Next Sunday:  The Third Sunday of Lent           Celebrant:  Fr. Tharp      

Lenten Scrutiny Masses and Devotions

Sometimes people like to “give up” something as a self-imposed penance during Lent. It is also possible to “do something special” as a Lenten practice. I will have Stations of the Cross and Benediction at St. Ann on the Friday evenings of Lent at 7:00 p.m. (Good Friday of Holy Week is different) and Stations of the Cross during Lent on Sunday Afternoons at Sacred Heart at 3:00 p.m. (No stations on Palm Sunday)  Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is every Friday at Sacred Heart from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.  Embrace to the degree you can without hurting yourself the dietary restrictions on the Friday’s during Lent.  As we all live the discipline of Lent, we experience being the Body of Christ as the Church suffering.  As we engage the discipline of Lent together, we hope in the promise of Easter.

On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, we will celebrate the scrutiny for that week at one of the weekend precept Masses.  At all precept Masses during the petitions, we will prayerfully remember all of our RCIA elect catechumens and candidates. 

CMA 

As of last Monday, 67 Sacred Heart families have donated or pledged 29% of the parish goal of $49,744.   At the same time, 18 St. Ann families have donated or pledged 9% of the parish goal of $20,897.  If we compare this year’s progress to last; 15% of the Sacred Heart donors from last year have contributed so far.  Compared to last year, 11% of the St. Ann donors from last year have contributed so far. 

Thanks to all who have pledged or contributed.  Thank you for prayerfully considering a donation or pledge to this year’s CMA.  I will report each week the results I have in the bulletin.

Beacons of Light Phase Two

 As we move through February, St. Ann and Sacred Heart will be conducting meetings and discussion sessions regarding the process for “visioning for the future.”   At present this has been done through Parish Council and some of the various committees.   Soon this will expand to include ideas for worship enhancement, stewardship (Finance Committee), evangelization, and an all-inclusive look at charitable outreach (aka Love in Action). 

We must also recognize that Beacons expects our two parish schools (St. Ann and Sacred Heart) to abandon the stance of “maintaining” what traditionally has been, and embrace a more forward looking (all encompassing) approach.   To use an analogy; we have become accustomed to swimming in our fresh water lake.  Now we must learn to swim in the ocean. 

DO NOT FALL FOR SCAMS!!!!

I keep running this article because there are new scams everyday

Remember I NEVER solicit funds, donations, favors, or any request of any kind over the telephone, text, email, carrier pigeon, drone, etc.   NEVER!  Do not allow yourself to be taken in by scammers.  Even if they have my recorded voice, be assured it is computer generated fake!  It is not me!!!  

Reminder for volunteers who work with or around children

Please be aware that failure to register with and complete the requirements of Safe Parish will result in your inability to continue to work with or around children in any parish and/or school setting.  We have been informed by the Archdiocese that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS.

Live Streaming for Precept Masses

Please remember to access the Sacred Heart / St. Ann Pastoral Region You Tube site by clicking on the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLLqbEY5hKWinwz069MVcg

Reflection on Scripture:

The gospel story of the transfiguration appears in all three “synoptic gospels.”   The awesome majesty of God is revealed “in the flesh” in Jesus Christ to Peter, James, and John.  Why does Jesus preview his divinity in front of such a limited audience?   Because Jesus does not want to scare them into submission!   Rather he wants to show us that
God’s love is not the cause of panic, but rather the essence of fulfillment.  Fear is simply a human emotion.  No one ever worried their way into sainthood.  But like a balloon filled with helium, God’s grace can lift us up from the fog that envelopes the valley, to allow us to see with the clarity of vision only possible above the fog.  Have you ever flown in a jetliner at thirty or forty thousand feet?  Once you have flown above the troposphere and looked down upon the clouds, you will never look at weather in the same way.  Similarly, if God’s grace lifts you above the fog of human finitude, you will love God (never fearing God) in the light of eternity.  That is what God did for Peter, James, and John in the transfiguration.  Faith, logic, and love coalesce to receive a glimpse of eternity.

NEXT SUNDAY  The Third Sunday in Lent

Ex 20:1-17

1 Cor 1:22-25

Jn 2:13-25

Theme: Jesus uses a whip to make a point!