Each season of the "Church year" is unique and special and asks us to focus on a different aspect of salvation history through the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lenten season is generally recognized as the most challenging of the seasons, because in part, we are called to get out of our normal routine for 40 days and let the Lord work in and through us as we journey with Jesus both in the desert (1st Sunday) on the mountain (2nd Sunday) and then in encounters with a sinful woman (3rd Sunday), a blind man (4th Sunday) and a dead man and his sorrow-filled sisters (5th Sunday).
With the coronavirus spreading in our country, more and more our "normal" lives are being altered, often without our consent, we are, this Lent being put in a position to truly put more of our focus on our faith in Jesus Christ, and grow in his image and likeness without, for a time anyway, the nourishment of the Holy Eucharist. It is important that we do not let the devil get his way with us and lead us into doing things in our altered routine of life that will do nothing but draw us away from the Lord and the comfort, love and peace that he can give to us anytime, but especially in trying times.
If you are already grounded in the practice of Eucharistic Adoration, continue to let that time with Jesus (which for many in our parish is for one hour) help you to, among other things to "mourn our sins and close by you (Jesus) to stay. (From the song, "Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days.") Come to the spiritually healing Sacrament of Reconciliation at the additional times that are offered (see bulletin or go to https://www.hsvsacredheart.com), and experience the mercy of God and forgiveness of our sins. If you can't get out to see people who are sick and lonely, take some time to call them, and if you are able, offer to do something for them, like going to get their groceries at the store. If you get EWTN, consider spending at least an hour watching one of their programs and/or participate in their recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the rosary and firstly, the Mass. Pray the Stations of the Cross at least once a week using one of the booklets we have at Church and return them when you are finished using them at Church. PRAY, PRAY and PRAY some more for our country's and Church's leaders and for those who have responsibilities in trying to get this pandemic under control and those who care for the sick.
Remember and meditate on the 23rd Psalm especially the words "Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are at my side........." It is difficult indeed when nobody knows when "this" (the coronavirus pandemic) will be a thing of the past and we can resume our "normal" lives. Taking advantage of the opportunities the Lord and the Church provides for us, hopefully will lead to changes that make our future "normal" lives filled with joy and peace in the Lord and more focused on the things that are eternal, which will be better than anything this changing world can ever offer!!
With the coronavirus spreading in our country, more and more our "normal" lives are being altered, often without our consent, we are, this Lent being put in a position to truly put more of our focus on our faith in Jesus Christ, and grow in his image and likeness without, for a time anyway, the nourishment of the Holy Eucharist. It is important that we do not let the devil get his way with us and lead us into doing things in our altered routine of life that will do nothing but draw us away from the Lord and the comfort, love and peace that he can give to us anytime, but especially in trying times.
If you are already grounded in the practice of Eucharistic Adoration, continue to let that time with Jesus (which for many in our parish is for one hour) help you to, among other things to "mourn our sins and close by you (Jesus) to stay. (From the song, "Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days.") Come to the spiritually healing Sacrament of Reconciliation at the additional times that are offered (see bulletin or go to https://www.hsvsacredheart.com), and experience the mercy of God and forgiveness of our sins. If you can't get out to see people who are sick and lonely, take some time to call them, and if you are able, offer to do something for them, like going to get their groceries at the store. If you get EWTN, consider spending at least an hour watching one of their programs and/or participate in their recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the rosary and firstly, the Mass. Pray the Stations of the Cross at least once a week using one of the booklets we have at Church and return them when you are finished using them at Church. PRAY, PRAY and PRAY some more for our country's and Church's leaders and for those who have responsibilities in trying to get this pandemic under control and those who care for the sick.
Remember and meditate on the 23rd Psalm especially the words "Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are at my side........." It is difficult indeed when nobody knows when "this" (the coronavirus pandemic) will be a thing of the past and we can resume our "normal" lives. Taking advantage of the opportunities the Lord and the Church provides for us, hopefully will lead to changes that make our future "normal" lives filled with joy and peace in the Lord and more focused on the things that are eternal, which will be better than anything this changing world can ever offer!!
A Happy and Blessed Easter and upcoming Easter Season to all of you! While this year some might have a hard time accepting these well wishes and hopes given the fact that our lives have been so impacted by the effects of the coronavirus either directly (through sickness and/or even the death of a loved one) or indirectly through our having to "stay in" and NOT come to church for the Triduum liturgies,including Easter Sunday, I hope we can put ourselves in a position to experience inner joy, peace and hope either alone or with family who are with us in person or over the phone. By Easter Sunday, hopefully we have participated in Mass online or on television and made a "Spiritual Communion" at the time we normally would receive the "Bread of Life and the Cup of Eternal Salvation" when physically at Mass. This, I hope will continue until we are able to be together in church for Mass, perhaps during the Easter Season, and appreciate the gift of the Mass "In Person" which we have sorely missed and have taken for granted week after week for almost all of our lives.
While it is probably a good practice by this point to take it one day at a time and not try to look ahead to when this pandemic is over and we can live our lives more freely than we have been, I can't help but reflect upon the Gospel for the Mass of the Ascension of the Lord (May 24) when we will hear the risen Lord, right before he ascends to his throne in heaven say to the apostles "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mth 28:20). I have been comforted, as I know the apostles accepted with faith that Jesus was both leaving them AND remaining with them. He now bi-locates for the benefit of all humanity, especially those who take these and all his words to heart. These times of struggling with "being alone" more or much more than usual for most of us can be a call for us, in faith to be comforted and strengthened by the reality that we are never completely alone as the Lord is ALWAYS with us to guide us, strengthen us, give us courage as we need it and remind us of the hope we have beyond the coronavirus and beyond any and all good and bad that this world presents to us.
I can't help but think of and echo the beautiful melody and words of our beautiful Easter songs, especially the ones found in the song "Alleluia Love is Alive" by Steve Angrisano who gave us a wonderful Easter Season gift last year in a three-night mission here at Sacred Heart Church. The refrain, says: "Alleluia, Love is alive; conquered the grave and defeated the night. Alleluia, Love is alive! The Son has arisen for all. Your people sing Alleluia." Let us ALWAYS rejoice that Love (Jesus, The Risen Lord) is alive for us and with us until the end of the ages!!!
While it is probably a good practice by this point to take it one day at a time and not try to look ahead to when this pandemic is over and we can live our lives more freely than we have been, I can't help but reflect upon the Gospel for the Mass of the Ascension of the Lord (May 24) when we will hear the risen Lord, right before he ascends to his throne in heaven say to the apostles "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mth 28:20). I have been comforted, as I know the apostles accepted with faith that Jesus was both leaving them AND remaining with them. He now bi-locates for the benefit of all humanity, especially those who take these and all his words to heart. These times of struggling with "being alone" more or much more than usual for most of us can be a call for us, in faith to be comforted and strengthened by the reality that we are never completely alone as the Lord is ALWAYS with us to guide us, strengthen us, give us courage as we need it and remind us of the hope we have beyond the coronavirus and beyond any and all good and bad that this world presents to us.
I can't help but think of and echo the beautiful melody and words of our beautiful Easter songs, especially the ones found in the song "Alleluia Love is Alive" by Steve Angrisano who gave us a wonderful Easter Season gift last year in a three-night mission here at Sacred Heart Church. The refrain, says: "Alleluia, Love is alive; conquered the grave and defeated the night. Alleluia, Love is alive! The Son has arisen for all. Your people sing Alleluia." Let us ALWAYS rejoice that Love (Jesus, The Risen Lord) is alive for us and with us until the end of the ages!!!
One of the realities of the current situation caused by the outbreak and spread of the Coronavirus is that some of the opportunities and freedoms we have always taken for granted are being suspended by both civic and religious leaders.
The Canticle of Zechariah (Lk 1:68-79), which is a daily staple in the Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, begins with the following: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people to set them free" (Lk 1:68). This statement speaks of the people of Israel being "freed" from slavery by the power of God. On Holy Thursday, at the Mass of the Lord's Supper, we hear (or this year at least hopefully read) of this Pass-over to freedom that is known as the Exodus. Christians, of course, believe that Jesus saving sacrifice on the cross and resurrection frees us from the restricting powers of sin and death that is recalled and celebrated during the Easter Triduum. Later on in the canticle it speaks of our being ".....free to worhip him without fear Holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life." Such a statement seems in part to be contradicted (at least for now) by the fact that we are not free to worship him together as a faith community out of fear (or maybe strong concern) that our gathering together might lead to more people contracting the Coronavirus and experience sickness and possible even death as a result of getting it.
In the face of all this, I think about the many refugees in the Middle East and in other parts of the world having most of their freedoms diminished or taken away because they were forced to leave their homes and homeland wondering if they will ever go back to what they knew and lived before they became refugees. While most Christian refugees will not be able to participate at all in the mysteries of the Triduum, they have to face daily, not having enough to eat or drink, no roof over their heads, and very poor conditions of sanitation and hygiene that we do not and will not face during the time of this pandemic nor after it is all over. Perhaps when we gripe about this "trying time" in our lives when opportunities and familiar routines are not available to us, we can think about and hopefully help those whose "trying time" is far worse than ours and most likely will continue long after the Coronavirus is only being written about in history books rather than making daily news for what it is doing to a growing number of people throughout the world. We need to have trust in the Lord more than ever NOW and hopefully echo with faith and hope the words of the 23rd Psalm, "Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil for You, Lord, are at my side with your rod and your staff that gives me courage!" -Verse 4
The Canticle of Zechariah (Lk 1:68-79), which is a daily staple in the Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, begins with the following: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people to set them free" (Lk 1:68). This statement speaks of the people of Israel being "freed" from slavery by the power of God. On Holy Thursday, at the Mass of the Lord's Supper, we hear (or this year at least hopefully read) of this Pass-over to freedom that is known as the Exodus. Christians, of course, believe that Jesus saving sacrifice on the cross and resurrection frees us from the restricting powers of sin and death that is recalled and celebrated during the Easter Triduum. Later on in the canticle it speaks of our being ".....free to worhip him without fear Holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life." Such a statement seems in part to be contradicted (at least for now) by the fact that we are not free to worship him together as a faith community out of fear (or maybe strong concern) that our gathering together might lead to more people contracting the Coronavirus and experience sickness and possible even death as a result of getting it.
In the face of all this, I think about the many refugees in the Middle East and in other parts of the world having most of their freedoms diminished or taken away because they were forced to leave their homes and homeland wondering if they will ever go back to what they knew and lived before they became refugees. While most Christian refugees will not be able to participate at all in the mysteries of the Triduum, they have to face daily, not having enough to eat or drink, no roof over their heads, and very poor conditions of sanitation and hygiene that we do not and will not face during the time of this pandemic nor after it is all over. Perhaps when we gripe about this "trying time" in our lives when opportunities and familiar routines are not available to us, we can think about and hopefully help those whose "trying time" is far worse than ours and most likely will continue long after the Coronavirus is only being written about in history books rather than making daily news for what it is doing to a growing number of people throughout the world. We need to have trust in the Lord more than ever NOW and hopefully echo with faith and hope the words of the 23rd Psalm, "Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil for You, Lord, are at my side with your rod and your staff that gives me courage!" -Verse 4