A Word from Your Pastor - March 9

Dear Parishioners:

Temptation is part of life.  We are all tempted.  Jesus Himself, in His human nature, experienced and showed us how to overcome temptation.  “Resist the devil and he will take flight.” (James 4:7)  For each one of us, there is a unique kind of temptation, tailored to our personality and attachments.  For Jesus, as the Son of God, the root temptation in His human nature was to bypass that very nature: to be self-sufficient, to make a show of power, and to worship something other than God.  Each one of us can fall into the same traps.  Self over God and self over others is the measure of our temptations.

Part of the journey of Lent is to come to terms with our own limitations.  We pray, we fast, and we give alms in order to reach beyond our selfishness to and humble our pride.  We resist the devil each day and do our best not to do his work for him.  We strive to grow in virtue and to overcome our vices.  We seek to worship God alone, to open our hearts to His grace, and to rely on Him and not on ourselves.

Sin is missing the mark.  Grace, God’s life in us, is what puts us on the mark and keeps us on track.  Let us pray for Grace.  We will discover that it is available in abundance.

How is your prayer this Lent?  Here are some invitations for you to consider:  Come to Mass early on Sunday and take time to read the Scriptures that will be proclaimed at that Mass.  This will help you to hunger for the Word.  Come to sit in the Lord’s Eucharistic Presence in church on Wednesday following the School Mass.  He is on the Altar in the Monstrance silently waiting to speak to your heart.  Reflect on the Passion of the Lord through praying the Stations of the Cross on Friday.  Pray the Rosary with your family.   Recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet with a friend or neighbor.  Read the Bible to your children.  Find a form a prayer that you start in Lent and continue as part of your routine when Easter comes.