Sooner or later each of us experiences the loss of a loved one. Usually, the closer we are to that person the greater is our grief. Grief is difficult. It touches us profoundly. The only response that satisfies comes from Jesus and it is always personal.

Today, we are at the mid-point of Lent. In our liturgical tradition this Sunday is called Laetare Sunday, coming from the first Latin word of the ancient Gregorian chant entrance song or Introit, which is in both forms of the Roman Rite. “Laetare” means “rejoice.”

Commemorating the 17 year anniversary of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross and the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary joining together in Salutations and Veneration of the relic of the Holy Cross of our Lord.

The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in the Gospel of St. John is one that is touching and yet profound. In our journey of faith much is revealed to us: Jesus is the living water, Jesus forgives our sins, Jesus heals us from the wounds of sin, Jesus quenches the thirst of souls, Jesus gives us the hope of life eternal, He fulfills our deepest longings and desires, God loves us and brings us salvation.

Sometimes it is said that the devil is present in thoughts of discouragement. I suppose that is said because if we become discouraged, then we can be tempted to give up the faith and thus lose hope.

During these first days of Lent, we have had a chance to put into effect our spiritual battle plan. The gospels since Ash Wednesday have reminded us of the need to pray, to do penance, and to love our neighbor, which reveal to us the loving face of our heavenly Father.

On Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, this coming week, the Catholic Church throughout the world will begin the solemn season of prayer, fasting, penance, and almsgiving known as Lent.

Though we cannot live in the past, and though we cannot reject changes for the better, we do reject the replacement of God’s Laws in matters of faith and morals with that of mere humans.

Jesus inspires and challenges us. After He has comforted us, He doesn’t hesitate to make clear the demands of the Christian life. As Christians we are called to put our faith into action. We must live what we profess. Again, the Lord addresses us in a charming way to win us over.

This time before Lent is a time to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of the Lord. Each must examine his or her own heart in the light of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church. Perhaps you noticed how the liturgy today moves us away from our limited view into the generous unlimited view of the Lord. Jesus works to lift us from the merely human to the divinely human. That is why we love Him and follow.

It is often said these days that we live in a divided nation. Even sometimes these divisions are expressed in negative, hateful, even tragic ways. Regardless of where we stand, those of various points of view need to respect civil discourse. The late Archbishop Niederauer often said that it is one thing to disagree but another to be disagreeable.

In the tradition of the Church there are actually three epiphanies (a triptych as it were): the coming of the three Kings, the Baptism of the Lord, and finally the Lord’s first miracle at Cana in Galilee. The word “epiphany” means to “make manifest.” Liturgically, the celebration of the Lord’s Nativity soon gives way to the celebration of the Lord’s public ministry at the age of thirty. Remember, Jesus spent thirty years obeying, three years teaching, and three hours redeeming (Fulton Sheen).

This feast was for centuries fixed on January 6th. Whereas in the 1970 reformed calendar the bishops’ conferences were given the option of moving this feast to the Sunday after the Feast of the Holy Family or the Sunday after the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, as it is this year.

These prayers are adapted for home use with the head of the family (V.) leading the prayers and other family members (R.) giving the responses. The family may gather together in the principal room of the house.

To you and all your loved ones, I extend my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. If you are visiting us during this holy season, I offer you a cordial welcome and hope that you will return soon. For those who are looking for a church home I assure you that our doors and hearts are always open.

As Christmas approaches, we realize more and more that LOVE is key. God so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son. Such love is only possible by the grace of God.

In Advent, this Sunday has been traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” comes from the Latin verb, which means, “to rejoice.” We are reminded that it is Jesus who alone brings lasting joy.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – December 8, 2022 From its earliest days, our bishops have placed our nation in the loving embrace of Immaculate Mary, Mother of God. During these difficult times, let us renew our consecration to Jesus through Mary. The Immaculate Conception is always a holyday of obligation.

On the first Sunday of Advent the Church begins a new Church year. The Advent season is clearly derived from the Latin word advenire, which is a dynamic, active coming

In the reform of the Church calendar in 1970 the Feast of Christ the King was moved from the last Sunday of October to the last Sunday of the Church year, right before the first Sunday of Advent. This feast has a rather recent history.