St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

Are you planning to attend this Thursday's Gospel of Mark LIVE? On the 12th of March, we will fill up the church, and at 7 PM, Fr. Joseph Morris will allow us to experience what the 1st century Church experienced, ... as he  re-counts of the life of the Lord Jesus through the spoken word. He will tell us the greatest story ever told... such Good News for us! Please plan to attend this Thursday's Gospel of Mark LIVE, beginning at 7 PM. There will be a fifteen minute intermission between the acts, and we'll have sodas and water and cookies for you. If you are able, please bring some cookies with you... to share! You can drop them off in Lind Hall, before Fr. Morris begins to share his gift with us.

Are you planning to attend this Thursday's Gospel of Mark LIVE? On the 12th of March, we will fill up the church, and at 7 PM, Fr. Joseph Morris will allow us to experience what the 1st century Church experienced, ... as he  re-counts of the life of the Lord Jesus through the spoken word. He will tell us the greatest story ever told... such Good News for us! Please plan to attend this Thursday's Gospel of Mark LIVE, beginning at 7 PM. There will be a fifteen minute intermission between the acts, and we'll have sodas and water and cookies for you. If you are able, please bring some cookies with you... to share! You can drop them off in Lind Hall, before Fr. Morris begins to share his gift with us.

***

You remember the three disciplines for a holy Lent don't you? During this holy season, we are called to prayer, to fasting and to almsgiving, through the many many works of mercy. Please God, may  the whole family of SJN dedicate ourselves to this season of repentance and renewal.

As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we seek to follow his new Way of Life. We know that he prayed. Yet, prayer seems to be a mysterious activity for us 21st century humans. It seems so varied, so "low tech".  Prayer can take place in a variety of places. One prays through a variety of methods and disciplines. Prayer can be the solitary act of an individual disciple, as she or he sits in silence, and ponders the silence that seems to live in the heart.  Prayer can be an experience of spontaneity and awesome joy, as teens gather on retreat and ponder the great mystery, of how bread can be called living. Prayer can be liturgical, as children and teens and adults hear the proclaimed word, chant the psalms, rejoice in the gift of communion. Prayer is a mysterious thing... but so is beauty... and belonging... and love. Please plan to come to the parish and join in our STATIONS OF THE CROSS on the Fridays of Lent, beginning at 7 PM. Come, and let us remember that by his wounds we have been healed (1 Peter 2.24).

Fasting is a kind of bodily prayer, a reaching out to God through a conscious act of doing without. The discipline of fasting slows you down. When you break a routine of eating and drinking (by habit), when you become attentive to the way you take in the goods of the earth... you slow down a bit. Fasting and the Friday abstinence from meats and rich foods... have you really taken on this discipline? Let us make this a part of our Lenten  prayer, the bodily discipline of fasting.

Almsgiving, the act of giving of ourselves... from our time, our talents, our treasure. What work of mercy have you committed to, during this season of repentance and renewal? How will you follow the Lord, in giving of yourself?

To pray, to fast, to give of yourself in the works of mercy. It sounds so boring, right? Jesus says to 21st humanity... come and see.

***

On the 23rd of March, at 7 PM, the parish family of SJN will have the opportunity to discover again, the depth of the Lord's mercy. On that night, we will have our Lenten Penance Service, and priests from our deanery will be here to assist us in the great blessing of confessing our brokenness, our sin, and receiving the blessing of forgiveness... and the Presence of the Redeemer. Come and see.

AMDG

Msgr. David Talley

 

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