A Word from Your Pastor March 6

Dear Parishioners:

Lent begins Wednesday! We have had a long stretch of Ordinary Time and now we enter into the great cycle of the Paschal Mystery. This presents a bit of a challenge, given that the next couple of months are also a busy time of activities that draw our attention. I would like to invite all the members of our parish family to live the Mystery together in a profound way.

Let me offer three suggestions: First, please consider adding one practice of Prayer to your family routine. Take time each Wednesday to adore Jesus in the Eucharist by coming to church during the day. Bring your children and teach them how to pray in silence. Come for five minutes, then ten, then see if you can sped 15 minutes or a half an hour in silence, speaking to the Lord in your heart. If that is not possible, then pray a family Rosary or read from the Bible. This year would be a good year to read the Letters of Timothy. Consider learning to pray part of the Liturgy of the Hours, the official Prayer of the Church.

Second, give up something that you enjoy just to express to the Lord that He is more important to you that your own pleasures.. Skip dessert or a favorite food or drink. Turn off the television. Cut out one activity that keeps you apart from your family and find a way to spend real quality time with one another.

Finally, find a form of charity, a way of giving alms, to a purpose or a need that addresses the world’s hunger for justice. Look for a practice that enables you to give of yourself, something that “costs” you for the Kingdom.

An Ideal Lenten Devotion: Christian Prayer, the Universal Prayer of the Church
You are invited to join other St. Timothy parishioners for one, some or all of five Thursdays during Lent 2011: March 10th, 17th and 31st; and April 7th and 14th. Using Shorter Christian Prayer books furnished by St. Timothy parish, we will collectively teach, learn and pray Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Contact Jeff Baker with questions via 370-5783 or faithful@insight.rr.com. otherwise, guided by the Holy Spirit, just show up at the MPR from 7:00 – 8:00 PM.

The Year of Prayer: Act of Hope

O my God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of Your grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Countdown to our Golden Jubilee: Getting to know Saint Timothy.

The Scriptures give an account of the beginnings of St. Timothy’s life as a Christian and show him to be a valued co-worker and companion of St. Paul. They also tell us that he spent some time in prison, likely for his witness of Christian Faith. The Letter to the Hebrews has a note as an appendix mentioning “that our brother Timothy has been set free.” (Hebrews 13:23) The Letters to Timothy also point to Timothy’s role as a Bishop, leading a particular church at a young age.

The end of Timothy’s life is not mentioned in the Scriptures. However, Tradition supplies details that are rather interesting. According to a work entitled the “Acts of St. Timothy,” St. Timothy was martyred in Ephesus. At the pagan feast of Katagogia, celebrated in honor of Diana, the goddess worshiped at Ephesus, Timothy was clubbed and stoned to death on January 22, 97, by revelers for his efforts to stop their idolatry. He was buried there and recognized as a martyr. His relics were later translated (moved) to Constantinople by the Emperor Constantine. At the time of the Crusades, they were once again removed and now reside in the Cathedral of Termoli, in Molise, Italy.

Reflections on the Liturgy:

Observance of the seasons and feasts of the Liturgical Calendar is a way for the Church to highlight aspects of the Mystery of Christ in order to lead us to a deeper understanding. The Seasons of Lent and Easter bring out over the course of more than 90 days the central mysteries of our Faith. We are called to live the Paschal Mystery and to recognize that our lives, including our suffering, are meant to be united to the life of Christ, especially in His Paschal Mystery, His suffering, death and Resurrection.

The Season of Lent invites us to pray, to fast and to give alms, in order to prepare ourselves to celebrate the glory of Easter.

LENT BEGINS ASH WEDNESDAY

The following fast and abstinence regulations are observed: Abstinence from meat is observed on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent by all Catholics 14 years and older. Fasting is observed on Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age to 59. Those bound by this rule may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted as necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.