Praised be Jesus Christ! “It is yearning that makes the heart deep” - St. Augustine made this claim many centuries ago and it doesn’t take much proof to convince people that it is still valid. As a personal anecdote, I used to give up beer for Lent and I can remember that the first cold one I cracked on Easter was the finest I’d ever tasted. In layman’s parlance, we say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and with Lent bearing down on us, we’re invited to respond to Jesus’ call to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” This weekend you’ll have a chance to check out the many opportunities for spiritual growth that will be available in the parish. A fantastic book about Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta is available and will be a rich source of inspiration. Mother Teresa lived what she called “the Gospel of five fingers” – i.e. “you did it for me.” Reading about her love for God and His people will undoubtedly inspire us to more consistently live the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. You’ll also want to pick up our Lenten flyer that gives the details of the spiritual sources of grace at your disposal. Included in the flyer are all the confession times in the area, as well as this year’s Lenten adult education opportunity, a three-session class we’ve titled “Forming Disciples.” The times are listed and all are welcome to attend what will be a short video presentation and small group discussion to help us live out our faith. A first for our two parishes will be 40 Hours Devotion. This ancient tradition is based on the approximate amount of time Jesus spent in the tomb before rising from the dead. 40 Hours is continuous Eucharistic Adoration with other programming throughout that will be a perfect preparation for Holy Week. St. John’s will host the event and we’ll need people from both parishes to sign up for an hour with Jesus as we open our heart to His love and mercy. During the 40 Hours there will be a schedule for morning prayer, daytime prayer, evening prayer, night prayer, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a communal Penance Service, a couple of devotional talks, and lots of opportunity for silent Adoration. Another event to highlight is the 2nd annual “24 Hours for the Lord.” Hosted at Sacred Heart on March 17th and 18th, priests from our deanery will be available around the clock for a chance to make our peace with God in the sacrament of Confession. Last year I had the 3:00-7:00 a.m. slot and when I arrived to relieve Father Berns of his graveyard shift, he muttered something about clanging pipes and cramped space. I giggled nearly all morning as I imagined how Father Berns was probably just on the verge of deep sleep on multiple occasions only to be rousted from bliss by the incessantly clanging pipes as they labored to keep the church warm. I wonder if Father Berns needed to go to confession after enduring such a trying night! That notwithstanding, we’ll be back in the confessional waiting for you and your loved ones. I remember how hard it was to resist God’s mercy when the light of the confessional was on, meaning that Father was patiently waiting for me. Let’s give the last word of this column to the old Motel Six commercials: “we’ll leave the light on for you.” May God show us how to get the most out of Lent this year by giving Him access to every part of our soul!
Your friend in Christ,
Father Martin
Your friend in Christ,
Father Martin
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