Pastor's Reflection
The Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 19, 2023
Dear Friends,
Today, the fourth Sunday of Lent, is known as Laetare Sunday. Laetare is Latin for rejoice and is the first word of the Entrance Antiphon for this Sunday. The vestment color changes to Rose today as this is a Sunday of joy amid the penitential practices of Lent. It is an anticipation of Easter which is drawing nearer.
March 19 is the solemn feast of Saint Joseph, which is liturgically moved this year to Monday, March 20. Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin and foster father of Jesus, declared Patron of the Universal Church and Guardian of the Redeemer is also the patron of workers and carpenters. We invoke his powerful intercession for ourselves, our families, our country, and world. Saint Joseph, pray for us!
The Third Sunday of Lent, March 12, 2023
Dear Friends,
A word of prayerful congratulations to our young disciples who received the Sacrament of Penance for the first time this weekend. May they and their families return over and again to be embraced in the forgiving and healing arms of our God.
We are reaching the halfway mark of Lent. How quickly time flies by. This third Sunday of Lent is an opportunity for us to reflect on where we are on our Lenten pilgrimage. Perhaps we have been moving along rather well with a sense of true penance and prayer, growing more deeply in love with our Lord through these experiences. Or perhaps, we are struggling to get ourselves organized and/or committed to some forms of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving at this time.
Either way, as Saint Paul reminds us in his second letter to the Corinthians, “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Take heart, persevering on the journey or taking first steps “now is a very acceptable time.” And so, with grateful hearts, let us move forward.
The Second Sunday of Lent, March 5, 2023
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Second Sunday of Lent! This weekend’s Gospel from Saint Matthew is the Transfiguration of our Lord. Jesus intentionally shares this wonderful and profound revelation of Himself to Peter, James, and John, and to each one of us. Jesus, Who is truly God and truly Man.
