pm Stations of the Cross (Our Lady of Peace Church)
Fri., Mar. 29 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Good Friday
Fri., Mar. 29 – 5:00 pm (St Jude’s Green Lake)

Sat. Mar. 30 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of the Smile Waterhen)
Sat., Mar. 30 – 8:00 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Easter Vigil (People of God)

Sun., Mar. 31 – 10:00 am – (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Easter Sunday (People of God)

Sun., Mar. 31 – 12:30 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake) - Easter Sunday (People of God)

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
  1. Chrism Mass in Prince Albert Cathedral at 6:30 pm Tuesday, March 26.
  2. Outdoor Way of the Cross Friday, March 29 at 2:00 pm at Our Lady of Peace. (Weather permitting)

Sunday Collection – Mar. 17:  Meadow Lake $1743.05   Green Lake $33.50   Children’s Collection $15.00
                                               
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for March – for the new martyrs – We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.
 
40 Cans for Lent – The Meadow Lake Knights of Columbus are sponsoring 40 Cans for Lent for food to be donated to the Door of Hope.  We are asking families to bring nonperishable food each week of Lent.
 
 Pictorial Directories – The pictorial directories have arrived! If you had your picture taken for the directory please pick up your free copy at the back of the church or at the office during office hours.
 
Holy Week – Holy Week is the week which precedes the great Feast of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday: it includes the last days of Lent and the beginning of the Easter Triduum. During Holy Week, the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his life on earth, beginning with his messianic entrance into Jerusalem.
 
Scripture Insights – Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2024:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2023, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 136.
 
 Today begins the first day of the Holy Week. Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where he is proclaimed king.
            The first reading, from Isaiah, is one of four poems that are called “the Servant songs.” Another of these poems will be heard on Good Friday. While these texts are believed to have originated during the exile, the Church sees these words as speaking to the identity of Jesus, the one who has given himself for the life of others.
            The psalm refrain, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me,” will be heard in today’s Gospel reading from Mark. Since this line also appears in the Gospel of Matthew, Psalm 22 is perhaps one of the best known of the lament psalms.
            Today’s text from Philippians is often referred to as the “Christ hymn.” Paul uses this poem of uncertain origin to speak of the humiliation and the exaltation of Jesus. Similarities between this text and the reading from Isaiah are self-evident.
            Since Mark’s passion account is lengthy, involving multiple scenarios, it can be difficult to follow the details of the Gospel. The text opens with the religious authorities plotting to arrest Jesus and put him to death and is followed by a meal in Bethany, where Jesus was anointed, the preparation for the Passover meal and the meal itself, Jesus’ foretelling of Peter’s denial, Jesus’ prayer in the garden, Judas’ denial, Jesus’ arrest and trial, and finally his death and burial.
                    
·         Hosanna! From the youngest to the oldest in our communities, processing and waving our palms high in the air is one of the most memorable moments of our liturgical year. Remember: this procession happens not only here, today, but is an extension of that first procession, the triumphant entry into Jerusalem toward the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are part of that journey that has continued over two thousand years and will continue long after our time. Take note of those faces and stories that make our community today, and weave their story into today’s jubilant gathering and solemn sending forth.
·         There are ways that Scripture makes it sound like we are encouraging an acceptance of physical abuse. Glorifying it, even. Remember: there are people in your assembly who regularly experience abuse. Perhaps some of these people hear Scripture like this and think that it is God’s will for them. But how powerful would it be for a victim of domestic violence to hear that escaping their abuser is not only possible, but the right thing to do? Handle with care those who need a message of strength to leave, as well as those who need a message of strength to endure.
·         One of the heartbreaking aspects of Jesus’ last hours on earth is the complete abandonment by his friends. They fall asleep in the garden when asked to pray. Peter denies knowing Jesus. Judas – the ultimate betrayal. And still, Jesus dines with them. Forgives them, loves them. Peter becomes the rock on which Christ builds the Church. Each of us imperfect beings is still invited into something greater than our worst parts. While we may each be discerning our role in God’s world in the days to come, let us also remember to hold one another accountable for the times when we know better, and do better.

 
 
0 Comments

3/15/2024 0 Comments

Fifth Sunday of Lent  March 17, 2024

 
        
       Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile Parish, Waterhen Lake and
St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours: Closed Monday
Tuesday - Friday 1-3:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Psalm 51 Refrain
 
 Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.
Pastor: 
Fr. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 
Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Mar.18 – No mass
 
Tues., Mar. 19 – 10:00 am  Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Mar. 19 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Doreen Sinclair by Wilfred & Glen Sinclair & Virginia Delaire

Wed., Mar. 20 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Thurs., Mar. 21 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous
Thurs., Mar. 21 – 6:30 pm  Penitential Service/Reconciliation

Fri., Mar. 22 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Souls in Purgatory
Fri., Mar. 22 – 5:00 – 6:30pm Opportunity for Confession

Sat. Mar. 22 – 4:00 – 5:00 Opportunity for Confession – Green Lake
Sat., Mar. 23 – 5:00 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Mar. 24 – 10:00 am – (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) Palm Sunday - People of God

Sun., Mar. 24 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of the Smile Waterhen) Palm Sunday - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
  1. Adult Faith Study Tuesday, March 19 at 1:00 pm in the Church.
  2. Penitential Service with additional priests Thursday March 21 at 6:30 pm.

Sunday Collection – Mar. 10:  Meadow Lake $4845.30   Green Lake $256.90    Children’s Collection $7.20
                                               
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for March – for the new martyrs – We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.
 
40 Cans for Lent – The Meadow Lake Knights of Columbus are sponsoring 40 Cans for Lent for food to be donated to the Door of Hope.  We are asking families to bring nonperishable food each week of Lent.

Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace Lent 2024
– Through their prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent, Christians express their desire to turn toward God and to all God’s children in preparation for Easter. The Bishops of Canada have reserved the Season of Lent for a collection to assist the Global South. Normally this collection is held on the Fifth Sunday of Lent. On the day of the collection, an appropriate intercession may be added to the Prayer of the Faithful. The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace financially supports development and aid projects in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as informs Canadian Catholics on international social justice questions.
            “So many people even today hope to have enough to eat. The planet has food for all, but the will to share with everyone seems to be lacking. To prepare the table for all, and to ask that there be one table for all. Doing whatever we can so that everyone has food, but also reminding the world’s powerful that God will call them to be judged one day, and it will be demonstrated whether they have truly tried to provide food for Him in each person (cf Mt 25:35) and whether they have acted in order that the environment would not be destroyed but would be able to produce this food.”
  • Pope Francis, Homily during the Mass at the opening of the 2015 General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis
 
Pictorial Directories – The pictorial directories have arrived! If you had your picture taken for the directory please pick up your free copy at the back of the church or at the office during office hours.
 
The Way of the Cross – Please join us on Friday evenings for the Way of the Cross. We will gather at 6:30 pm in the Church to pray with Jesus as he makes his way to Calvary.
 
Easter Reconciliation – There will be opportunity for confession on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 (Penitential Service) with additional priests available. Fr. Uche will also be available March 22 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. He is also available to anyone by appointment.
 
Scripture Insights – Fifth Sunday of Lent
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2024:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2023, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 128.
 
 Today’s passage from Jeremiah tells of a covenant unlike what Israel has known. Whereas the Sinai covenant identified multiple stipulations that Israel was required to uphold, in this covenant Israel is passive. God would place this new covenant within the heart of the people. Israel would receive this covenant freely. While similar images exist in a variety of texts in the Old Testament ( for example, EZ 11:19 – 20; 36:26; and Is 42:9), nowhere else do we hear od a new covenant until we turn to the New Testament.
            Psalm 51, often associated with King David, though not necessarily composed by him, is one of the better known psalms of the psalter and certainly one of the best known of the seven penitential psalms. The refrain “Create a clean heart in me, O God,” is a plea for newness. The heart, in Hebrew anthropology, was the most vital of all organs. It also was understood to be that place where discernment took place and where decisions were made.
            As the liturgical year draws closer to the celebration of the Triduum, the New Testament readings bring our attention to the death of Jesus. In the Letter to the Hebrews, Jesus’ humanity is detailed. He was a being who prayed, cried, learned, and suffered. In the Gospel, Jesus states, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified,” indicating that the time of his suffering, death, and resurrection is at hand.
                    
·         First, there were the laws as they were written on the tablets. Now, God desires even more intimacy: God’s laws will be written on our heart, in the depth of our being. Consider the things we are doing, individually and as a community, to both shape our consciences and to discern and live out God’s deepest desires for us. How might we lean into this invitation?
·         Jesus was in the flesh – incarnate. This messiah who came to live with us, as one of the most vulnerable among us, now cries and suffers with us. Christ, in his most fully human expressions, teaches us both the sacred source of our emotions and the capacity we retain for reverence, prayer, faithfulness. It is in the midst of this tension that we find relationship with God and God’s people: not in a straightforward, comfortable, or easy way of living. What tempts us toward a life of less suffering?
·         No matter how we choose to live out our lives, the fact remains that life on earth is brief. We will all die someday, and when we do, what comes next? Have we lived our lives via a path of least resistance? What are the ways that we have shown (or hope to show) how our dying to self may give life for others, like Christ? How can we use the time we have on earth with responsibility and integrity?
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3/8/2024 0 Comments

Fourth Sunday of Lent  March 10, 2024

 
        
       Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile Parish, Waterhen Lake and
St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

​
Office Hours: Closed Monday
Tuesday - Friday 1-4:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271
Parish Email: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
  
  Let my tongue cling to my mouth if I do not remember you!
Psalm 137 Refrain
 
 
March 10, 2024
 
4th Sunday of Lent
 
Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.
Pastor: 
Fr. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 


Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Mar.11 – No mass
 

Tues., Mar. 12 – 10:00 am  Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 

Tues., Mar. 12 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)
Anonymous

Wed., Mar. 13 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)
Anonymous

Thurs., Mar. 14 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)
Thurs., Mar. 14 – 6:00 pm Adoration/Holy Hour Retreat Day 1
Anonymous

Fri., Mar. 15 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)
Fri., Mar 15 - 10:00 – 11:00 am Adoration/Holy Hour Retreat Day 2
Fri., Mar 15 – 6:30 – Stations of the Cross
Anonymous

Sat., Mar. 16 – 5:00 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake)
People of God

Sun., Mar. 17 – 10:00 am – (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)
People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
  1. Adult Faith Study Tuesday, March 12 at 1:00 pm in the Church.
  2. Wednesday, March 13 mass is changed to morning at 9:30 am as Fr. Uche is going to Goodsoil in the evening for Reconciliation service there.
  3. Lent/Easter Retreat this Thursday and Friday evening – Thursday starts at 6:00 pm and Friday starts at 6:30 pm. Regular morning masses on both days are also part of the retreat.

Sunday Collection – Mar. 3:  Meadow Lake $1065.00   Green Lake $320.80    Children’s Collection $7.00
                                               
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for March – for the new martyrs – We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.
 
40 Cans for Lent – The Meadow Lake Knights of Columbus are sponsoring 40 Cans for Lent for food to be donated to the Door of Hope.  The Knights of Columbus are asking the members of the parish to once again support this project. Each day of Lent, one can will be placed in the cross. We are asking families to bring nonperishable food each week of Lent. Thank you.
 
Pictorial Directories – The pictorial directories have arrived! If you had your picture taken for the directory please pick up your free copy at the back of the church or at the office during office hours.
 
The Way of the Cross – Please join us on Friday evenings for the Way of the Cross. We will gather at 6:30 pm in the Church to pray with Jesus as he makes his way to Calvary.
 
Lent/Easter Retreat – The dates are Thursday and Friday,  March 14 and 15. Morning masses both days are also part of the retreat. Then Thursday evening will start with Adoration/Holy Hour starting at 6:00 pm followed by Scriptural Rosary and Retreat Reflection and ending with sharing of experiences and Final Blessing at 8:30 pm. Friday evening will begin with Stations of the Cross at 6:30 pm followed by Retreat Reflection and sharing of experiences and Final Blessing at 8:30 pm.
 
Easter Reconciliation – There will be opportunity for confession on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 (Penitential Service) with additional priests available. Fr. Uche will also be available March 22 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. He is also available to anyone by appointment.
 
Scripture Insights – Fourth Sunday of Lent
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2024:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2023, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 122.
 
 Three things are presented in the first reading. The conclusion of the Second Book of Chronicles contains a condensed account of the fall of Jerusalem, Israel’s exile in Babylon, and the possibility of Israel’s return to Judah. The Persian defeat of the Babylonians under King Cyrus brought an end to the exile and ushered in the period often referred to as “the restoration.”
            Psalm 137 provides insight into the exilic experience that was glossed over in the first reading. As the psalmist tells us, the Judeans were taunted by the Babylonians, who asked the exiles to sing songs from their homeland. Ther exiles refused to sing for their captors and instead held fast to their fond memories of Jerusalem as expressed in today’s refrain: “Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!” This psalm is a lament, a song of longing for the world that the exiles had known prior to their defeat by the Babylonians.
            Today’s New Testament readings broaden our understanding of what it means to believe in Jesus, the Christ. Ephesians reminds us that God’s mercy and grace are freely given to all who believe in Jesus and that our faith is a gift of God. While we know from the very first chapter of Genesis that we are made in the image and likeness of God, in Ephesians we hear that, in addition to being God’s “handiwork”, we are created “in Christ Jesus” for good works. Meanwhile, the Gospel reminds us that the life we have in Jesus is eternal. If eternal life is desired, we must choose to walk in the light of God.
                    
·         We often understand Scripture that expounds upon the “temple” to also mean for us an invitation to think of our body as a temple, a holy place. What are the things that pollute the sacred spaces and our bodies? How do we contribute to our own destruction?
·         Both the first and second readings remind us that even as we are sinful, even though we make mistakes and fall short, God loves us. Even as the world burns down around us, sometimes by our own doing, God still lifts us on high and sees us as being more than we are just on our worst days. How can we help each other know this fundamental truth: that we are fundamentally good, are fully capable of doing better, and are ultimately found worthy of God’s love?
·         Today’s Gospel includes one of the most commonly known verses in all of Scripture: John 3:16. We hear it so often, sometimes  we take for granted the depth of its sentiment: that we, in all of our human mess, have been loved so deeply that God was willing to become human with us, suffer with us, die for us, and ultimately show us how to live with the divine integrity we were created with. Are we showing recognition and gratitude for this truth? Are we behaving in ways that reflect this level of gift?

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