On Ash Wednesday, many of us heard St. Paul urge the people of the Christian community in Corinth to "Be reconciled with God" (2 Cor 5:21).

The call to reconciliation not only applies to our relationship with God, but also with the community of faith, with those whom we have hurt, or have hurt us, and with ourselves.  It takes effort (along with God's grace) for us to seek harmony where it has been lost due to our sins or the sinfulness of others toward us.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one important step in the process of reconciliation.  Through it, we are reconciled with God and the community of believers and hopefully, ourselves.  It is complete when we restore harmony in particular relationships; hopefully before and perhaps after, we have received the grace of the Sacrament.

For the rest of Lent, I will continue to offer the Sacrament starting 45 minutes before each Mass-including the Wednesday 5:00 p.m. Mass, as well as thirty minutes before the Friday Stations of the Cross.  In addition, we will have our Lenten Reconciliation Service on Thursday, April 3, at 6:00 p.m. with other priests from this area offering themselves for individual reception of the Sacrament.  Please look elsewhere in the future for the dates and times when the other churches in the area will have their Lenten Reconciliation Service.  Come experience the joy of reconciliation and the peace and strength from the Lord that it brings.

I hope you have cleared your calendar and plan to join us for all three nights (or at least some) of our mission by lay evangelist Michael Cumbie next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings (March 23-25) at 6:00 p.m. each evening in church.  After listening to him at a statewide Catholic Conference a few years ago, I was eager to present him to the parish and did so through his video series as presented a few years ago during Lent.  Now I am happy to say that he will be here in person to help us grow in our Catholic faith and hear how God's grace has led him to "Come Home" to the Catholic faith.  If you want to know more about Michael and his evangelical efforts through the Micah Project, log on to www.mikecumbie.org.

Please remember to keep up with the reflections and stories found in our Operation Rice bowl calendar and in the bulletin throughout the Lenten season and grow in solidarity and concern for God's poor.  Your monetary donations that you collect in your rice bowls throughout Lent should be returned to us at the end of Lent (hopefully on Holy Thursday before the start of Mass that evening).

When you think of the Stations of the Cross, what church season of the year immediately comes to mind?  Hopefully, we all answer, the season of Lent.

My experience of the Lenten season growing up down the road in Hot Springs always included going to and serving the Stations of the Cross EVERY Friday of Lent.  My pastor used the "Malvern Missal" version of the stations each week. After more than a few years of hearing this version over and over again, I started to remember what was said about Jesus' painful journey to Calvary before they were spoken out loud during the public recitation and at other times throughout the year.  This served to strengthen my appreciation for what Jesus did for me and for all of humanity through His passion, death and resurrection.

I ask you to consider making it a prayer practice to join us each Friday of Lent at 6:00 p.m. (except April 11 at 4:30 p.m.) in church as we grow in appreciation for what Christ did over a span of only a few days, by praying the Stations of the Cross.  We have a variety of different versions of the stations that will be used each Friday (including one that looks at Jesus's passion through the eyes of Mary, His Mother).  It will be time well spent by all who come and will truly prepare us for a worthy and worthwhile celebration of the Easter Triduum (April 17-20).  FOOTNOTE: Please go into the Perpetual Adoration Chapel to see the beautiful, handcrafted Stations of the Cross that were made and donated by Dim Dyar of our parish.  Thanks Jim!