Fourth Sunday of Lent

Here are the readings for the 4th Sunday in Lent, April 3, 2011:

1 Samuel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a
Psalm 23: 1-6
Ephesians 5: 8-14
John 9: 1-41

The light of faith drives the darkness of sin away. We are enlightened by Christ, the Anointed One sent by God; the illuminating grace that he offers is gift. We cannot achieve this illumination, this seeing, on our own. Yet a choice presents itself to us. We could remain in stubborn blindness, willfully rejecting the gift being offered, or we can accept the shining truth that transforms us into witnesses to the faith.
      -Celebrating the Rites (Foundations in Faith)

• With whom are you most honestly yourself? Why?
• How often is your prayer with God a lively and honest conversation? How might that happen more often, if necessary?
• Where do you need God's illumination in your life?

This Sunday at the 9:30am Mass, we will celebrate the Second Scrutiny with our Elect. We will also have a pre-baptismal anointing of the Elect.

March Madness and Marriage

Here's a link to a brief and interesting article on the similarities between strong basketball teams and strong relationships. Enjoy!

Third Sunday of Lent

Here are the readings for the 3rd Sunday in Lent, March 27, 2011:

Exodus 17: 3-7
Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-9
Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8
John 4: 5-42

Whoever drinks the water God gives, discovers a spring inside, welling up for eternal life. We are watered in Christ so that whatever is weak may be strengthened, whatever is broken restored, whatever is lost found, and what is found redeemed.
      -Celebrating the Rites (Foundations in Faith)

•  How have you experienced being an outcast, and for what reason? Who have you made an outcast, and why?
• What in your life feels parched, dry and stale?
• What do you thirst for? (justice, understanding, equality, holiness, peace, dignity, forgiveness, hope?)

This Sunday at the 5:30pm Mass, we will celebrate the First Scrutiny with our Elect. We will also present the Creed to our Elect; the great gift of our core beliefs which bind us as a people of Christ.

31 Years Ago Today

Just after completing his homily at mass, Archbishop Romero of El Salvador was shot in the heart. Do you know his story? If not, or if you could use a refresher, let me direct you to last year's post on the 30th anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero, Servant of God.

 

Oscar Romero, pray for us!
 

Second Sunday of Lent

Here are the readings for the 2nd Sunday in Lent, March 20, 2011:
Genesis 12: 1-4a
Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22
2 Timothy 1: 8b-10
Matthew 17: 1-9

In the story of the transfiguration, Jesus is shown with Moses, who represents Jewish law, and Elijah, who represents the prophets- demonstrating that Jesus is both in line with and the fulfillment of Jewish tradition. We could imagine that such a vision might be a gift to strengthen both Jesus and his followers as the inevitability of his suffering and death and becoming more apparent.

• In the light of Jesus' Transfiguration, what does being baptized in Christ mean for you?

The Candidates for Full Communion will celebrate the Penitential Rite during the 11:30AM Mass this Sunday, after which the Elect, Candidates, Sponsors and Team Members will leave for an afternoon retreat.

First Sunday of Lent

Here are the readings for the 1st Sunday in Lent, March 13, 2011:
Genesis 2: 7-9, 3:1-7
Psalm 51: 3-6, 12-13, 17
Romans 5: 12-19
Matthew 4: 1-11

As we begin the season of Lent preparing for the new life of Easter, we enter with Jesus into the desert, to confront our own temptations. What was his mission about? Would it be based on- focused on- power, wealth or fame?

At baptism and confirmation, you are anointed for Christian mission. This Lent, go into your own desert and decide what temptations make it hard to clarify or carry out your own God-given vocation.

There is no RCIA Session this Sunday.
The Rite of Sending and Call to Continuing Conversion will be celebrated at the 5:30pm Mass on Saturday evening. The Rite of Election will be at 3pm at St. Andrew's on Sunday afternoon.

Please remember to set your clocks AHEAD one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!

Ash Wednesday

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart 

(Joel 2:12)

We begin the season of Lent with a call to conversion.

Our song echoes our hopes and desires for this new life in Jesus Christ:

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
(Psalm 51:12)

And we are marked with a cross of ashes, a double sign of our mortality,
with confident desire and expectation to share in the eternal life
promised by our God who can bring life
from the dust of the earth and from the depths of the grave.


While Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, you are invited and encouraged to participate in Mass or a Liturgy of the Word service today.
The schedule at St. Andrew the Apostle is:
Mass: 6:30 and 9:00 AM, 5:30 and 7:30 PM
Liturgy of the Word with Distribution of Ashes: 12 Noon

Ash Wednesday is a Day of Fast and Abstinence: All Catholics are to refrain from eating meat (that includes chicken, but fish is okay) and (for those under 60 years) eat only one full meal, with no eating between meals. You may have two smaller meals that together equal one.

Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time, March 6, 2011:
Deuteronomy 11: 18, 26-28, 32
Psalm 31: 2-4, 17, 25
Romans 3: 21-25, 28
Matthew 7:21-27

• How can you and do you respond to God's gift of grace?
• What choices do you encounter that require a strong foundation of faith?

The topic for this Sunday's Catechumenate Session is Justification .