Many thanks to the Knights of Columbus, St.
Dominic Youth Group and all those who helped to make our pancake weekend so
successful. Thanks to all of you who came to the hall to enjoy the food but
also to enjoy fellowship with other parishioners.
LENTEN THOUGHTS
To truly enter into the spirit of Lent is to
grow in freedom, in discriminating wisdom, and in truth. It allows us to see
through the cheap attractiveness of temptation and become inclined to the
deeper truths that underlie our hearts' deepest, truest desires.
Meditation: What in my life attracts or tempts
me to substitute truth for comfort, the status quo for conversion, apparent
goods for the only true good in my life?
Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to be deceived.
Give me wisdom to discern truth, and the courage to live that truth in my life.
Sunday Readings
Jesus was tempted like us and he overcame sin
not by his own human effort but by the grace and strength which his Father gave
to him. He succeeded because he wanted to please his Father and he trusted that
his Father would give him the strength to overcome the obstacles that stood in
the way. Luke says that Jesus was "full of the Holy Spirit.” When tempted
by the devil Jesus did not try to fight his adversary on his own human
strength. He relied on the power which the Spirit gave him. Jesus came to
overthrow the evil one who held us captive to sin and fear of death. His
obedience to his Father's will and his willingness to embrace the cross
reversed the curse of Adam's disobedience. His victory over sin and death won
for us not only pardon for our sins but adoption as sons and daughters of God.
How can we overcome sin and gain freedom over
our unruly desires and the lies of Satan and the world? The Lord Jesus gives us
his Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness (Romans 8:26) and to be our guide
and consoler in temptation and testing (1 Corinthians 10:13). The Lord gives
grace to the humble who acknowledge their dependence on him (James 4:6) and he
helps us to stand against the lies and attacks of our enemy, Satan, who seeks
to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8-10; Ephesians 6:10-18). The Lord Jesus is ever ready
to pour out his Spirit upon us that we may have the strength and courage we
need to resist sin and to reject Satan. God wants us to "fight the good
fight of the faith" (1 Timothy 6:12) with the power and strength which
comes from the Holy Spirit.
Wishing you all a prayerful Lenten Season!
Fr. Phil
