When requesting more than one Mass, keep in mind we can schedule only one weekend mass and two weekday masses per year.

The Lenten Fast and Abstinence Regulations are, as follows:

1. Fasting and abstinence from meat, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

2. Abstinence from meat on all Fridays of Lent. The law of abstinence from meat is required of all those fourteen years of age and older.
3. The law of the fast means only one full meal may be taken during the day. Two light meals are permitted, but are not to equal one full meal. The consumption of solid food between meals is prohibited, but liquids may be taken at any time.
4. The law of fast binds those who have completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year.
5. Those, who by reason of their young age, are not bound by the laws of fast and abstinence, should be taught the true meaning of penance.


It is a traditional doctrine of Christian spirituality that a constituent part of repentance, of which is turning away from sin and returning to God, includes some form of penance, in order for a Christian to remain on the narrow path and be saved. As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has written: “Dear brothers and sisters, may this Lenten season find the whole Church ready to bear witness to all those who live in material, moral and spiritual destitution the Gospel message of the merciful love of God our Father, who is ready to embrace everyone in Christ. We can so this to the extent that we imitate Christ who became poor and enriched us by his poverty. Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.”
Apart from the special Lenten activities of individuals and parishes, Lent also affords a special opportunity for families to grow deeper in their commitment to Christ. Within the family, penitential practices and devotions can be conducted, including the use of Scripture, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and other forms of family prayer and devotion.

My Jesus,I love You above all things, and I desire to recieve You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.  Never permit me to be separated from You.
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

Amen.

"Preaching on behalf of Unbound fits into my life trajectory.  I want my life to be a gift to the poor and downtrodden.  My entire life has been a commitment to the poor: act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God."

Father Jerry Frank worked as a teacher and coach in Quito, Ecuador as well as with migrant farm workers in Rengville, Minnesota.  Ordained in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, he founded Esperanza Home for Boys, served as campus minister and taught biblical studies at Pan American University, was the director of the diocesan lay ministries and Deacon programs for many years and served as pastor of four parishes in the Brownsville Diocese.  He has been involved in community outreach efforts related to just wages, housing for the poor, job training, and health care and prison ministry. 

FROM OUR EDITORS—August 2, 2020 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I visited the site of Jesus’ miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land last May. The area called Tabgha sits below the Mount of the Beatitudes on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This site is also remembered for Jesus’ third appearance to his disciples after the Resurrection when he prepared them breakfast and commissioned Saint Peter as leader of the Church. The mosaic above is part of the floor near the altar of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes.

Jesus is concerned about feeding us. He calls fishermen—men who fish to provide food for others—to be his Apostles and later feeds his Apostles with his own Body and Blood at the Last Supper. He feeds a hungry crowd of “about five thousand men, not counting women and children” (Matthew 14:21) with only five loaves and two fish, yet the leftovers fill twelve baskets. Jesus feeds us with “the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation” at every Mass (Roman Missal, Eucharistic Prayer I).

Jesus cares about feeding both our physical and spiritual hungers. And he gives us the very best—his own flesh and blood in Holy Communion. With the abundance of God’s generosity and power, the small host and sip of wine multiply exponentially in filling us—and our world through us, with God’s love.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—August 2, 2020 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 14:13–21

‘There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.’ –Matthew 14:16

For Adults: We wait for it, as we do for the other shoe to drop. The Gospel no sooner mentions hunger before someone has to answer for it. Sometimes it’s God, responding with manna from Heaven and water from a rock. Sometimes it’s God’s prophet, as when Elijah and Elisha supply bottomless jars of oil or abundant barley loaves for food-insecure families. But in this case, when the disciples tell Jesus that the people need to eat, Jesus surprises them—and us—by saying, “Feed them yourselves.” So we do. We send checks to organizations that help famine victims. We bring canned goods to the food bank. We vote for candidates who support school lunch programs and a living wage for workers. We share what we have, so that everyone may have enough. And we work toward being a society that seeks justice for all of its members so that no one goes hungry.

What needs exist in your community, and how can you be responsive to them?

LET US PRAY… Lord of mercy, you ask us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, protect the vulnerable. Yet the poor Christ cries for bread and seeks a welcome all around us. Give us the grace to repent this sin and to change our hearts. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 26, 2020 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:44–52 or 13:44–46

When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. –Matthew 13:46

For Children: Share this short video lesson about Heaven with your young children.

For Adults: My twenty-something niece met a fellow while spending a year abroad. After she returned to the States, nothing seemed right. A year later, she returned to Europe and married the man. When you find the pearl of great price, everything else you have seems worthless in comparison.

We know the pearl when we encounter it. We might not know its name before we lay eyes on it, what shape or form it may take, whether it’s a life mate or vocation, the right city or a congenial community, that we’re looking for. We may not even be looking for anything, until the thing we’re longing for hits us over the head and we realize we can’t live without it. Like the pearl dealer in the story, we may have to visit a lot of stalls and settle for a lot of second-best until real value comes our way. In the meantime, polish your discernment and trust!

When have you known, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this person, place, career, or thing, was the genuine item?

LET US PRAY… Lord, we confess to you that we are not the people you created us to be. You know our failings and our weaknesses well, for you see the hearts of all plainly. Inspire us with the fire of your word, that we might incarnate the truth of Scripture in the lives we lead. Teach us to take risks for love’s sake. Amen.
 

FROM OUR EDITORS—July 26, 2020 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus says Heaven is like a rare pearl and so precious we would want to give up everything to have it! This parable also helps us to realize that to God, we are that pearl. Jesus gave up his very life because he thinks we are precious too.

Besides being hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, our country is going through civil unrest fueled by social injustice, hatred, and prejudice. We should remember that every person, no matter their skin color, religion, sex, or social status, is precious to Jesus. Let us keep in mind that Our Lord and Savior considers each and every one of us as PRICELESS.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 19, 2020 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:24–43 or 13:24–30

 ‘Master, did you not sow good seed? Where have the weeds come from?’ –Matthew 13:27

For Children: Share this short video lesson about loving God with your young children.

For Adults: Good seeds and bad weeds grow together everywhere. You find them in families and neighborhoods, classrooms and businesses, courthouses and churches. We search in vain for the pure meadow of unadulterated wheat. If we go knocking on the door of any monastery, we’ll be told readily that the holiest monk there wrestles with the darkest demons. If we look in our own hearts with honesty, the seeds and weeds are evident.

Jesus describes two groups in this parable: children of the kingdom, and children of the evil one. While it’s pleasant to imagine these as two distinct communities that never dine together, in fact I’m both a citizen of the kingdom and a child with a dark heart, often on the same day. The weeds are in us, just as the good seed is planted firmly in our hearts Which claims the greatest territory has a lot to do with which one we water most.

How do you encourage the good seed and discourage the weeds in your field?

LET US PRAY… We praise you, Source of Love, for the generous gift you’ve made to us in Creation. We thank you for the beauty of nature, the warmth of friendship, the responsibility of family, and the goodness of our labor. Help us to see this world as charged with your grace and to protect what you have planted. Amen.
 

FROM OUR EDITORS—July 19, 2020 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mustard seeds are very tiny. In Sunday’s Gospel, we are reminded that God can take any small amount of faith and help it to grow. God wants us to take that first step toward him by loving him, trusting him, and sharing our knowledge of him with others. He can do great things with our faith!

Sometimes we may feel small and insignificant in the face of life’s challenges. Some people feel that their needs are too small for God to be concerned about. God—who has counted every hair on our heads, cares for the sparrow and judges our worth as greater than many sparrows (see Matthew 10:29–31)—cares about each of us as if there were only one of us. No care, no concern, no person, no faith is too small for God’s notice and care. Our God can do amazing things with the little we offer! Our offering—no matter how small—is what God desires from us.

FROM OUR EDITORS—July 12, 2020 – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus uses stories to tell us things about faith and about ourselves. In Sunday’s Gospel, he challenges us to grow in faith. This Gospel is wonderful for families, because parents are responsible for “tilling the soil” for their children to grow strong in faith.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 12, 2020 – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:1–23 or 13:1–9

“Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” –Matthew 13:16

For Children: Share this short video lesson about listening to Jesus with your young children.

For Adults: It’s no wonder the Parable of the Sower left the disciples mystified. It’s a crazy story! The sower is a wild man. Instead of plowing fertile ground and responsibly planting it like a normal farmer, he wanders down an unlikely path and throws seed in the most random way imaginable. Fistfuls of seed land behind him on the path, on rocks to the right and thorns to the left. Only by accident does any seed wind up on soil that can be expected to produce a yield. If the sower worked for me, he’d be fired before the end of the day.

What’s most confounding about this parable is that Jesus doesn’t tell us not to be like this careless farmer. Instead, Jesus compares himself to the sower! Apparently, it’s his will that the Gospel be shared not only in cathedrals, but also in prisons and back alleys and casinos and boardrooms. The Gospel is a capricious seed!

Are you free with your sprinkling of the Gospel seed?
What unlikely places have you taken this news?

 LET US PRAY… We praise you, Source of Love, for the generous gift you’ve made to us in Creation. We thank you for the beauty of nature, the warmth of friendship, the responsibility of family, and the goodness of our labor. Help us to see this world as charged with your grace and to protect what you have planted. Amen.

 

FROM OUR EDITORS—July 5, 2020 – 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that when we trust him, things will be easier. He compares us to oxen being yoked together. Old oxen are yoked with young ones to teach them how to avoid pitfalls and injury. When we trust Jesus, he will teach us the way to go.

Being yoked with Jesus makes the best team! It’s when we try to go it alone that we struggle and get ourselves into trouble. In times of difficulty—and there are bound to be a few difficulties even in the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer”—all we need to do is call on Jesus. He promises to teach us and give us rest.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 5, 2020 – 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 11:25–30

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28

For Adults: Summer for many is a lazier time of the year. The longer hours of daylight give us license to cram a little more fun into each day. Yet trouble never takes a vacation, and burdens that weigh on us in December are just as heavy in July. Our prayer list remains lengthy with the names of those needing healing, work, reconciliation—or hope, by any other name.

Jesus knows all about carrying loads too heavy to lift, and suffering anguish too deep to express. He has experience forgiving the enemy, snatching victory from defeat and even death. For those who feel they labor to no purpose, Jesus has stories to tell about three years of thankless ministry, followed by betrayal—not to mention twenty centuries of a variably faithful church. In Jesus alone do we find a place to lay the burden down.

 Write down three burdens that you’ve carried a while and would like to lay down. Put them at the foot of a cross or in a Bible. Ask Jesus to carry them for you.

LET US PRAY… Lord, we confess to you that we are not the people you created us to be. You know our failings and our weaknesses well, for you see the hearts of all plainly. Inspire us with the fire of your word, that we might incarnate the truth of Scripture in the lives we lead. Teach us to take risks for love’s sake. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—June 28, 2020 – 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: 2 Kings 4:8–11, 14–16a; Romans 6:3–4, 8–11; Matthew 10:37–42

“Whoever receives the righteous man . . . will receive a righteous man’s reward.” –Matthew 10:41b

For Children: Share this short video lesson about being a good helper with your young children.

For Adults: Reflect on the Gospel with Alice Camille:

The idea is remarkable. Welcome a prophet, and you share in the prophet’s destiny. Assist a good person, and you’ll receive the same credit for the ensuing good deeds. We don’t have to be prophets ourselves, or humanitarians, or missionaries, or environmentalists, or monks—we just have to support those called to these vocations, promote their goals, send a check, say a prayer, tell a friend. In all these ways, we invest in goodness and share the reward of those who do right.

Is Jesus saying that the Shunemite woman who hosted Elisha bought spiritual shares in the prophetic ministry of Elisha? Yes! Consider how many vocations you can pursue simultaneously with your own by a simple investment in the work of others. The Gospel is proclaimed exponentially when we lift each other up.

 What vocations do you support with encouraging words, volunteer hours, financial assistance, prayer, or social advocacy?

 LET US PRAY… Lord, we confess to you that we are not the people you created us to be. You know our failings and our weaknesses well, for you see the hearts of all plainly. Inspire us with the fire of your word, that we might incarnate the truth of Scripture in the lives we lead. Teach us to take risks for love’s sake. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—June 21, 2020 – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

Matthew 10:26–33

‘What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light.’ –Matthew 10:27

For Children: Share this short video lesson by Mrs. Mary Jo Cole with your young children.

For Adults: Reflect on Sunday’s Gospel with Alice Camille:

Consider the thick darkness surrounding the generation of Jesus. It was an era of empire and oppression, political ambition and treachery, masters and slaves, haves and have-nots. It was a time of schemers and takers and polished deceivers who worked hard to keep the truth from surfacing. You could say it was a generation in which truth was as darkly obscured as it is right now.

In such an age of obscurity, Jesus taught in an irrelevant corner of civilization. He wasn’t born in Rome, wasn’t a citizen of the great empire, and belonged to a despised race. His religion was viewed with distaste and suspicion by the government. In the realm of power, Jesus was an outsider and a nobody. Yet he chose to proclaim the truth in the heart of history’s darkness, trusting that his followers would bring the message into the light in ages to come. We are the ones Jesus is counting on to speak truth into the light. In our words, decisions, and actions, we put this radiant light on a lamp stand for all to see.

List ten ways you can testify to the light of Christ this week. Make an effort to follow through!

LET US PRAY… Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the fruits you bear in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help us to encourage others by the exercise of these fruits, so that this world might see your kingdom coming, moment by moment. Amen.

 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—June 14, 2020 – Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

John 6:51–58

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” –John 6:51

For Children: Share this short video lesson by Mrs. Mary Jo Cole with your young children.

For Adults: Reflect on Sunday’s Gospel with Alice Camille:

Jesus is our food. Whatever emptiness may be felt in our lives, he alone can fill it. If a vacuum exists anywhere in need of justice, peace, charity, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, or simple respect, Jesus is the missing element. The living bread from Heaven is what sustains hope on this planet. God is with us. God’s life is offered to us. The unity of humanity and divinity expressed in Jesus is the model of the oneness we seek as Church. It’s a high standard, but only high standards are worth pursuing.

When we speak of Jesus as food, we naturally tend to focus on the elements of our Eucharist. The unity of God-with-us begins there, but it can’t end at the Lord’s Table. If God-life is in us, then it must be knit to our blood and bone, to our actions and decisions, to our yearnings and relationships. Unity means unity. There can be no corner of our lives we reserve for selfish motives and bitter resentments. If we come to this Table, we’re asking for unqualified unity with the life of God. Is this really what we want?

How much of your life belongs to God, and how much do you reserve for other, perhaps conflicting or contradictory, objectives?

LET US PRAY… Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the fruits you bear in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help us to encourage others by the exercise of these fruits, so that this world might see your kingdom coming, moment by moment. Amen.

FROM OUR EDITORS—May 31, 2020 – Pentecost Sunday

This week, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday and the Season of Easter comes to an end. Jesus sends us his Holy Spirit to strengthen us and to give us courage to spread his Good News throughout the world.

Today, the month of May also comes to an end. The Church dedicated this month to Mary, Our Mother. Many of us recited the Rosary every day during this month, praying for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to Pope Francis’ invitation: “I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May.”

At the beginning of May, my 92-year-old grandmother invited my whole family to gather via Zoom every day at 6:00 p.m. to pray the Rosary, which she led with the same devotion and mental clarity she has done all her life. What a gift! On May 13, the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima, more than 200,000 people gathered on social media to pray the Rosary together after a famous Mexican actor and devout Catholic invited people all over the world to join.

Why stop now? The Rosary is a wonderful prayer that we can recite as part of our daily devotions. We may choose to pray it alone or with our family. We can take advantage of initiatives such as Map of Hope, a global movement that invites people around the word to connect with one another to pray the Rosary.

Heavenly Mother, we bring to you our fears and anxiety and ask for your intercession before your Son. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—May 31, 2020 – Pentecost Sunday

John 20:19–23

On the evening of that first day, . . . Jesus came and stood in their midst. –John 20:19

Jesus chooses to reveal his Resurrection to the disciples as a group. We know from next Sunday’s Gospel that Thomas wasn’t there, and Jesus doesn’t show himself to Thomas until he returns to the group. This is significant. When it comes to revelation, the group is where it’s at. We might consider this the next time we’re convinced God is telling us something no one else has figured out yet.

This can feel like bad news to the roughly 50 percent of us who are introverted. Introverts like to process experiences alone, focusing their concentration most effectively in solitude. We’re also territorial, reserved, slow to speak or act until we can reflect, and prefer the rich interior life to the chitchat universe around us. Maybe that’s why Thomas absented himself from the upper room that night. He couldn’t take one more minute of the sighing, breast-beating, and self-reporting going on around him. He needed to think. Yet consider this, my fellow introverts: Jesus offers peace and forgiveness to the Church as a community. Together is where the action is.

Why might public revelations be more helpful than private ones?
Why is sainthood a job for communities and not individuals?

Let us pray: Come, Holy Spirit, and fill your Church with gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, courage, reverence, and awe! Make saints of us whether we sit in the sanctuary or the pews and teach us all the meaning of holy living. For this world is in certain need of our courageous witness. Amen.

 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—May 24, 2020 – Ascension of the Lord/7th Sunday of Easter

*The Ascension of the Lord: Matthew 28:16–20
7th Sunday of Easter: John 17:1–11a

“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” –Matthew 28:20

We humans no longer speak simply to our families and our neighbors, our tribe or our village. We are all mice that roar as loud and as far as our technology can carry us. With this amplification and multiplication of words, images, and ideas, what are we actually saying to one another?

Jesus asks us to do one thing only: to bring the Good News to the far corners of the earth. Much of the news we receive each day is hardly encouraging or uplifting. But we are not just news absorbers. We also generate plenty of words daily for which we are answerable.

What do you do to promote a word of hope and encouragement wherever your voice carries?

Let us pray: The Easter season ends, but the joy of Easter remains in the world through your Church. God of endless hope and mercy, we thank you for this annual season to remember how great you are and how much you entrust to us through the gift of everlasting life. May we be worthy of so wonderful a promise. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—May 17, 2020 – 6th Sunday of Easter

John 14:15–21

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” –John 14:18

Jesus does not abandon his Church. Yet Christian representatives—parents, teachers, preachers, even bishops—may choose to speak as if some children of God are more beloved than others, or that some children might even be shunned by their Father. It’s vital to remember that Jesus leaves no orphans. There can be no lonely or distant corners of our community where “undesirable” members must sit or remain less fully Catholic than the rest of us. The tragically unjust era of racial segregation in our assembly is over, thanks be to God. We must not replace that sad legacy with a new kind of segregation based on language, politics, economics, sexuality, theological purity, or any other chosen and divisive factor.

Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him” (John 14:21). It’s a wonderfully simple statement. Love of God, and no other criteria, makes us eligible to stand in the assembly of God’s own.

How does your parish provide an atmosphere of welcome?
What signals do you send that “all are welcome in this place”?

Let us pray: Alleluia! Jesus is risen! The Church thrills to this message of consolation and hope. The limitations of sin and death no longer hold us hostage. Lord of life, we praise you for the confidence you place in us to move every mountain in your service. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—May 10, 2020 – 5th Sunday of Easter

John 14:1–12

Jesus directs us to not let our hearts be troubled. Our faith in Jesus can keep us filled with God’s peace. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus promises that he is preparing a place for each of us in heaven. We will get there through following Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. As Jesus tells his Apostles, whoever has seen him has seen the Father.

 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—May 3, 2020 – 4th Sunday of Easter

John 10:1–10

Sunday’s Gospel describes Jesus as a Good Shepherd, who has come so that his followers might have life to the fullest. Shepherds lead, protect, and provide for their sheep. Shepherds know their sheep and the sheep know the shepherd’s voice. In Jesus’ time, shepherds slept at the entrance to the sheepfold like a gate that keeps the sheep in. Jesus is the gateway to the Christian community. Baptism makes us members of that communityFROM OUR EDITORS—April 12 & 19, 2020 – Easter & 2nd Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy)

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—April 26, 2020 – 3rd Sunday of Easter

Luke 24:13–35

This Sunday’s Gospel tells the classic story of the presence of the Risen Jesus in the lives of his followers. Two discouraged disciples walk home to Emmaus after Jesus’ Death in Jerusalem. A stranger falls in step and helps them see that the Messiah was not to be a triumphant king, but a suffering servant. At supper, they recognize the stranger as Jesus in the breaking of the bread. At Mass, we listen to the Scripture and we recognize the Risen Christ in the community and in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread.

Jesus is risen! Alleluia! Today, Christians around the world celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who defeated death to give us eternal life with him.

This year, it seems hard to celebrate when the world is going through a tough trial and thousands of people are sick or dying. But our faith cannot be shaken, like John Burland says in his song Firm in the Faith: “We are built on the rock.” We know that Jesus is among us, especially during this time of uncertainty.

Let’s join the angels and saints in Heaven to give glory to the Risen Lord, who is bigger and stronger than any illness and who is with us until the end of time.

 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—April 12 & 19, 2020 – Easter & 2nd Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy)

Easter Sunday: John 20:1–9
2nd Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy): John 20:19–31

This week’s Gospel at Home covers two Sundays. The Gospel for Easter tells of Mary of Magdala’s visit to the tomb and her discovery that Jesus was not there. The Gospel for the following Sunday describes Jesus’ appearance to his disciples, his greeting of peace, and his gift of the Holy Spirit.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—March 29, 2020 – 5th Sunday of Lent

John 11:1–45

Sunday’s Gospel describes Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. The story hints at Jesus’ own Resurrection, which we will celebrate at Easter. The raising of Lazarus puts Jesus in danger from his enemies, but he risks his life to be with and to help his friends.
 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—March 15, 2020 – 3rd Sunday of Lent

John 4:5–42

In this Sunday’s Gospel, a Samaritan woman visiting the village well becomes the bearer of Jesus’ Good News to her townspeople. Jesus chose a woman and a Samaritan to spread his message. He offers her living water, which brings a realization that Jesus is the Messiah and his new community will include Samaritans. We are first given living water at Baptism. Through our Baptism we become part of the community and given the grace to live as Jesus did.

FROM OUR EDITORS—March 8, 2020 – 2nd Sunday of Lent

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus is transfigured to show God’s glory. The three Apostles who accompany Jesus up the mountain see him in his resurrected glory. They hear God the Father claim Jesus as his beloved Son and tell them to listen to him.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—March 8, 2020 – 2nd Sunday of Lent

Matthew 17:1–9

Sunday’s Gospel shows both Jesus’ future and our own future. The Gospel sets our sight on Easter, just as Peter, James, and John glimpse the risen Jesus for a passing moment in the Transfiguration. Lent invites us to join Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem where he will be crucified, but also where he will rise victorious from the dead.

 

FROM OUR EDITORS—March 1, 2020 – 1st Sunday of Lent

In Sunday’s Gospel, the Devil tempts Jesus during his forty days in the desert. Jesus rejects the Devil’s suggestions and chooses to love and obey God his Father. We pray that, following Jesus’ example, we may remain faithful to God’s love.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—March 1, 2020 – 1st Sunday of Lent

Matthew 4:1-11

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus goes into the desert to fast and pray. When Jesus is tired and hungry, Satan tempts Jesus to use his power to make bread of stones, to jump from great heights, and to become a temporal ruler. Jesus says no to these temptations and chooses to live as a simple human being. His lesson tells us all that we can use our Lenten experience to straighten our priorities.

FROM OUR EDITORS—February 23, 2020 – 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to go beyond treating others as we would want to be treated. He asks us to care for each other as God does—to love other people without expecting love in return and to love even our enemies.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—February 23, 2020 – 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus asks us to go beyond treating others in the same way we want to be treated ourselves. He asks us to care for each other as God does—to love other people without expecting love in return and to even love to our enemies. This is an invitation that takes a lifetime to grow into and fulfill. It is a challenge for the family to keep this message alive in a world that puts a premium on competition and on being “better.”

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—February 16, 2020 – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 5:17–37

The Law of Moses contains 613 laws. Some of these laws are simple, basic, you-shall or you-shall-not commands, of which the Ten Commandments are typical. Some of these laws govern worship. A good many of the 613 laws are what-if laws that apply the Commandments to everyday life. In the Gospel, Jesus’ New Law asks people to deepen their keeping of the laws and to follow his new Law of Love.
 

FROM OUR EDITORS—February 9, 2020 – 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they are salt of the earth and light of the world. He explains that shining their light by doing good deeds will give glory to our Father in Heaven.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—February 9, 2020 – 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 5:13–16

Jesus commissions his followers to be “the salt of the earth” and “light to the world.” Salt and light are just as important to us today as they were to people in Jesus’ time. Jesus’ image of salt challenges us to bring out the best in others as salt brings out the best flavors in food. The image of light challenges us to warm and brighten others’ lives like sunlight. It challenges us to live as Jesus did so that our actions shine forth like a lamp on a stand.

FROM OUR EDITORS— February 2, 2020 – Presentation of the Lord

On February 2, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This feast is also known as Candlemas. The Law of Moses instructed parents to present their firstborn son in the Temple forty days after birth. Mary and Joseph, filled with the joy of following God’s law, brought Jesus to Jerusalem.

The Gospel mentions two important individuals who recognized Jesus at that time: Simeon and Anna. Simeon was a just and devout old man who, moved by the Holy Spirit, took Jesus in his arms and blessed him, saying that he was the light that would shine upon the nations. There was also a woman named Anna, who served God by fasting and praying. Even though Simeon and Ana were very old, both were full of life because their lives were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were docile to the Spirit’s action and sensitive to its call.

During this encounter, Simeon and Anna received the gift of being face to face with God’s Promised One. Their patience and faith were finally rewarded.

Let us pray: Loving God, let us be docile and sensitive to your Word and help us grow in faith and patience while we wait for your coming. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—February 2, 2020 – Presentation of the Lord

Luke 2:22–40

In the Gospel, Mary and Joseph honor Jewish tradition by bringing their firstborn son to the Temple. Simeon, a holy prophet, recognizes Jesus and reveals him as the Messiah who will fulfill God’s promises to Israel and will be a light to all nations. Anna, a prophetess, is also at the Temple. She has been praying and fasting in expectation of the Messiah. The Feast of the Presentation is also called Candlemas because it is the day on which the Church customarily blesses and distributes candles used in worship and in the home. The blessed candle is a reminder to all that the light of Christ is present always and everywhere.

FROM OUR EDITORS—January 26, 2020 – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time • Sunday of the Word of God

This Sunday is the newly designated Sunday of the Word of God. While we revere and reflect on the Word of God at every Mass, Pope Francis invites us to more intentionally build and strengthen the Church’s love of Sacred Scripture. As users of the Gospel Weeklies, you are doing that with every lesson!

We encourage catechists, teachers, and families to place a Bible in a special location as a sign to the children of the value of the Word of God in Sacred Scripture. Catechists and teachers may begin class with a Bible procession, enthroning the Bible in a place of honor where the Gospel is proclaimed. 
 

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—January 26, 2020 – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time • Sunday of the Word of God

Matthew 4:12–23

The Gospel places the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, where he spent his time teaching, proclaiming God’s kingdom, and healing the sick. Galilee is situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee, and many people who lived there were fishermen. Jesus invited his new friends to drop their nets and follow him. He promised them that they would now be fishing for people instead of fish.

FROM OUR EDITORS—January 19, 2020 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday’s Gospel, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and proclaims: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This symbol of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb reminds us that his ministry will not be easy. Jesus will accept his Death on the Cross, giving his life for our sins.

John further testifies that the Holy Spirit comes down like a dove from sky and remains with Jesus (John 1:32). This sign reveals to John that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. It is also a sign to us. The Spirit that is present at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry is the same Spirit that he breathes upon his disciples after his Resurrection (John 20:22). The Spirit remains with Jesus’ disciples—and us—when he ascends to God in Heaven.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, you send us your Son as a lamb. May we always be worthy of the gift of his sacrifice for our salvation. You send us Spirit like a dove. May we always be grateful for the peace and protection that is promised through your Spirit. Amen.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—January 19, 2020 — 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

John 1:29–34

In this Sunday’s Gospel, John the Baptist announces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. John gives us a picture of who Jesus is and what he has come to do. The lamb, the animal that symbolizes the Israelite’s liberation from Egypt, shows that Jesus’ mission is to give his life for us. The Gospels show us that Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit of God from the beginning of his ministry. This week, your family will learn to recognize the Spirit of God in your family life and in the life of the Church.

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—January 12, 2020 – Baptism of the Lord

Matthew 3:13–17 

When Jesus approached John the Baptist to be baptized, John hesitated, saying, “I need to be baptized by you.” Still, Jesus said it was fitting for him to be baptized by John. When John baptized Jesus, the Holy Trinity comes together as the Holy Spirit descends as a dove and the Father speaks from Heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 

FROM OUR EDITORS—January 12, 2020 – Baptism of the Lord

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. When talking about this celebration in 2006, Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal household, declared: “Was it that Jesus also needed to be baptized, as we do? Of course not. With that gesture, he wanted to show that he had become one of us. Above all, he wanted to put an end to the baptism of ‘water’ and inaugurate that ‘of the Spirit.’ It was not the water in the Jordan that sanctified Jesus, but Jesus who sanctified the water. Not only the water of the Jordan, but that of all fonts of the world.” 

The newly baptized is a new creature, reborn by water and Spirit. He or she is a child of God, member of the Body of Christ, the Church, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Our Heavenly Father pronounces over every child or adult emerging from the baptismal font the same words he pronounced as Jesus emerged from the Jordan: “This is my beloved son or daughter, in whom I am well pleased.” 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, may we appropriate the words that you said during Jesus’ baptism, so we may know in our hearts that we are your beloved sons and daughters. Amen.