We all have desires and longings for
something that is more than what is right in front of us. There is a movement in our hearts that draws
us out of ourselves and points to something greater. Even our choice to fall into sin points to
the simple fact of our dissatisfaction with what we can achieve by our own
efforts. The Gospel is the answer to our
longing. Cooperation with God’s grace at
work in us through Faith will at once give us a concrete “taste” of something
more and dispose us to be ready for God’s gifts as they are bestowed upon us.
The Samaritan Woman meets Jesus at a
well in the heat of the day. Where do we
find Him? Are we open to His questions
and to the invitation He offers us to drink with Him? He wants to drink of our Faith. He wants to fill our hearts with Living
Water, water that flows and never quenches our thirst until we are in the
fullness of the Kingdom.
We are approaching the “High Holy
Days” of our Catholic Faith. Now is the
time to make plans and to prepare ourselves to enter into the wonderful feasts
we will soon celebrate. Make plans,
first of all, to be at the Easter Vigil.
All are invited to be renewed by this most sacred of liturgies. In preparation, plan to approach the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our Parish
Lenten Penance Service will be held April 3rd.
This week, the People of the Passion will be a powerful reminder of what Jesus our
Lord has done for us. You won’t want to
miss it.
How are you doing with almsgiving
this Lent? Here are some invitations for
you to consider: In addition to
attending to our prayer and fasting, we are called to be generous in our
contribution of ourselves to God and others.
In our culture, it is a question of money and our attachment to material
things. Test your attachments by giving
up something (fasting) and balancing that by giving away what you have “saved”
by your giving it up. Drop the money you
would have spent on coffee in the Catholic Relief Service Collection or give it
to St. Vincent De Paul.
Look at your use of time. Add five minutes to the time you give to your
spouse or your children when you first see them after returning home from
work. Let someone else control the
remote for your television (if you haven’t given that up already!). Choose an active charitable organization and
offer your time – to a soup kitchen, to St. Vincent De Paul, or to Habitat for
Humanity.
Reach beyond your family and its
needs. Look up your Alma Mater and send
a donation to assist a family with tuition.
Adopt a student in your own parish school and lighten the load for
someone you know anonymously. Increase
your stewardship contribution to your parish.
Remember: The Lord loves a cheerful giver.
He also accepteth from a grouch.
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