Fifth Sunday of Easter
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.” (John 15:1-2).
Branches exist to bear fruit. Comparing our life to a vine, Jesus teaches us in the Gospel today that without bearing fruit a branch may seem healthy but might be taking up space where a more vibrant fruit-bearing one could be. While not bad in themselves, these branches do not make available the space for something greater to grow.
Entering into this passage more, we recognize that Christian discipleship is about being available and making room for what will produce fruit. This availability means looking at what we value; we do this by examining where we put our time and energy. That which we make ourselves available for reveals our values. Whether we are conscious of it or not, spending hours a week watching shows or busied with social media indicates that those activities are things we value. The same thing is true of people: we schedule opportunities to be with those people we care about. Perhaps this involves rearranging and cleaning our house or adding an extra layer to our dinner table so that there's a better space for those we invite over. By our availability, we become hospitable to what and who we value. By this logic, how available, how hospitable are we to the things of God? Do we make space and rearrange our time and our life around Him? In a homily, St. John Chrysostom advises his congregation that, “It would be the worst kind of folly if, while we give five and even six days to the business of this life, we wouldn't give even one day to spiritual things—or rather not so much as a small part of one day.” (Homily 5, on Matthew 1). Do we prioritize God as if our life branched from His? Do we live as though God was merely another branch of our life?
In the first reading, the interaction between Barnabas and Saul reveals what availability in Christian leadership looks like. We hear that all the other disciples “were all afraid of [Saul]: they could not believe he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Whereas Barnabas, despite being busy with many responsibilities, “took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lord had appeared to him” (Acts 9:27). This scene shows us how Barnabas made himself available to what God was trying to do in Saul. Following the prompting of the Holy Spirit, Barnabas gave his time to the will of God and the result was that “Saul now started to go round… preaching fearlessly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28). Becoming available to God by accompanying Saul, Barnabas’ efforts were multiplied in gaining another co-worker, one who would even surpass him in influence. Taking this further, the apostle John exhorts us to “love not in word or speech but in deed and truth” (1 Jn 3:18-24), to perform the practical aspect of not only declaring that our faith is valuable to us but clearing space for it in our lives. Loving “in deed and truth” often happens in stages. Sometimes it means pruning good things so that there is more room for even better things. For example, we might choose to spend some time with Christian music and podcasts instead of just secular music or podcasts. However, as we grow perhaps we sometimes cut out music and podcasts altogether so that we can be more open to the goods that God desires to give us in silence or use that time and space to pray instead. This might look like going from being a participant in many ministries to picking one to accompany another person through or being a Connect group participant and then branching out and leading a new one. One essential piece of that includes being honest about the things we are doing and which ones are bearing fruit. St. Athanasius once remarked, "No one is going to … start behaving righteously unless he thinks about what he is doing.” (Festal Letters, 9). We are called to evaluate where we spend our time and how available we are to God so that we might more intentionally do what God calls us to do. Having the time to love with deeds and not just words can require pruning of other things in our lives which take up space so that the things of God may grow, and bear “fruit that will remain” (John 15:16) far beyond what we can ever imagine.
Practice
During this short series on Christian leadership we are looking at what it means to be teachable, available, and contagious (as in a person who models an authentically attractive pursuit of Jesus). This week we are focusing on being available. A leader makes room for what is important, and so a Christian leader sometimes has to evaluate where they are spending their time and be willing to cut out some things to be more available for what the Lord is asking of them. So our practice this week is to look at how we spend our time and then to prayerfully ask the Lord if there is something He might want us to “prune” so that we are able to bear more fruit for Him. It is very understandable to feel too busy to add much more, and the Lord is not glorified by overwhelmed disciples. But sometimes we even have to stop what is good to make room for something that is great. Things like committed daily prayer, assisting with a St. Ann ministry, maturing as a disciple through participating in different growth opportunities, or reaching out to someone else to help them in their walk with Jesus all take time. Is there a way Jesus is inviting you to prune so as to be able to bear even more fruit as a Christian leader?
Part 1: Take a time audit - Think through an average week and write down (generally) how you spend your time. You can use the below template or evaluate it with a different method. Try to be as specific and as concrete as you can.
Part 2: Spend some time in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to lead you as you reflect on how you spend your time each week:
Is there something you should cut out?
Is there something you should add?
Is there a different way the Lord might be asking you to use some of your time?
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you have any experience in this past week when you were able to practice being teachable? Maybe intentionally like one of the suggestions in the practice? Or even unintentionally through something that happened?
We see in the first reading that Paul was unable to join the disciples until Barnabas made himself available and “took charge of him.” Is there someone in your own life who helped you to grow in your walk with Jesus because of how they took interest in you?
Do you have anyone in your life that you are helping to grow as a disciple? Is there something in your life you could change to be more available for that?
John tells us in the second reading to “love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.” What do you think that means? What are concrete examples of loving only in “word or speech”? What are specific ways to love “in deed and truth”?Where in your life do you feel you are “bearing fruit”?
Is there any area of your life that might need to be pruned?
How “available” do you feel you are right now to whatever the Lord might be asking of you?
Fourth Sunday of Easter
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to find rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen-free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do life-giving things; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“...I must lead, and they will hear my voice” (John 10:16)
One of the most fundamental aspects of our Christian experience is that “faith seeks understanding” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 158). Jesus speaks this truth to us in the Gospel this Sunday saying, “they will hear my voice”, but with the condition that “I must lead” (John 10:16). This verse hits on the reality that the importance of faith does not come from asserting ourselves, but in following Christ. Jesus not only verbalizes this but makes it incarnate. A few verses before this, Jesus declares that, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father” (John 10:14-15). Jesus shows us that the Good Shepherd, the Leader of leaders, is one who does not follow His own will but that of God the Father; He places His identity wholly in the knowledge the Father has of Him, and the Father reciprocates.
During this Easter season we are beginning to dive into the ideals of Christian leadership. The three main aspects of this we will be exploring are how christian leaders are teachable, available and contagious (TAC). Jesus shows us that an essential element of Christianity, and leading in a Christian-manner, is the capability to be lead; to be teachable. So often the world around us declares to us the idea that we all are entitled to whatever truth that we make up on our own, that we are comfortable with or that suits us. Many around us have bought into this idea of “my truth” and “your truth” wholesale, and often we unconsciously subscribe to it ourselves. “These people are called wandering stars”, St. Hilary of Arles notes, “because they do not follow the sun of truth” (Introductory Commentary on Jude). When everyone tries to live in this way, we become like planets all drifting in the universe without a sun, all vying for the central gravitational pull, leading to inevitable collisions. Have we not experienced a little of this cosmic chaos? Even those with similar ideals to our own sometimes seem to be searching for intentional ways to cut ties and create divisions, attempting to establish a new center of gravity. But without Jesus, who is “the sun of truth”, such forms of leadership end up becoming black holes. What is needed for trust to be re-established in our day is the willingness to place ourselves under the leadership of the Good Shepherd and to learn, to listen, hear, and be teachable.
The question we ask ourselves this week is, are we teachable? Fulton Sheen commented on the importance of being teachable, saying, “If we are filled with our own importance, then we can never be filled with anything outside of ourselves. If a man thinks he knows everything, then not even God can teach him anything. The discovery of any truth requires docility, or teachableness. He who thinks he knows it all is unteachable… Faith comes from hearing, which also means it comes from being a good listener, or not thinking that one has all truth within himself” (Life Is Worth Living). Lacking the ability to be teachable means lacking the ability to learn, and without the capacity to learn we are also unable to lead. Have we been so unwise as to give into the idea that we do not have anything more to learn? Will we allow ourselves the openness to be able to grow this week? Are there any aspects of our faith which we find confusing or challenging to our personal beliefs? Throughout this week we take up the challenge to live out grace-filled humility, stretching ourselves to grow as disciples and as leaders by sincerely seeking to understand.
Practice
For the next three weeks our practice will look at three aspects of Christian leadership: being teachable, being available, and being contagious (as in a person who models an authentically attractive pursuit of Jesus). This week we will focus on what it means as a leader and disciple to be teachable. We see the necessity of being teachable in our Gospel. Jesus speaks about the importance of knowing and following Him, the Good Shepherd, and how we need to hear His voice. Christian leadership requires grace-filled humility so we can continue to grow and improve as disciples.
And so our practice this week is to do an exercise in humility, to practice an openness to being teachable. You could consider doing this in a few ways:
If you are currently in a ministry or group, ask someone in the group for feedback about your participation or leadership of the group. Invite them to honestly share with you one way you could improve.
If there is an area of Church teaching that you struggle with, take some time to explore why the Catholic Church teaches what she does. This could be by asking someone you know who could explain it, doing some reading in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church), or going to a website like Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com).
Ask someone you are close to if there is an area you could grow in or a way they think you could improve to be a better disciple and witness to Jesus Christ.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to gather for a meal for more time and reflection on last week’s readings? Did you have any particular insights from that?
In the first reading Peter gives extraordinary witness to Jesus Christ, being quick to point out that it was the Lord who had done the healing. When you are a part of good things, do you find it easy or difficult to give the Lord the glory for it?
When you think of the title of Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” what does that mean to you? Have you experienced Him as a Good Shepherd in your own life?
What are ways that you hear the voice of the Good Shepherd?
How do you see being teachable being important to leaders who want to help make disciples?
Would you consider yourself teachable? What can make it hard?
Third Sunday of Easter
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to find rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen-free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do life-giving things; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them” (Lk 24:41-43).
Our Gospel on this Third Sunday of Easter takes place right at the end of the Gospel of Luke. Jesus Christ has already suffered, died, and been buried. He has already risen, and Peter has seen the empty tomb. On that same Easter Sunday, the Risen Lord appeared to two of His disciples while they were walking along the road to Emmaus, explaining the Scriptures to them, making their hearts burn within them, and revealing His identity to them in the breaking of the bread. Those two returned to the Apostles in Jerusalem and, as they recounted that they too had seen the Risen Lord, Jesus appeared in their midst with His greeting of peace. Our Gospel today picks up here, with the first appearance of Jesus to his apostles as a body, on that same Easter day.
Notice what He says to them. Immediately they are afraid that He is a ghost, and immediately He takes concrete steps to prove to them that He is real, that He is alive, that He is Risen not just in spirit, but also in His body. He asks them if they have anything to eat, not because He was hungry, but to prove that He was really there with them. In a beautiful act of humility and mercy, He descends to meet His disciples where they were at, and He eats for their sake. It’s such a simple action, and its mystery lies in its concreteness. Jesus Christ, who was dead, is now alive and is standing in the midst of His disciples eating the fish that they had caught.
On this Third Sunday of Easter, Jesus stands in our midst, too, and invites us to give Him something to eat. He wants to increase our faith, to help us believe that He is truly Risen not just in spirit but also in body, and that, as part of His body, He wants to raise us up with Him. He draws us in, making us co-operators in His salvific work by asking us for some fish, some charitable action, some good deed, some sacrifice made out of selfless love. Just as Jesus did not need to eat, He does not need anything from us. But in total love and sheer goodness, He deeply desires for us to be a part of His great work. He models for us the path of a servant leader by meeting us where we are at, respecting our weakness and our fallenness, and by humbling Himself in order to raise us up. “Why are you troubled?” He asks us, “‘And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet” (Lk 24:38-40).
Practice
As we journey deeper into the Easter mystery we see the exalted humanity of Christ’s resurrection on display. Through all that He does He calls us to ponder His characteristics and imitate His disposition with the assistance of His grace. He calls us to make the Gospel three-dimensional, to live it.
One suggestion to do this is to eat a family or communal dinner together one evening this week, perhaps on Wednesday or Friday, and prepare some fish. When everyone is seated but before the meal begins take a moment to begin with a prayer and read from the Gospel of this Sunday, Luke 24:35-48. Once everyone has some food and people have begun to eat go through the discussion questions below which go over the Gospel and leave room for discussion on anything that strikes people from the scripture. Finally, concluding the meal you can use the following prayer together:
CANTICLE: TE DEUM
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R. govern and uphold them, now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you;
R. we praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin;
R. have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope;
R. and we shall never hope in vain.
LEADER: May your people exult forever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that, rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
LEADER: Let us praise the Lord.
ALL: And give him thanks.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Last weekend was the Sunday of Divine Mercy. Were you able to celebrate this day or pray for divine mercy in any way last week? We were also called to reflect on the community, were there any more ways you took steps to grow in christian community this past week?
Jesus did not need to eat, but He asked to eat a fish. What do you think is the underlying meaning of this request?
Fulton Sheen often said, “Whenever our Lord wished to do a favor He always began by asking for one.” (Life of Christ, p.116). He does this same thing when He asks for fish. What is the “fish'' that He is asking of you? What might He be desiring to give you through this request?
St. Gregory of Nyssa once wrote that “the upright walk of the guide becomes that of the followers too. For what the Master is, such does he make the disciple to be" (Letters 13). Jesus is the master and the guide that we are called to follow and imitate. How might Jesus be calling us to imitate Him as guides to others in this Gospel scene from Luke? What might this action of asking for fish to eat teach us about leading others to God? Who might Jesus be calling us to “ask for fish” from?
St. Peter says of Jesus that “God raised Him from the dead; of this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15). How have seen others be a witness of the resurrection in this Easter season? How have you been a witness of the resurrection recently? Are there any ways you think you can grow in this?
Divine Mercy Sunday
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
If you think about it, the apostles are really a bunch of misfits. They never would have naturally become friends. Many of them come from radically different backgrounds. They argue and compete with each other. And yet Jesus chose them and brought them together to follow Him. He saw something in each of them that caused Him to extend the invitation to come and follow Him.
After dispersing and fleeing at the sign of the coming crucifixion, the disciples gathered back together fearing that a similar fate would befall them. What was that tense gathering like? Without Jesus around them, were the old squabbles renewed? Were they blaming each other for the events of that Friday? Were they even able to make eye contact, knowing that they had each abandoned their teacher, their hoped-for messiah?
It was fear that gathered them, but it was the love of Jesus and the outpouring of His peace that transformed them into the Church. It was Jesus who had first called them to Himself from all their various origins, from tax collectors’ posts, and fishing boats, from competing religious and political groups. He gathered them together, and now He gathers them anew. He gathers them in with “Peace be with you” and, breathing upon them, gives them Spirit and life. Christ makes community because he makes them something more than they could have ever hoped or imagined. Together, they become the body of Christ. Are we ready to be transformed into the body of Christ?
Practice
In our first reading, we find a community of believers who come together and actually pool all of their resources to support each other: “There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need” (Acts 4:34-35). We know from other parts of scripture that this community was a little bit like the apostles: they came from different backgrounds, disagreed on certain points, and might not be friends if it weren’t for their shared faith in Jesus Christ.
Much has changed in the more than 2000 years since Jesus was born, and yet much of what is true of community remains the same: we argue, we struggle, we celebrate.
If you do not belong to a community that challenges you, supports you, celebrates with you, struggles with you, seek it out. And if you don’t find community readily available, then make community. Begin to form a community with those you already have around you: co-workers, neighbors, family. If these budding communities are imperfect, then rejoice - you are in good company! Remember the apostles themselves were imperfect and they spent three years in Jesus’s presence.
Community is essential to the Christian life. We cannot - and should not - live life alone. We are called to love one another, serve one another, and be with one another. The best way to create community is to be community to those around you: serve them, love them, and care for them. Let God do the rest.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
How were you a tangible sign of the resurrection last week?
Where have you experienced a community like that of the early church as described in our first reading?
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Take some time to pray a Divine Mercy chaplet and contemplate the image of Divine Mercy.
Our second reading says that the commandments “are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Our culture seems to disagree. What do you think?
When have you doubted the Lord? What was God’s response to that? What helps you have faith in Him now?
Easter Sunday
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place” (John 20:6-7).
St. John is surprisingly detailed when retelling the story of his encounter of the empty tomb: “When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place” (John 20:6-7). The burial cloth are described as “lying there” (Gk: ta othonia keimena) and the facecloth as “rolled up in a separate place” (Gk: to soudarion… xoris entetyligmenon eis hena topon). This is certainly not the way grave robbers would have left the tomb had they taken the body, but rather indicates that someone had taken an unusual degree of care, almost as if to give a sign to those who were to find it.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He gave His apostles tangible signs of the Resurrection: The tomb is empty. The burial cloths are lying there flat, fallen, as if Jesus’s body had just passed through them. The shroud around his head is wrapped, off to the side, almost as if to say to the disciples, “I will be back.” And St. John, arriving at the tomb, and noticing these little signs, “saw and believed” (Jn 20:7).
Jesus’s Resurrection is tangible. It is real. It matters. In fact, it changes everything.
It can be difficult for us to enter into the joy of the Resurrection because we experience Lent knowing the end of the story: Jesus rises from the dead. But for the apostles, this was not a foregone conclusion. It is helpful to read the Easter gospel readings and meditate on them and put yourself in the shoes of the apostles - what must they have been feeling? What would the tomb have looked like? Jesus’s last meal was on Holy Thursday, and yet we know that he eats fish with His apostles later. Jesus stopped breathing on Good Friday and so He must have had a first breath that Easter Sunday morning. What tangible signs of the Resurrection do you see in the readings? These tangible signs can be an important means through which God communicates to us and helps us remember the incredible mystery of our salvation.
Now as we celebrate the great joy of Easter, this most holy day of the year, let us ask God how we ourselves can be a tangible sign of the Resurrection in our daily life.
Practice
We handed out an Easter gift this year, a beautiful decal with the word “Risen.” One small way we can be a visible sign of the Resurrection is to proudly display this decal somewhere at home, on our car, or at work. Let this decal be a reminder to us that we are called to bear witness to the risen Christ.
How can you be a visible sign of the resurrection? Maybe you can bring joy to someone’s day who might be lonely or discouraged. If God gives you an opportunity to do so, you can respond with grace and joy if you do not get your way. Perhaps you can greet everyone you meet with a genuine smile.
There are an infinite number of ways to witness this Easter joy in your daily life: ask God to show you how He is calling you to bear witness to the joy of the Resurrection.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Last week we focused on preparing for Holy Week. What preparations helped you enter more fully into Holy Week?
The author of Acts of the Apostles writes that the apostles “ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41). Why do you think it is so important to him that Jesus ate and drank with them after rising from the dead?
The Letter to the Corinthians says “Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” What old yeast do you need to rid from your life in order to celebrate Easter with full joy?
Read through the Easter sequence again. What stands out to you?
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
How has your life been changed because of the Resurrection?
What is one way this week you can be a tangible sign of the resurrection?
Palm Sunday
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel’” (Jn 12:12-13).
What a fascinating day in our liturgical calendar: Palm Sunday. Today we celebrate both the triumphant entry of Jesus on a donkey into Jerusalem, and moments later we proclaim His Passion. This intense juxtaposition calls to mind the complexity of our relationship with God: one moment we praise His name and thank Him for the good gifts He has given us, and the next we forget His sovereignty and sin against Him.
Thankfully, Jesus’s saving power does not depend on our actions. He died for our sins whether we accept Him as our savior or not. He entered into Jerusalem amid cheers of joy, and processed up Calvary to shouts and spitting from onlookers - how many people celebrated His entry into Jerusalem and yet scorned him a few days later on Good Friday?
The Church chooses this great juxtaposition of themes on Palm Sunday to begin Holy Week. We hold in tension the joy and the struggle, the triumph and the pain. We long for Easter and begin to make our preparations, and yet we continue to fast these last days of Lent. Today we shout both “Hosanna!” and “Crucify Him!” Let us solemnly prepare our hearts and our homes for Holy Week and the joy of Easter that we know is soon to come.
Practice
On Palm Sunday, the first reading typically happens before the priest enters into the church - it is a reading detailing the journey of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. More than half of this reading describes the process by which the apostles found the colt Jesus sat upon as He rode into Jerusalem. We also see preparation in our Gospel, when Jesus details how the preparation of Passover should go. Jesus knows that preparation is very important. Palm Sunday is the ultimate preparation for Holy Week: we proclaim the Lord’s Passion at Mass and we know Good Friday is just around the corner.
Dedicate some time this week to prepare your home and heart for Holy Week. St. Ann offers a “Bringing Holy Week Home” guide that can help you prepare - make sure to pick one up if you haven’t already (or check it out online here). Spend some time reading the guide and preparing to celebrate Holy Week! These are the most holy days of the year. It will take a bit of time and dedication to prepare well for them. God Himself knows how important the preparation is, and He knows the dedication it takes.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Where in your life did God bring new life this past week?
What is the most important way you can prepare your heart for Holy Week? What about your home?
Picture Jesus coming down a street near your home - what would that look like today? Would we wave palm branches or something else? How would you greet Him?
When in your life, if at all, have you ever felt abandoned by God? How did you come to know that God was with you throughout that experience?
St. Paul mentions that at the very name of Jesus, every knee shall bend. How can you have a more profound appreciation for the name of Jesus?
What part of our Lord’s Passion stuck out to you this week? What do you think God might be saying to you through this?
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Our culture seems to be infused with “Oooo, shiny!” syndrome. There’s always a new phone, a new app, a new meme, a new (fill-in-the-blank) ready to divert our attention. Old simply doesn’t sell very well. In fact, most things aren’t prized for how long they will last, but rather for the new bells and whistles they include.
Today’s psalmist begs the Lord to “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:12a). Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as running out and getting the newest model. Here in the tail end of Lent, we might find ourselves wishing God would just give us a new heart already. We’re sick of the old one - it’s bruised, beaten, lazy, inconsistent - it’s not working as well as we would like it to.
The pedagogy of God (the way He teaches us) does not follow the way of the world though, thankfully. God helps us make slow, incremental steps toward holiness. There can be miraculous breakthroughs, of course, but the path to holiness is paved with prayer, consistency, reliance on God, and humility.
When we ask God for new life, we are not asking for Him to pluck us out of our current life and drop us off in a new one - for that “new life” would not in fact be our life at all. Rather, we ask him to open the windows of our heart, if you will, to drive out the stale air and allow His breath to fill the space. Let today be the day this refrain remains on your lips: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Practice
Where in your life do you most need God to bring new life? What area of your “house” is “stale”? Holy Week is almost here: let us prepare ourselves by inviting the Lord to create in us clean hearts so we can worship Him fully.
Perhaps your relationship with yourself needs refreshing - have you been chastising yourself unnecessarily, or perhaps obsessing over something that doesn’t deserve your time and attention? Maybe your relationships with others could use God’s healing touch - perhaps your “clean heart” would involve a healing of jealousy, anger, or resentment. Or perhaps the relationship most in need of new life is your relationship with God: maybe you have not been giving Him the priority he deserves, or perhaps you have been avoiding letting him into one aspect of your life.
These readings are preparing us for Christ’s death on the cross - the last line of our gospel is “He said this indicating the kind of death he would die” (John 12:33). Next week is Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, where we hear the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed. Sometimes we must die to ourselves in order to see the new life God wants to bring into our life. Like the grain of wheat that falls to the ground, we are called to endure small deaths, but it is in these small deaths that God works His greatest victories. What small death is God asking you to endure so He can bring you new life?
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
When do you plan to receive reconciliation next? If you have already been, what was it like to return to God’s mercy through the sacrament of reconciliation?
God desires for us to be His people: what do you think it means to be “His people”?
God desires to write His law in our hearts? What does that mean to you? How can you invite Him into your life and allow Him to write His law on your heart?
The Letter to the Hebrews mentions Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb 5:8) - What does that mean to you? How can you turn your suffering into greater obedience to God the Father?
What does it mean to you to know that Jesus was “troubled” when thinking about how He would die for us?
Next week is Holy Week: do you have a space for a home altar prepared so you can bring Holy Week into your home?
We are told in the scriptures that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit, a place where God desires to dwell, a house for Him. When you close your eyes and think about it, what do you imagine the “house” of your heart looks like? Is there anything that makes it cluttered, dusty or cramped? What do you think Jesus desires in order to make it a more pure, open and spacious area for the Holy Spirit to dwell?
Where in your life do you think God desires to bring new life? How do you think God desires to bring this about?
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16)
You may have heard that it is harder on the parent than it is on the child for a parent to allow a child to suffer the natural consequences of his or her actions. This is the very thing we see in the first reading: God asks his people to follow his commandments, even sends them messengers to remind them, and still His people do not follow God’s law. And so the Lord allows the natural consequence to happen: “Their enemies burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects” (2 Chr 36:19). God, in His mercy, and as a loving Father, allows the natural consequence out of His love for His people.
Often remedies are not what we want them to be; they are instead what we need them to be. A sick person might need strong medicine to heal his body, a broken bone might need to be reset to heal properly, someone with a challenging past might need to speak with someone who can help. One of the hardest things is to reveal our wounds to another. We much prefer to live in darkness: “the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light,because their works were evil” (John 3:19). Yet God’s healing requires the light. The Light of the World conquered the Prince of Darkness: let us not live as though darkness has conquered the light. Let us not live as though the darkness is preferable.
Lent is not typically the easiest time of the year, because it often brings to light what we have been worshipping as idols. And yet God and the Church bid us to “Rejoice!” even in the midst of Lent. We rejoice because God loves us, we rejoice because Jesus died for us, we rejoice because we are His chosen people. This fourth Sunday of Lent is Laetare Sunday - the middle Sunday of Lent dedicated to rejoicing. God, knowing His people very well, gives us this gift just when we need a little extra boost to remain faithful to our disciplines which help us return to Him this Lent. Let us rejoice in the fact that God loves us, and that He is right here with us as we suffer the natural consequences of not loving Him perfectly.
Practice
Sometimes we see and hear of huge declarations of love: Valentine’s Day brings us a plethora of social media posts singing the praises of loved ones, we hear stories of elaborate marriage proposals, we see graffiti with the lovebirds’ initials carved into stone. How often do we bask in God’s love for us? What else does God need to do to get our attention? He has declared his love for us, pursued us as a jealous lover, and sent His very Son to die for us. Our readings for today help us remember that God is the greatest lover of all: “Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!” (Ps 137:6), “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16), “...because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ” (Eph 2:4).
One of the ways we can bask in God’s love for us is by being reconciled with Him through the sacrament of reconciliation. The very word reconciliation suggests being “eyelash to eyelash” with someone - imagine two people so close together that their eyelashes touch. In reconciliation we bring to light the things that have separated us from God, but in bringing them to light these impurities and weaknesses vanish like dew in the midday’s sun. This week, make a commitment to return to God’s mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation, to bring to light what needs healing, and to bask in God’s love for you.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What has helped you enter into Mass more deeply this past week?
What might happen if God did not allow us to experience the natural consequences of our actions?
Think of a time you struggled to bring something to light and were grateful you chose to bring it to light. Why is it often easier to let something remain hidden in the dark? What do you gain by bringing things to light?
When have you recently felt God’s immense love for you? What did that feel like? How did it help you grow closer to the Lord?
When do you plan to receive God’s mercy and love in the sacrament of reconciliation? Our parish will host reconciliation services twice in the upcoming weeks: March 22 (at St. Ann) and March 24 (at St. Ann and all other Dallas diocese parishes).
At this point in the Lenten season we can feel worn out or discouraged by our Lenten disciplines or by our struggle to keep them faithfully. How can God refresh you by His grace so that you can finish Lent strong?
Third Sunday in Lent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.” (Ps 19:7)
Today’s responsorial psalm, Psalm 19, picks up in the middle of the psalm. The first verses, which we do not hear in today’s Mass, speak of God’s glory manifested in creation. The psalmist speaks of the heavens declaring God’s glory. Looking up at a clear night sky, especially away from the lights of the city, leaves us breathless. Seeing the beauty of a night sky, we feel compelled to praise the Artist who set all the lights in the dark canvas. How many artists have tried to capture the majesty of a sunrise or a sunset? How many of us have been brought back to the delights of childhood seeing a rainbow after storm?
The psalmist sees that same beauty, dignity, majesty, and delight in God’s law. God knew how our hearts were prone to jealousy and envy, and so He gave us commandments against coveting. He knew that anger would often reign in our hearts, and so we have commandments against killing. God made us for truth, or rather for Truth itself, and so gave us a commandment against false witness. Through our pride, we often declare ourselves our own rulers and makers, so God teaches us to honor our parents. In honoring our parents, we are strengthened and formed to respond to God, to live as He made us to live.
Knowing that our hearts tend to be distracted by earthly things, God commands us to make no idols, but to worship Him alone. God teaches us to honor Him and His name, giving him the respect due to His great power and love. God knows how we like to busy ourselves and distract ourselves, so He gave us the sabbath day, a day to rest in Him and with Him, a day to gaze upon the One who loves us more than we could ever hope or imagine. Now in the new covenant, through the great gift of Jesus upon the cross, we have the opportunity to not only gaze upon the One who loves us, but we hear His voice in the reading of the scriptures and He enters into our very bodies when we eat His flesh in the Eucharist.
God’s creation proclaims the glory of the Lord. And His law speaks of that same glory to our hearts. As the psalmist says, God’s law “refreshes the soul,” “gives wisdom to the simple,” “rejoices the heart,” and “enlightens the eye.”Let us pray that we find the commandments as life-giving as God intends them to be.
Practice
Our sabbath guides begin with a suggestion for how to structure our sabbath. This week, we invite you to take a step further specifically in regards to the Mass: choose one way to enter into Mass more deeply.
One way we can enter into Mass more deeply is to pray with the scriptures ahead of time. You can easily find the readings on the USCCB website. Take time to sit down, read through the scriptures, and ponder what they might mean for your life. Ask God to make clear what he wants to tell you through these particular passages. This way, while you are at Mass, listening to the readings will be like greeting an old and familiar friend - yet you can still get something new out of hearing the readings proclaimed at Mass.
Another way to enter into Mass more deeply is to learn more about the Mass, its structure, and the beauty behind the various things you see, hear, taste, and smell. Fr. Paul and Joey Scancella have a great series on the “Prodigal and the Priest” podcast. The first episode in the series is “Mass Part 1”.
Yet another way to enter into Mass more deeply is to “cleanse your temple” - to remove anything distracting you from truly worshipping God with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Perhaps a fast from social media or gossipping would most honor the Lord. Or maybe you refrain from checking your phone before going into Mass and instead take 10 minutes to read over the scriptures or pray silently. You might consider getting rid of certain items that lead to unhealthy habits in your life.
Although “keep holy the sabbath” meant something very different in Old Testament times, it is no less important today. It is perhaps even more important in today’s day and age where Sunday just seems to be yet another day to get stuff done. Let’s take this time to set Sunday apart and consecrate it for the Lord as he has repeatedly asked us to do. After all, the commandment to “honor the sabbath” is not for God’s benefit, but rather for ours!
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
How was your time alone with Jesus last week? How can you continue to enter into solitude this Lent?
What makes it hard for you to enter fully into the Mass? What can you do to enter more deeply into the Mass?
Which of the commandments is the easiest for you to honor? Which of the commandments do you find most difficult to honor?
The first part of our Sabbath guides give structure for how to honor the Sabbath. Have you been able to honor the Sabbath well in recent months? What can you do to better honor God on the Sabbath?
Today, we do not think of “carving idols” in the way the Israelites did, but we do indeed still have idols today. What idols do you think God is asking you to get rid of? Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit - how do you think God desires to cleanse this temple?
Why do you think the psalmist thinks of God’s words as “more precious than gold”? Do you have a similar attitude towards the word of God?
Second Sunday in Lent
Check out the Sabbath Guide for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time!
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them” (Mark 9:2).
We find a peculiar description in this week’s gospel recounting the scene of the transfiguration. We hear that “Jesus took Peter, James, and John” with Him and “led them up a high mountain apart by themselves” (Mark 9:2). What is interesting is that they climb the mountain together and yet they are described as being “apart by themselves”. The moment of the Transfiguration in the gospels has often been described by Pope Benedict XVI as a “prayer event” (Jesus of Nazareth, p.310); and the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that, “Jesus often draws apart to pray in solitude, on a mountain … He includes all men in his prayer” (CCC 2602). The details Mark uses to describe the ascent where the apostles with Jesus are together and yet “apart by themselves” makes more sense when seen from this view. This seemingly insignificant phrase shows us that to encounter Jesus in the transfiguration we must also be apart by ourselves and find solitude.
Mingled in the subtlety of the words is the principle that the solitude needed for prayer is not isolation. The apostles are with Jesus in this event and they are near one another as well; they are close to Christ and therefore closer to one another. Often we get the terms isolation and solitude mixed up. The absence of others in activity is not solitude. Watching shows, scrolling through social media, or playing video games, while possibly being enjoyable and not evil in themselves, fit more in the category of isolation. As John Mark Comer appropriately defines it, “Solitude is engagement; isolation is escape” (The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry p.134). To be in solitude, as we see in the Gospel, does not mean to be completely alone but “to be” with Jesus and to rest in His presence and His love. The solitude in which we pray is in many ways an imitation of Elijah and Moses in the scene who were “conversing with Jesus” (Mark 9:4). Coming into this dialogue with Jesus requires that we first take time to slow down and become aware of the presence of God who is with us “at every time and in every place” (CCC 1).
Then, shrouded in the cloud of the Holy Spirit, the voice of God the Father like lightning struck the heart of the apostles with such thunder that it reverberates down to us today with the words, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7). At some point, we too ought to allow these words to strike us to stillness so that we can look up and peer above the frenetic activity that we inevitably allow ourselves to be swept into, and in solitude allow our mind, our body, our breath, our heart, our vision and the sole activity of our entire being to abide with “Jesus alone” (Mark 9:8). One of the most powerfully unique displays of glory in the Gospels is the Transfiguration. At the pinnacle of the Transfiguration, Jesus opens to His disciples access to the elevation of His prayer with the Father, and shows them where His strength comes from. This revelation is an invitation for us to take time to rise above the hectic speed of the day and enter into time with God. Here in this breathtaking experience, Peter, James, and John were shown the incredible power that comes from being “apart by themselves” in solitude with Jesus.
Practice
This week, take time to be alone with Jesus. There are many ways to practice solitude: observe silence as you drive, don’t look at your phone when you are eating, listen to a piece of music intentionally, eliminate all unnecessary multitasking.
So many times we think that we need to work hard, do more, speed things up. Perhaps God is actually asking us to pray intentionally, do less, and slow things down. St. Paul asks, "Will he not also give us everything else along with him?" (Romans 8:32). We must ask ourselves this question: if we seek the presence of God in solitude, will He not give us Himself but also many other things as well?
Solitude can seem very daunting at first - it can certainly be a sacrifice. God calls us to be ready to make this sacrifice, just as He asked Abraham to be prepared to sacrifice his son. We can know from the sacrifice of Abraham that although God asks us to make challenging sacrifices, He will be with us, and He will provide what we need.
Let us remember that we are human beings, not human “doings”. Peter wanted to do something, instead of engaging with what God was doing. Let’s spend time with Jesus in solitude and disengage from the busy world for a moment in order to re-engage with what God is doing in our lives. Perhaps this time alone with Jesus will allow us to remember that we are His beloved child with whom He is well pleased.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to examine your conscience and perhaps receive Reconciliation? If not, when might you be able to receive Reconciliation this Lent?
We know that when Elijah and Moses appeared, they were “conversing with Jesus” (Mark 9:4). What do you think they were talking about?
Why do you think solitude is so difficult especially in our times?
Our last pre-pandemic Mass was this day in 2020. How has this time been for you: have you cultivated a fruitful solitude during this year? How can you begin or continue to have fruitful solitude in your life?
What do we value more than the Lord? Abraham was willing to sacrifice his beloved son - what are we willing to sacrifice? Are we more like Peter who wants to stay on the mountain? Where do we choose comfort and what is easy over the Lord?
Fasting is one of the ways we can sacrifice. On March 3 we will be talking about fasting in depth - a perfect topic for Lent! Would you be willing and able to join us either in person or online for Cultivate at 7 pm Wednesday March 3?
First Sunday in Lent
Check out the Sabbath Guide for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time!
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29).
The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him" (Mk 1:12-13).
At the very beginning of Jesus's public ministry, immediately after his baptism, He is driven by the Spirit out into the desert. In the other Gospels we are told that Jesus fasted and prayed, and we learn in detail of the testing that he underwent during those forty days. But here, in St. Mark's Gospel, where everything is told with such economy and brevity, one word sticks out among the others. During these forty days in the desert, we are told, Jesus was "among wild beasts".
The desert can be a fearsome place, full of strange sounds and shifting visions. It is a solitary place, where one can be so alone with one's thoughts that they start to seem like a companion... or an adversary. In a world so full of noise and the shallow droning of digital distractions, it can be frightening to venture out into a quiet place and be alone with our thoughts, our memory, our personal demons. The "wild beasts" of our past.
Yet for Jesus, the wilderness of the desert is not a place of weakness, but a place of strength. It is the place of intimacy with the Father, not a lonely place but a place of communion, of refreshment, and of life. The Lord of all Creation, the Divine Word through Whom all things exist, strides out into the desert to tame the wild beasts and to recreate it as a paradise for us. He, the new Adam, walks among the wild beasts as their Lord, giving them a new name (Gen 2:19; Rev 2:17), and making them a new creation. For forty days He dwells among wild beasts as did Noah of old, whose ark "prefigured baptism, which saves you now" (1 Pt 2:21).
Christ in the desert invites us to follow Him, here at the beginning of Lent. To be not afraid of wild beasts, or of the silence. To leave behind the noise and seek after Him, purifying our minds and hearts by acts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. He invites us to seek Him where He may be found, in a place quiet enough that we may hear His voice clearly and understand the loving gravity of His words: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mk 1:15).
Practice
Lent is a perfect time to take a moment and reflect. This week, make a good examination of your conscience. It’s often helpful to have a guide to help you with this; here is a great examination of conscience.
We do not examine our conscience to punish ourselves or dwell on our past mistakes but rather to truly “repent and believe in the Gospel” as Jesus tells us to do. True repentance comes with true humility, and humility is only possible if we live fully grounded reality.
Before you examine your conscience, ask God to help you see your life as He does. While you are reflecting, there is no need to justify yourself nor condemn yourself. The virtue is instead in the middle: an honest reflection of your past life with sorrow for having distanced yourself from God, and also with a hopeful look for the future, promising God to “sin no more and avoid whatever leads me to sin”.
God has established a covenant with us that we cannot break, even by sinning. He wants nothing more than for you to return to Him this Lent. The first step is to approach Him in the sacrament of Reconciliation. We have two parish Reconciliation events this Lent: March 24 and March 31. Let’s start off Lent by thoroughly examining our conscience and firmly intending to keep his covenant.
Discussion Questions
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What relationship did you focus on last week? How did your relationship grow or strengthen?
What does it mean to you that God has made a covenant with you?
The second reading, from St. Peter, calls to mind Holy Saturday when Jesus visits the souls in Sheol. What do you notice about this image of Jesus reaching out to two souls?
Why do you think the Holy Spirit “drove Jesus out into the desert” (Mark 1:12)?
What does it mean to you when Jesus says “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15)?
How do you feel about making an examination of conscience? Does it intimidate you or inspire you to grow in holiness?
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Check out the Sabbath Guide for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time!
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” (Mark 1:40-41)
In our Gospel we see Jesus encounter this poor leper and, moved with pity, restore him to health and to a place in society. The law commanded that lepers should be ostracized, staying far away from everyone lest they infect the others: “The one who bears the sore of leprosy … shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:44-46). To be a leper was to be an outcast, unfit to be near, less than human, homeless. Viewed from this angle, we might notice that there is more of an outbreak of “leprosy” in our times than we would have thought. We might not have ever encountered someone with such a severe skin disease, yet we can be so quick to treat others as if they were lepers that we “cancel” them, evicting them from our lives. The irony is that when we ostracize others in this way, we are the ones who become spiritual lepers, separating ourselves from communion and sowing division.
When we hear in the Gospel of the encounter of Jesus and the leper, we see that He approaches the situation differently. Jesus is not afraid of contact with this man. He looks deeper. Approaching Jesus, the leper asks with bold humility, “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40), and in response, Jesus grants His request. It’s interesting to note that, in a way, Jesus takes on the lot of the leper; because of the leper spreading the news of Jesus healing him, He is now forced to remain “outside in deserted places” (Mark 1:45), much like what a leper might do. In some translations of the prophet Isaiah we read, “It was he who carried the weight of it, our miseries, and it was he who bore them. A leper, so we thought of him, a man God had smitten and brought low; and all the while it was for our sins he was wounded, it was guilt of ours crushed him down; on him the punishment fell that brought us peace, by his bruises we were healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). Jesus takes on the leprosy of sin which divides us, and then unites us in Himself. Going forth from the home of heaven, Jesus becomes ‘homeless’: “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58). He who is the perfect embodiment of love and truth maintains this tension in Himself for our sake and extends to us the invitation to our true home with Him in heaven. When we enter on the path which Jesus has laid out for us, we inevitably pass through the same tension. To travel the road towards the homeland of heaven means passing through the homelessness of being a Christian.
Often we hear people tell us not to “burn bridges” in our relationships and connections with others, and instead to find ways to cross over into each other's lives. St. Ephrem notes in a homily that Jesus “is the son of the carpenter, who skillfully made His cross a bridge … and brought mankind over into the dwelling of life” (Homily on Our Lord, 4). Jesus continually and freely stretched Himself out for others despite knowing that He would be walked on; He held the tension between divinity and humanity so that we could enter into His life over the chasm of death. If we have begun to traverse that which He has laid down for us, we are called to become, as part of His body, a path for others towards His life. The true strength of our faith does not consist in creating obstacles. St. John Chrysostom in a homily said, “If you are strong, then let the weak test your strength” (Homilies on Romans, 27). If we are a strong plank of the path, we should not be surprised at the tension when we are crossed over. Are we an obstacle or an invitation to Christ? Are we a bridge or a pit? Are we following Christ and allowing ourselves to be an open door to eternity, even if this might mean homelessness in the present?
PRACTICE
Our world has had an intense focus on cleanliness and hygiene for about a year now. We’ve also had an experience of not physically being able to be close to many people. As we hear in Leviticus, a leper was instructed to shout out “Unclean!” before approaching anyone and would make his tent outside the community’s camp. This could make for a very isolating experience!
Who are the “lepers” of our culture? Who do you consciously avoid or consider to be unclean in your life? When you see someone asking for money or food or just a “hello” on the side of the road, do you acknowledge her presence? Do you find yourself avoiding a certain co-worker or relative? Are you avoiding bringing up something with a friend or family member, and therefore avoiding deep conversation with that person?
This week, pick one relationship in your life that needs Jesus’s healing touch. What is one thing you can do to reach out to this person this week? Perhaps you cannot physically reach out, but you can write a letter or call them. If necessary, perhaps you could seek or offer forgiveness. Lent is about to begin: now is the time to be reconciled not only to God, but also to those around us!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to find out a bit more about the Connect Groups St. Ann has to offer? Or did you thank God for having a great community in your life?
When have you felt separated from friends and family? How did it feel? How did you deal with that situation? Who helped to bring you back into relationship with others?
Do you turn to the Lord when you are in distress, as our psalmist strives to do? Or do you find yourself turning to other things instead?
St. Paul exports us: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). In what ways have you been able to imitate Christ? In what ways can you be more like Christ this week?
If you knew you could approach Jesus to be made completely clean, what would you present to him for healing?
Why do you think Jesus tells the leper “See that you tell no one anything” (Mark 1:44)?
The psalmist and the leper are both very open and honest about their need for healing. What makes it challenging for you to be honest about the healing you need? Do you hide this from the Lord? What would happen if we ask God to heal us? Lent is fast approaching: do you have a plan to receive healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Check out the Sabbath Guide for the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time!
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.” (Mk 1:31)
Last week, Jesus healed a man who had been afflicted by a demon. As you may recall, he healed that man through a calm command. The same Word breathed out over the formless void that spoke the world into being spoke to that man and restored order into his life. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law not through His words, but approaching her and taking her hand.
Christ the bridegroom came to her, sought her, took her by the hand, and was a helpmate to her. Whereas in last week’s Gospel, Jesus is proclaimed as the divine Word of God, the divine Logos, today, Christ is proclaimed as the bridegroom of our souls. He knows the longings and imperfections of our lives and seeks to satisfy them with the love that only He who is Love itself can provide. He desires to come into our souls, to take us by the hand, just as he took the hand of this simple woman. A woman whose name we never learn, and whose story consists of two verses. Yet still her story is told, and her story echoes in our own hearts every time we allow Christ to approach our own sick beds.
With this healing touch of Christ, she is now able to overcome the despair felt by Job, who declares life “drudgery” (Jb 7:1) and his days like that of a slave. In response to our original sin, God placed on Adam and all his descendents the punishment of toil, but from the beginning it was not so. Job sees only the punishment, but Simon’s mother-in-law has received a great gift. She has returned to the blessed days in the garden when Adam and Eve labored alongside God in caring for the earth, and her response, given in gratitude, is service. There is no lingering fatigue from the disease that had kept her bed ridden, but there is a deeper significance yet to this miracle of physical healing. Christ heals our bodies as outward signs of that more perfect gift that He offers in healing our souls. When Simon’s mother-in-law experienced that deeper, more perfect healing, her response was to cooperate in Christ’s own ministry. Once served, once touched, once filled with God’s love, she can say with Jesus, “I have come not to be served, but to serve” (cf. Mt 20:28).
PRACTICE
Jesus loves bringing healing to people. Sometimes he visits the sick (in the case of Simon’s mother-in-law) and other times the sick are brought to him (“they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons”) (Mark 4:24).
Who in your life is sick and in need of healing? Have you brought them to Jesus? Perhaps you can bring them to Jesus by placing them at his feet in prayer. Consider visiting them and praying with them and asking for healing. Or maybe you can bring Jesus to them by bringing healing into their life just by listening to them and being with them, which was what Job seemed to need in his time of distress.
What needs healing in your own life? What has been a source of stress, resentment, hardship? What takes away your peace? Now is the time to bring this to the Lord. Be honest with him about what is ailing you. As St. Jerome tells us, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” Do not be afraid to bring your illness to Jesus - see how quickly and easily he heals people in the Gospel and have confidence that he loves you and wants to heal you!
Jesus often heals us through community, and the Gospels make clear we are not meant to live the Christian life alone. Just as people brought the ill and possessed among them to Jesus, we are still called to bring each other to Jesus today. One of the great ways we can do that at St. Ann is by joining a Connect Group. Connect Groups are mid-sized groups of 16 to 20 people who want to be in community as well as deepen their faith. They are places where people are known, loved, and cared for while being encouraged to continue their journey of discipleship. If you have not already joined a Connect Group, consider learning more about them and perhaps trying out one in the next week or two.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What word did God speak to you last week? How did that affect your week?
Have you ever felt like Job, as if “man’s life on earth [is] a drudgery” (Job 7:1). In what ways?
Have you ever experienced healing from the Lord, perhaps in a physical, emotional, or spiritual way?
Who brings/brought you to Jesus when you are/were ill? Who have you brought to Jesus for healing?
Why do you think St. Paul says “I have become all things to all, to save at least some” (1 Cor. 9:22)? Have you ever tried to be like another person to try to bring them to Jesus?
Has your experience of work lately been more of a drudgery or fruitful labor?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Act out this scene! One child be Jesus and the others (or parents) be those who are sick and need healing.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel we find Jesus healing the sick and casting out demons. When Jesus meets people who are sick or in pain he cares for them. Many people come to Jesus for healing including Simon’s mother-in-law. Jesus brings goodness and health to those in need.
PRACTICE
This week, take time to pray for those who might be sick around you. Maybe you have a relative who is sick and needs your prayers. Or maybe you have a friend who is feeling a little under the weather. Ask God to be with them, heal them, and care for them.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do people who are hurt and sick come to Jesus?
How does Jesus show love and care for people who are sick?
What does Jesus do after he heals people?
Where do you find Jesus’ healing love in the world today?
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Check out the Sabbath Guide for the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time!
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“All were amazed and asked one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him’” (Mk 1:27).
Our Gospel presents the first miracle of Jesus' public ministry in the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. We see Jesus teaching with authority and casting out an unclean spirit from the man in the synagogue simply by a word of command. He does not speak like the scribes, who hand down the tradition they had received, but with authority, exousia. This Greek word exousia means literally "from his being/nature" and signifies the absolute power, authority, and sovereignty which Jesus has over all things. He is not only "a prophet like Moses'' (Dt 18:15) but the Word Incarnate, through whom all things were made, who speaks with the same authoritative word that created the world: "Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light" (Gen 1:3). He begins His ministry on the sabbath day by casting out this unclean spirit to show us that He has come to renew, or re-create, all things, and to usher in the definitive sabbath rest of the kingdom of God.
Notice the contrast between silence and noise in this scene. Jesus, full of power, does not need to raise His voice or exert himself. He has merely to command, "Quiet! Come out of him!" and the unclean spirit obeys (Mk 1:26). The demoniac, by contrast, is full of noise and chaos; we see how the unclean spirit "convulsed him", and came out of him "with a loud cry". C.S. Lewis once wrote of how much the devil loves noise for its own sake, and desires to make our hearts into a kingdom of noise where there is no room for the silence of God: "Music and silence–how I detest them both!….[Hell] has been occupied by Noise–Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile–Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end….The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end. " (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)
There is another scene in Mark's Gospel where we see Jesus use the same combination of words of power. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus "rebuked" the wind and the sea, commanding it: "Quiet! Be still!" At the command of the Word Incarnate, "even wind and sea obey", and there was a "great calm" (Mk 4:41, 39). In a world consumed with noise and distraction, with too many reasons to be fearful or anxious, Jesus commands us as well: "Quiet! Be still!" He sets our hearts at rest by a word, creating in us the silence and the peace which accompany His reign in the kingdom of God.
PRACTICE
It is clear from our first reading how God desires to speak to his people. He never tires of communicating with us. “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Psalm 95:7-8) - this week let us quiet our hearts, allow our bodies to be at rest, and let our minds be still so we may clearly see what God wants to communicate to us.
Take some time to be quiet this week. If silence is very new and unnerving to you, take at least 3 minutes to just listen each day this week. Put your phone on airplane mode, shut off any music or noise, and just sit and listen. It might be helpful to have an image of Jesus in front of you as you sit in silence, or perhaps you would rather close your eyes.
If you have already befriended silence, make a point to have a longer space of silence this week. Challenge yourself a bit by spending 30 minutes (or more!) in silence perhaps in the chapel or by going for a meditative walk outside.
Jesus’s words are powerful, but they can be easily missed if we are caught up in the noise of this world and our own minds. Allow his simple yet powerful word which He speaks to you to guide your day and your week.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
How did you choose to “appreciate the inexhaustible riches” found in the Bible last week? Did you grow in your appreciation of the Word of God this past week?
St. Paul wants us to be able to “[adhere] to the Lord without distraction” (1 Cor. 7:35). What most typically distracts you from the Lord? What is one thing you can do to lessen this distraction?
What has been your experience with silence up to this point in your life?
What is one time you heard God speak to you clearly and powerfully? What did He say to you?
How has noise or distraction crowded out God’s voice in your life? Have you ever ignored the voice of the Lord, as the Israelites did at Meribah and Massah in the desert (Ps 95:8-9)?
St. Paul encourages us to be “anxious about the things of the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:32). What are you anxious about now?
On the Sabbath day, Jesus brought quiet to the man possessed by the noise and clamor of the demon. How have you sought after the silence that Jesus desires to bring on the Sabbath? Have you been able to honor the Sabbath lately or do you need to renew your commitment to keep the Sabbath holy?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Make a list of people who have authority in your life- teachers, parents, police officers, etc. Is Jesus on the list of people who have authority in your life? Why or Why not?
CONNECTION
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches and people are amazed at his words and actions. So much so that “his fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region.” And 2000 years later, His message and name are still being spread and we are a part of that! We are called to continue to spread his message throughout the world.
PRACTICE
This week, follow the adult practice above. Sitting in silence/quiet is a learned skill and if we start practicing it at a young age, it will help us to develop it!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do you think the people were amazed and astonished at the way Jesus taught?
Where did Jesus’ authority come from?
Can you name any people in whom you have seen the power of God at work like it was with Jesus?
What are some of the ways we can still hear Jesus' voice today teaching us how to live?
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Check out our Sabbath Guide for The Second Sunday of Ordinary Time!
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand… Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:15, 17)
When we begin to read scripture it can be quite confusing. It is appropriate to take some time to look at the big picture of what the Bible is all about, especially on this ‘Word of God’ Sunday which Pope Francis has set aside as “a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people” (Pope Francis, Motu Proprio instituting the Sunday of the Word of God, Aperuit Illis). Perhaps some of you have begun the new year trying to read Scripture and have started with Genesis. It is interesting how when reading the first chapters we can see a microcosm of the whole scripture laid out for us. Everything that happens seems to echo those first few opening moments of creation. When we get to the Gospels we see how Jesus, by his words and actions, makes present again this creative activity from Genesis, bringing about the new creation. St. Ephrem the Syrian tells us, “Take note, therefore, of how His [creative] activity is mixed with everything” (Commentary on the Diatessaron).
In our Gospel today, we see the signs of this new genesis, the re-creation which the Messiah brings. Jesus, after His baptism and the forty days in the wilderness, now comes forth as the Word of God who speaks the Gospel. Jesus, in His person, is the “Gospel of God” (Mark 1:14), the truly good news which God has to share with us. The truth is real; it is a person, and He has come near to us, “at hand” in Christ Jesus. Our days are not a meaningless succession of moments, one to the next, but are filled with His overflowing love in the person of Jesus. “This is the time of fulfillment” (Mk 1:15). He has stepped within the radius of our touch.
We hear at the beginning of the book of Genesis how “the Spirit of God”, “a mighty wind,” swept over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). We notice Jesus Himself sweeping by “the sea of Galilee”, where He sees “Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea” (Mark 1:16). His voice sweeps over the face of the waters to the brothers. His is a creative word; He speaks a new reality into being: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), hearkening back to when God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea” (Genesis 1:26). Jesus wants Simon and Andrew to be like Himself and participate with Him as a “fisher of men,” and in response, they “immediately abandoned their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18). Jesus takes them out of their nets and sets them free to follow Him, where they no longer had to worry about catching their food because they now follow the “bread of life”.
Just a little further and Jesus sees “James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John… in a boat mending their nets.” (Mark 1:19). Their response is similar in that they leave their livelihood and even the one who gave them life, “their father Zebedee… and followed Him” (Mark 1:20). St. Jerome, in one of his homilies, makes the point that “They left the father of the flesh to follow the Father of the spirit. They did not leave a father; they found a father” (Homily 83). This line of truth is cast throughout the entire scene as well as all the Gospels. Jesus never simply takes away but helps us ‘reel in’ something more substantial. He does not take away the skill of Simon and Andrew when they “drop their nets” to follow Jesus. Rather, He imbues them with a more comprehensive realization of what they were already. Jesus does not take away the family of James and John; He gives them family in an even fuller sense. As St. Cyril of Alexandria writes, “the truth hardly destroys its images; rather it makes them clearer” (Commentary on Romans). Jesus, the truth, does not take away what we are, but re-creates it by His Word.
PRACTICE
Pope Francis declared this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time to be ‘Word of God Sunday’ so we could “appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people” (Pope Francis, Aperuit Illis). It can be hard to feel that the Word of God is relevant to our daily life today, since the books in the Bible were written thousands of years ago. But just as God spoke back then, He desires to speak directly to you through his Word! This Sunday is the perfect time to pick one way to renew and deepen your relationship with the Bible.
There are so many ways you can do this! You could consider joining a Bible study, where you dive into the scriptures with other people and with the help of a guidebook. You could join a Foundations group since the Foundations course has a section dedicated to helping us understand the basics of the Bible and how to pray with Scripture. Or consider inviting someone to listen with you to “The Bible in a Year” podcast, in which Fr. Mike Schmitz reads through the Bible and breaks open the word every day for a year. Or perhaps you can display the Bible in a prominent place in your home to remind yourself of the importance of God’s word in your life.
Our practice this week is: pick one way to “appreciate the inexhaustible riches” found in the Bible. Consider your daily life, your current relationship with the Word of God, and what could most help you dive into Scripture.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to invite someone to something? If so, what was that experience like? If not, what prevented you from inviting someone?
Have you ever seen someone proclaiming the end of the world, like Jonah proclaimed the end of Nineveh?
How often you do think about the fact that “the world in its present form is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31)? What thoughts or feelings does this stir up within you?
“Then they abandoned their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:20). What would it be like to “drop your nets” and follow Jesus? Have you asked God for the grace you need to continue to follow him?
We see two instances where people respond quickly to the word of God this Sunday: the Ninevites quickly repent when God, through Jonah, tells them to and the fishermen immediately follow Jesus when he says “Come.” Do you respond with such promptness to God’s call? To what do you respond promptly? How could you respond more promptly to God’s call?
What one way will you “appreciate the inexhaustible riches” found in the Bible?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Get a piece of paper and pencil then have a child stand with one foot on the piece of paper. Trace their foot then have them decorate it. Have them write “I will follow Jesus” on the top of the page.
CONNECTION
In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites his first disciples to follow Him. Simon, Andrew, James, and John drop everything to follow Jesus. These men would help lead others to Jesus and help spread His love wherever they will go. Jesus calls us to follow Him in the same way too- to drop everything that might be holding us back from loving Him and others around us.
PRACTICE
Jesus calls us to follow Him too and one way we can do that is by reading our Bible. Pick one of these verses and read it in the Bible then try and memorize it this week. Write it somewhere where you will see it everyday to help you learn it. Here are 3 different Bible verses: John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, or Deuteronomy 31:6
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How did the lives of the four fishermen change?
What do you think it means to be “fishers of people”?
Jesus calls these men to give up everything to follow Him. Is there anything that you need to give up to help you follow Jesus better?
Jesus chose 12 apostles. They traveled with Him, learned from Him, and then would help spread Jesus’ message after his Resurrection. Can you remember some of their names? (Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, (another) James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas)
Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Check out our Sabbath Guide for The Second Sunday of Ordinary Time!
Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:36)
John the Baptist begins a chain reaction by his declaration of Jesus as “the Lamb of God” to two disciples standing nearby (John 1:35-36). One of these two was Andrew, who asks the Lord where He is staying and is then invited by the Lord to “come, and you will see” (Jn 1:39). Andrew, who was “the brother of Simon Peter” (John 1:40), in turn brings Simon to Jesus, who declares that he “will be called Cephas” (John 1:41-42). Later in the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about how Peter eventually preached Christ risen from the dead to a crowd on the day of Pentecost resulting in “about three thousand persons” becoming followers of Jesus that day (Acts 2:14-41). The story does not end there either; according to a study by the Pew Research Center from 2012, “Christians number 2.2 billion, or about one-in-three (32%) people worldwide”, (https://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-christians/) meaning that the word continued to spread and still does today! With a simple invitation, all this became possible!
The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes how powerful this “chain reaction” is as we read: “Faith is a personal act - the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it onto others. Our love for Jesus and for our neighbor impels us to speak to others about our faith. Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith, I help support others in the faith” (CCC 166). We are called to be a link in the chain of faith which reaches back to Jesus; this happens through invitation.
Jesus calls us to be “one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17) causing us to “delight” with Him in accomplishing “His will”, which is that others would come to know Him. Sharing our faith with others does not need to be complex or intimidating. Like Eli helping Samuel, we can help others start to recognize the voice of the Lord. Like John the Baptist, we can just point others to Jesus, sharing what we know to be true. Like Jesus, we can gently invite others to simply “come and see”, realizing that it is God who, ultimately, makes the invitation and He is inviting us to participate in sharing it.
PRACTICE
It can feel intimidating to invite someone to something involving faith. But if we believe the Gospel is the best news ever, and that having a relationship with Jesus makes all the difference in our lives, then we should be eager to share that with others! And even though it can seem scary or awkward, the truth is that many people are searching and are just waiting for an invitation. Dr. Thom Rainer, author of “The Unchurched Next Door” says that eighty-two percent of people who identified as “unchurched” are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited.” But in that same study he found that only 2% of church members actually ever invite someone! This book was written back in 2008, but the uncertainty of our current times seems to actually be making people even more open to exploring faith.
So the practice this week is very simply to invite someone to something! Consider inviting someone to Mass with you, or inviting them for dinner or coffee to discuss faith. Or a great first step for many people is Alpha. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions where guests have an opportunity to explore life and Christian faith freely in a friendly, and informal environment. New Alpha courses start next week: https://www.stannparish.org/alpha
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to find the date of your baptism last week?
Have you ever had an experience like Samuel in the first reading? When you heard the Lord calling you or speaking to you?
In the Gospel we see John the Baptist pointing Jesus out to the two disciples, helping them to recognize Him. Has someone ever done that for you in your life by helping you to follow Jesus?
Then almost immediately after meeting Jesus, Andrew goes and brings his brother Simon Peter to Him. Is there anyone who you have ever led to Jesus, or helped to follow Him? If so, what was that like? If not, is there a reason why?
Does inviting others to things about faith seem intimidating? Why might that be?
What can we learn from the examples in the Gospel about inviting others? (John the Baptist very simply pointing out Jesus, and then Jesus simply inviting the disciples to “come and see.”)
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Set up a “Domino chain reaction” using dominos, markers, books, dvd cases or anything that you could set up and knock into each other. Set up a domino course around the room. Watch how one domino knocked over starts a whole line-up falling down.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel, John tells Andrew about Jesus and then Andrew tells his brother, Simon, about Jesus. John starts a domino effect that helps bring others to know Jesus. We are called to be like John and share about Jesus to others around us.
PRACTICE
This week share about Jesus to one other person who may not know him. It can be as simple as telling one of your friends or family members that “Jesus loves you!”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
John helps point Andrew to Jesus. Who in your life has helped point you to Jesus? What did they do?
John calls Jesus the Lamb of God. Why does he call Him that? (Lambs are meek and gentle and were often used as a sacrifice to God in the Old Testament.)
Jesus invites Andrew to stay with Him and become his friend. How are you invited to be friends with Jesus? (Going to Mass, taking time to talk/pray with Jesus, following him)
The Baptism of Our Lord
Check out our Sabbath Guide for The Baptism of Our Lord Sunday!!
The Baptism of Our Lord
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Mk 1:9-11).
On this feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we see the great mystery of the divine sonship of Jesus revealed. The Eternal Son of the Father, who became man to save us from our sins, now descends into the waters of the Jordan, sanctifying them and making them holy. His immersion into the waters foreshadows His coming death on the Cross, and His rising out of the waters points towards His Resurrection and triumph over death itself. As the author of salvation, Christ was not sanctified by His Baptism but rather was baptized by John in order “to make water holy, and by his cleansing to purify the waters which he touched… Christ is the first to be baptized, then, so that Christians will follow after him with confidence.” (St. Maximus of Turin, Sermon 100, On the Holy Epiphany 1,3).
What an incredible gift it is, that we would be invited to participate in Christ’s relationship with His Father! By our baptism, we are joined to Christ, sharing in His Sonship, and hearing those same words which the Father spoke to Him at His Baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Mk 1:11). By this sacrament, we enter into this mystery of salvation which Christ has won for us, being “buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might live in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). Baptism, called by the Church “the gateway to life in the Spirit” (CCC 1213), is our path to receive the forgiveness of sins and embark on a new life of grace and truth; dead to sin, the baptised now live a life of freedom in the Spirit as the children of God (cf. Gal 5:24-25).
Baptism is not the end of the spiritual life, but the beginning. It initiates us into a new life “in Christ” that entails our lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ through growing in friendship with Him. This journey does not look the same for everyone. There are moments of healing and growth along the way that will look different for each person, and our merciful God, who would not break “a bruised reed” or quench “a smoldering wick” (Isa 42:3), knows how best to lead us through them. There are also, however, shared milestones in the communal life of discipleship of our parish. Our Discipleship Pathway at St. Ann is designed to help people recognize the beloved Son of the Father, and learn to listen more to Him, by helping people to know what their next step on their journey might be. In the coming weeks, we will be hearing more about some of the individual elements of our Discipleship Pathway at St. Ann, and how to know which one might be the right step for you.
PRACTICE
If you have been baptized, it is a beautiful practice to remember and celebrate the date of your baptism. Just as we celebrate the days of our birth, as Christians we should also celebrate the day we are reborn as children of God. The practice this week is to find out the date of your baptism. Consider also finding the date of the baptism of your children or godchildren, if you have any. Put them on your calendar and commit to celebrating them in this coming year.
If you have not been baptized, or you have children who have not been baptized, we invite you to consider taking steps in that process. Go to https://www.stannparish.org/sacrament-preparation to find out more about how to prepare for the sacrament of baptism.
We also encourage you to take some time to familiarize yourself with the Discipleship Pathway at St. Ann. We will be hearing about some of the different elements of the Discipleship Pathway from now until the beginning of Lent. The Discipleship Pathway is how we can continue to grow in friendship with Jesus, in our community, building upon the graces of our baptism: https://www.stannparish.org/discipleship-pathway
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything differently last week to grow in mission?
Do you ever find it hard to live up to other people’s expectations? Do you feel it is hard to live up to what you believe are God’s expectations?
In light of your view of God’s expectations for you, what does it mean in the first reading when it says “a bruised reed he shall not break”?
Knowing Jesus was perfect and without sin, why do you think He submitted to baptism by John?
Have you been baptized? If so, does it make any difference in your life?
Through baptism we also become children of God. How do you feel about God also saying to you: “You are my beloved child. With you I am well pleased”?
Have you heard about the Discipleship Pathway at St. Ann? What are your thoughts about it?
Is there a step on the Discipleship Pathway you might be interested in taking in this new year?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Pull out photos and videos of everyone’s baptisms! Talk about what happened that day- who was present, who are the godparents, etc. Find out the day of your baptism and put it on a calendar so you can celebrate it every year just like you would celebrate a birthday!
CONNECTION
This Sunday is the Baptism of the Lord where John the Baptist baptizes Jesus. Baptism is the first sacrament of the Catholic Church and we receive the Holy Spirit just as Jesus did. Then we become ‘beloved’ sons and daughters of God, just as Jesus was and are welcomed into the Catholic Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Have you ever been to a baptism? Can you remember what happened?
Have you been baptized? Do you think it makes a difference in your life?
In baptism we become sons and daughters of God. What do you think about that?
In our baptism, we share in the work Jesus came to do- serve others and tell them how much God loves them. How can we do this this week- at home, school, with our friends?
The Epiphany of the Lord
The Epiphany of Our Lord Sabbath Guide! Check it out!
The Epiphany of our Lord
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."
On this feast of the Epiphany, we commemorate the arrival of the Magi from far-off lands to worship the infant Jesus, the newborn King. They represent the fulfilment of the prophecy that all nations would come to pay homage to the Messiah: "The Kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him" (Ps 72:10-11). These magi came from Mesopotamia in the East (current day Iraq and Iran) and were pagan astrologers who believed that the divine will could be seen in the arrangement of the stars and the conjunction of the planets. Their belief that the future is written in the stars is a superstitious one, and is not compatible with our Judeo-Christian faith in creation and free will. Yet God was still able to work with their imperfect and superstitious understanding, drawing the Magi to Himself by invisible cords of grace through their misplaced faith in the stars.
The Magi were able to arrive at Jerusalem by following this star, but notice how they needed the help of the Scriptures to make it to Bethlehem. The light of their own understanding of God only got them part of the way, and needed to be corrected and illuminated by the divine revelation contained in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus Christ, the newborn king and son of God whom they came to worship, is the fullness of revelation (cf. Heb 1:1), and is the light that illumines every darkness. His birth and subsequent recognition by the magi, fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: "See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance" (Isa 60:2-3).
As the people of Israel were entrusted with the light of God's revelation in the Law and the Prophets, so we are entrusted with the radiant light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, bearing it within us as a light for all nations. We play an important role in God's plan as missionary lampposts, able to illuminate the way for those who seek God by introducing them to the Gospel. We might be amazed to think that in this time of globalization and rapid access to information that there could be people who have never heard of Jesus Christ, but the truth is that few have really heard, understood, and accepted His Good News. We live in a time of New Evangelization, and we Christians are tasked with bearing the light of Christ to all those who seek Him, missionaries to the modern-day magi, helping them to find their way to Bethlehem.
PRACTICE
We see so beautifully in the readings for the Epiphany of the Lord how our God is always calling all people to Himself, even those that seem the most unlikely or who seem like they would be the most uninterested. Perhaps as we look around at the culture and the people that we know, they also seem to us that they would be uninterested in the Gospel. But just like the Magi on a journey to find what they were looking for, so many people in the world are searching. Searching for happiness. Searching for meaning. Searching for answers to what life is all about. They might need someone to point them in the right direction.
For the practice this week take some time to reflect on the following questions:
What holds you back from mission? Maybe fear, lack of conviction, busyness, thinking people would not be interested? Try to identify the things that keep you from being willing to take steps to help others grow in friendship with Jesus.
What are you going to do about it? Once you identify the reasons it is hard for you to be on mission, then try to come up with one concrete way to more intentionally embrace your calling to be a missionary disciple. Maybe praying more fervently for someone you know that needs Jesus. Maybe saying “no” to something in your life to have more time to be involved in ministry. Maybe taking a risk to speak about faith to someone you know is struggling. Maybe asking the Holy Spirit to move in you to bring greater courage and greater opportunity to witness to the Lord.
How are you going to support the mission? One of the values of St. Ann is “Boundless Mission.” We as a parish are trying to live out this value through extraordinary ministries and bold initiatives. We invite you to look at some of the great things that have been happening at St. Ann here. It is only possible to do these things through the generous financial support of our parishioners! If you have already made a financial pledge for 2021, thank you so very much for supporting our mission! If you have not yet been able to make a financial pledge, please prayerfully consider what you could give to St. Ann in this coming year to continue the great work the Lord is doing!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything differently last week to help your family grow after the example of the Holy Family?
It’s remarkable that the magi would travel so far to greet a baby king of a people they were not a part of! Have you ever done anything that was unexpected or seemed maybe a little crazy to others? (this does not have to be related to faith)
The Gospel tells us Herod and all of Jerusalem was “greatly troubled” by the announcement of the newborn King. Why do you think the people of Jerusalem were troubled? Do you see ways our world is “greatly troubled” by the message of Jesus Christ?
One of the St. Ann values that we see strongly in the Feast of the Epiphany is Boundless Mission. Are there ways you see this value lived out at St. Ann? Are there ways you think that St. Ann could live out this value better?
The Gentiles (non-Jews) would have seemed to be very unlikely people to be so interested in the birth of Jesus. Who are the people in our life that we might think are unlikely to be interested in coming to know Jesus? Is it possible that we are wrong in thinking that?
One reason we might be hesitant to share our faith with others is that we think they won’t be interested. But what are other reasons?
What is one thing you could do this week to help someone else take one step closer to a relationship with Jesus Christ?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Make a paper crown! Draw a 1inch strip on the long ways of the paper. Then draw triangles on top of the strip. Cut it out and decorate it. If it’s too small, add another 1 inch.
CONNECTION
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. It is the day we celebrate the Magi (or the three wise men) finding Jesus and bringing him gifts. The Magi traveled a long way to see the newborn King and they were changed by their encounter with Him. May we be changed this new year by Jesus too!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What is the best gift you have received? What made it special?
What is the best gift God has given you?
Can you name some ways we seek Jesus like the Magi did?
What are some ways you can change/grow this year closer to Jesus?
Feast of the Holy Family
Check out our fourth Sunday of Advent’s Sabbath Guide!
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Lk 2:34-35).
The day described in our Gospel is a joyful one, beginning with the presentation of Jesus and the ritual purification of his mother, forty days after Jesus’ birth, in accord with the law. This was an occasion for rejoicing, made all the more so by Simeon’s recognition that the Lord, who had dwelt in His Temple beforehand only in spirit, had now entered it in the flesh. “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace,” (Lk 2:29) he says, finally satisfied that after his long years of expectation, he should receive such a gift as to behold the Christ with his own eyes. But then the Gospel takes an unexpected turn, as Simeon prophecies the division, pain, contradiction, and suffering that will come from the arrival of this long awaited Messiah. What must Mary and Joseph have felt, hearing such an ominous forecast of the future of their divine Son, that He was destined for the Cross, and for the “fall and rise of many”?
Consider that Mary and Joseph were the two holiest people you could ever hope to meet, apart from Jesus Christ Himself, and consider that their family life is presented to us on this feast of the Holy Family as a model for Christian families. This scene of the Presentation in the Temple should leave us with no doubt that if we are following God sincerely and seeking holiness, we will find also difficulty and hardship, confusion and contradiction. In other words, if we are seeking Christ in our families, we will find Him… at the Cross! This lesson is so important because it dispels the false but common expectation that, if we are doing everything right, nothing bad will ever happen to us. This is a “prosperity Gospel” mindset which tries to avoid the Cross as a real part of God’s salvific plan. If the Holy Family had to endure suffering with faith, we should expect it to come our way as well, but we should also expect that we find God there, in the midst of it all.
On this feast, we are also given the model of Abraham and Sarah to consider, the eldely parents of Isaac, in order to learn from their faith. Three times the letter to the Hebrews tells us that Abraham was only able to endure because of his faith. But in none of these cases should we think that it was only through Abraham’s own effort or strength that he was able to persevere. The theological virtue of faith is a gift which only God can give, and it gives us the ability to trust in Him even when things are hard or confusing. The gift of faith helps us to see all things in the light of God’s promises, His goodness, and His divine plan, including all the joys and difficulties of family life, making the words of our psalm echo in our hearts and our homes: “Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!” (Ps 105:3).
PRACTICE
On this feast of the Holy Family, the readings give us some beautiful examples of how family life can be hard. We see Abraham and Sarah longing and waiting to have a child. We see the prophetess Anna becoming a widow after only seven years of marriage. We see Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to be presented at the temple, and Mary being told her heart will be pierced by a sword. While family life can be beautiful, it can also be hard, painful, and filled with disappointment. But as people of faith we know that God uses all things for good and has placed us where He has us for our holiness.
In our practice this week, take some time to speak with the Lord honestly about your family. This can include extended or immediate family, parents and siblings or spouse and children. Whatever context of family you are experiencing.
What are you thankful for about your family?
Where have you been disappointed in regards to family?
Where have you experienced great joy in family life?
Where have you experienced pain and hurt in family life?
Where have you seen the Lord at work in your family?
Where have you seen the Lord at work in you, growing in virtue and holiness in your family?
Even the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph experienced challenges and suffering. But they always persevered in faithful obedience to God and loving care for each other.
What is one thing you can commit to this week to help your family grow after the example of the Holy Family? This is something you could do as a family, or something you could do as an individual.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
Did you have any new insights, reflections, or experiences of the Lord as you celebrated His birth on Christmas day?
As the world packs up the decorations, the Church continues to celebrate Christmas! What is one way you can continue to live out the Christmas season?
We see in the readings the examples of Abraham and Sarah, Simeon, and Anna all being faithful even as the fulfillment of God’s promises seemed to be delayed. What are your thoughts on that? Why do you think they were able to persevere?
What was your experience of family like growing up? What is your experience of family now?
Are there things about your family that you are very grateful for?
Are there ways you have experienced disappointment in regards to family?
What are things you can do to help your family grow after the example of the Holy Family?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Make a family tree! Start with you and your immediate family and then add your extended family and see how far back you can go!
CONNECTION
Today is the Feast of the Holy Family which shows the importance of family life in our religious life. Jesus learned from Mary and Joseph how to be a faithful believer in his Jewish faith. We have the same opportunity in our family to show and learn about our Catholic faith.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do we call Mary, Joseph, and Jesus the Holy Family?
What does your family do to show their faith?
How does God help families?
How does your family help you grow?
PRACTICE
What is one thing you can do this week as a family to grow in your faith?
Merry Christmas!
A bonus Sabbath Guide! Call it a little Christmas gift - check it out!
“Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord” (Lk 2:11).
The Promised One is here! Our King is born to us, He is born for us. We might expect our King and Lord to be arrayed in regal garments, with servants already assisting the Holy Family. Instead, Jesus Christ is not born in a sanitized room, but in the filth of a stable. This is perhaps especially important for us to recall this year, 2020, that has been so stained by sadness, distrust, and isolation. In a year filled with fear, anger, and confusion, filled with greater messiness than we would’ve thought we could endure, Jesus enters into our mess just as he entered into the mess of that stable at his birth. Jesus, the Light of the world is born in the darkness of a cave. Jesus, the Eternal Word of God, is born a speechless child. Jesus, born without the stain of sin, is born amid the grime of a stable. Jesus, the Bread of angels, is born a hungry child. The promised one, the hoped-for one, the long-awaited one now waits. He waits for Mary and Joseph to feed Him, clothe Him, soothe Him, and love Him. He waits for you to feed Him by feeding the hungry, to clothe Him with your care for the poor, to soothe Him with your prayers for the lost and the suffering, to love Him through your love of neighbor. Do not let any fears of unworthiness, or burdens by the mess of your life keep you from Him. He waits for you. O come, let us adore Him!
We invite you to continue to reflect on God’s word to you with questions below for personal reflection or for discussion with others:
Take some time to imagine that stable where Jesus was born. What was it like? What would you have seen? What would you have smelled? What would you have heard?
Why do you think God became man for us? Why do you think He chose to come this way - as a baby in a stable?
Is there any situation in your life that you feel is “too messy” that is keeping you from coming to Jesus? Is there a way you could invite Him into that situation?
Are you new to St. Ann?
Looking for ways to become more involved?
All are invited to explore faith and grow in community in this coming year.
Alpha
Alpha is series of interactive sessions where guests have an opportunity to explore life and Christian faith freely in a friendly and informal environment. Alpha is for anyone of any background - atheist, agnostic, non-Christian or Christian. We believe everyone can benefit from taking some time to look at some of life’s biggest questions.
https://www.stannparish.org/alpha
Connect Groups
Connect Groups are mid-sized groups of 16 to 20 people who want to be in community as well as deepen their faith. They are places where people are known, loved, and cared for while being encouraged to continue their journey of growing in friendship with Jesus.
https://www.stannparish.org/connect-groups
Looking for other ways to be involved? Visit our website at www.stannparish.org or fill out a Contact Card https://www.stannparish.org/contact-card. We’d be happy to contact you to get to know you and to share more with you about our church family.