The 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent are known as the Scrutiny weekends. This is a time of deep examination, especially for catechumens and candidates preparing to enter the full life of the Catholic Church. We all need time to scrutinize our ways and make sure we are on the path God wants us to be on. As we begin the 3rd week of Lent, be grateful for the gifts of grace God gives us and find ways to deepen your connection to Christ and His Church.

 

Growing up in the faith, we can sometimes take for granted the blessings around us and the protection of the Sacraments. Like Israel in the desert grumbling about their hunger and thirst, we can forget that the purpose of our Lenten journey is deeper conversion to Christ. Like the Samaritan woman encountering Jesus at the well, we are all thirsting to live a life of faithfulness to God and His truth.

 

The Lord thirsts for our faith. When we also thirst for Him, our desires meet and we are able to open our hearts to receive the healing, reconciliation, peace, and communion with God and with others that our hearts so desperately long for. Never take your desire, or the Lord's desire for you, for granted! Don't be afraid of bringing your desires to Him, even those desires which may be disordered or misguided in any way. Stay faithful to Him as He will always stay faithful to you. The meeting of our desires is the path forward to live the joyful life God has planned for us.

 

Please pray for our couples attending the Pre-Cana day next Saturday at St. Mary's. May the Lord open their hearts to Him and to one another that they may rejoice in their call to married life with Christ in His Church!

  

Have you seen the repainted murals in the church? The colors have been refreshed and more attention is brought to the emblems. We are blessed to have had this project funded by our Chinese Auction and Heart of a Shepherd contributions. Pick up a murals information sheet in the back of church to learn more about the art in our beautiful church!

 

Finally, please consider becoming a bulletin sponsor. Placing an ad in the back of our bulletin is a great way to get your business' name out there while also supporting the good work of our parish. Our bulletin benefactors ensure our bulletins and other parish communication efforts throughout the year are free. If you work for a local business, ask your employer if he or she would consider placing an ad in our bulletin. I invite our entire parish family to look at our benefactors in the back of the bulletin and consider reaching out to them if their services would be helpful to you. Let them know the reason you reached out is because you saw their ad in our bulletin! Call Cameron at the number on the back of the bulletin to place an ad: 1-800-292-9020.

 

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow