St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

Here we are, at the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Can you believe it? If you’re like me, time seems to be whizzing by so fast. I can’t keep track of it all. What about your Lenten disciplines? Those promises in prayer? Most of us disciples of the Lord Jesus began this holy season of Lent intending to use the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and works of mercy to expand our hearts, to offer the Lord what he asks of us: repentance and faith in God’s Good News (Mark 1.15). But sadly, I have failed time and again with what I intended.

Let’s do this together. Let’s seek to live this last week of holy Lent. Let’s promise one another to use this last full week of this holy season… as it is meant to be used… as a preparation for Holy Week. Let’s agree not to focus on the failures of the past four weeks but to seek His face in this week, through our prayer, through our fasting (bodily prayer) and through our works of hands-on mercy.
A couple of things to note for this up-coming week:

The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated this year on Friday the 14th of March (instead of the 17th, which this year falls on Monday of Holy Week). Archbishop Gregory has offered us a dispensation from fasting and abstinence, so that those that will celebrate “St. Paddy’s Day” this Friday might enjoy their favorite edibles and drinkables. The Solemnity of St. Joseph will be celebrated on Saturday the 15th (instead of its normal date of the 19th, which falls on Wednesday of Holy Week).

Sacred Triduum (20-22 March) at SJN: Please make every attempt to join me during these three holy days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Our schedule of liturgies is in the bulletin. NB: the parish office will be closed on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, to assist the staff with their own prayer.

We are called to a spiritual renewal, you and I. The Lord seeks us, longs for us, thirsts for us. Please join me in giving the Lord our full attention during this last full week of Lent. NOW is the time… to begin again, in love of the One that has loved us first, the One that loves us now, the One that is love, known in the dynamic relationship of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.


AMDG

Msgr. David Talley

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