Sunday Reflection (February 25, 2024)

Jesus the Messiah was not about the imposition of political authority through force of arms, rather the Messiah triumphed through suffering love and the forgiveness of sins, through “bearing the cross” (8:34). The cross is evidence that the world hates the good, the loving, the kind, and the just. God came to us in Jesus Christ, and we crucified him. Our world is full of violence, lying, malice, greed, warfare, prejudice, and hatred, but “the cross which we take up is dying to such standards and values” (Macquarie). The cross and the resurrection reveal that non-violence, truthfulness, kindness, mercy, goodwill, and love ultimately overcome evil, malice, hatred, and death itself.  

We participate in that overcoming when we follow the ways of Jesus, the Messiah. We do this in more ways than we may think: We embrace a child who needs friendship and love. We alleviate suffering. We befriend someone with few or no friends. We seek to be reconciled with our enemies. We see someone scapegoat another person or a group of people and we refuse to participate in such scapegoating. We use no violence to control and manipulate another person. We resist the urge to call fire down upon our personal and national enemies. May we take up our cross and follow Jesus the Messiah! 

Prayer for the Week (February 25, 2024-March 2, 2024)

Let us pray that by growing in love and compassion we bring the peace of Christ to the world: God our Father, your Word, Jesus Christ, spoke peace to a sinful world, and brought humankind the gift of reconciliation by the suffering and death he endured. Teach us to follow the example he gave us and may our faith, hope, and charity turn hatred into love, conflict into peace, and death into eternal life.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.                                                                                                   (Weekly Missal)

                                                                                         
               

                                   

                         

Sunday Sermon February 25, 2024

Devotion February 21, 2024

Devotion February 20, 2024

Sunday Reflection (February 18, 2024)

Jesus kept God’s covenant and decrees perfectly and enacted loving kindness toward others (Mark 1:12-15). How does he respond to us who flounder? Is Jesus like us when we have done something right, and we expect others to do it too perfectly? Peter tells us otherwise: The innocent sufferings of Christ lead the unrighteous to God (1 Peter 3:18). 
Being brought into communion with God and one another through Jesus Christ, allows the Holy Spirit to drive you to the enactment of faithful, loving kindness towards others as a response to God’s faithful, loving kindness to us. Hear these encouraging words: “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great” (Psalm 25:10-11). 

Prayer for the Week (February 18, 2024-February 24, 2024)

Let us pray during this Lenten Season that we turn fully to God and people: God of the covenant of love, you invite us to follow your Son. As the Holy Spirit led him to the desert, may he open our eyes to see the wastelands of evil that we have created in our world. May we learn from Jesus to believe in the Good News and to give shape to your Kingdom of truth, justice and unselfish love. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

                               (Claretian Publications)

                                                                                         
               

                                   

                         

Sunday Sermon February 18, 2024

Devotion February 14, 2024

Devotion February 13, 2024