We remember the sacrifice and service of the men and women who have served our country. May this observance help us to count the blessings we have received and live the gift of freedom with conviction and dedication.
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The commandment to love one another as Christ loves us will stretch us and invite us to offer our entire lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. May our “Yes!” open our hearts to God’s love in our lives as we share this love with those we meet today.
Mass Readings – 6th Sunday of Easter
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Jesus helps the disciples understand that to see him is to see the Father, and to believe in him leads to doing great works in his name. But note this: these words are meant for us as well! As we see God at work in our lives, may our belief flourish as we do the work that is before us for the glory and honor of Christ.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 4th Week of the Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Good Shepherd offers his life for the care and protection of the sheep. The Lord’s example inspires us: God calls us – in spite of our imperfections and weaknesses – to care and protect those entrusted to us. May we call upon the Shepherd for what we need as we continue his service in the world.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Easter
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “Bread of Life” that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats this bread will never hunger again. May we draw near to the one who feeds us so that strengthened by the Lord we can share His life with one another.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of the Year
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
As the early Church began to grow new ministries were called for as needs were discerned. This is how the Church continues to thrive today: we recognize the need, call forth the people and are guided by key principles to direct our effort. Now get to work!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 2nd Week of Easter
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Holy Thursday gives us the opportunity to reflect upon two powerful themes: Sacrament & Service. As we receive the Lord’s Body and Blood may we be strengthened by Christ to serve one another.
Mass Readings – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
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Jesus addresses a dispute among the disciples by teaching them that the journey to greatness is discovered on the path of service.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
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Isaiah exhorts the people to wash themselves clean. Jesus shows how this cleansing happens when we serve one another with a humble heart.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
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The season of Lent offers a powerful opportunity for conversion, spiritual growth, and developing our relationships with the Lord and one another. However, I also know that this season has a way of sneaking up on us. Life moves fast, and we can get caught up in any number of tasks – missing the necessary preparation and perspective to get the most out of these 40 Days.
As a guide, I suggest starting with the “Fruits of the Spirit” that St. Paul writes about in his letter to the Galatians (5:22-23). They are:
First, do we see these in our lives? Are there people, situations, interactions, locations (home, work, school, community) where we see consistent evidence of their presence? If so, then how can we help them flourish and grow? How can we create more opportunities to allow the Spirit to work in our lives?
Second, are these absent in our lives? Or worse, are their opposites present? Is hatred, despair, turmoil, and the like alive in our hearts? If so, how can we make the necessary changes to allow the Spirit into our lives?
Now here’s how this gets practical. It is often customary during Lent to “do” something or “give up” something for these 40 days. How about this…
Where do we look? Try this for starters…
“Doing” can include any number of things:
“Giving up” can look like this:
Using the “Fruits of the Spirit” as a measurement, we can quickly reveal the pattern of our lives. If it is spiritually fruitful, then we can strengthen this. If it is spiritually destructive, then perhaps this season of Lent gives us an opportunity to give it up and start directing our lives in better ways.
Furthermore, Lent has classic opportunities for Study, Prayer, and Service:
Study: Scripture, the Catechism, a Devotional, Spiritual Reading
Prayer: Mass, Confession, Rosary, Scripture, Devotions, Stations of the Cross
Service: at home, the neighborhood, the community, the Church
God keeps inviting, keeps forgiving, and keeps extending grace and mercy to all who seek it. Now is the time to get ready for a powerful Lent – where we turn to Jesus and allow His grace to transform our hearts. Give serious thought to what you can do to make this season special, and open your to heart to Jesus Christ.
What will you do? What will you give up? Make it a great Lent!
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Note: This post was originally published on February 26, 2014.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 