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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. 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? 

3. God desires for us to be His people: what do you think it means to be “His people”? 

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. What does it mean to you to know that Jesus was “troubled” when thinking about how He would die for us?

7. Next week is Holy Week: do you have a space for a home altar prepared so you can bring Holy Week into your home?

8. 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? 

9. 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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. What has helped you enter into Mass more deeply this past week?

3. What might happen if God did not allow us to experience the natural consequences of our actions?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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).

7. 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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. How was your time alone with Jesus last week? How can you continue to enter into solitude this Lent?

3. What makes it hard for you to enter fully into the Mass? What can you do to enter more deeply into the Mass?

4. Which of the commandments is the easiest for you to honor? Which of the commandments do you find most difficult to honor?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. 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

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Were you able to examine your conscience and perhaps receive Reconciliation? If not, when might you be able to receive Reconciliation this Lent?

3. We know that when Elijah and Moses appeared, they were “conversing with Jesus” (Mark 9:4). What do you think they were talking about?

4. Why do you think solitude is so difficult especially in our times?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. 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

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. What relationship did you focus on last week? How did your relationship grow or strengthen?

3. What does it mean to you that God has made a covenant with you?

4. 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?

5. Why do you think the Holy Spirit “drove Jesus out into the desert” (Mark 1:12)?

6. What does it mean to you when Jesus says “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15)?

7. 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

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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. If you knew you could approach Jesus to be made completely clean, what would you present to him for healing?

7. Why do you think Jesus tells the leper “See that you tell no one anything” (Mark 1:44)?

8. 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?

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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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. What word did God speak to you last week? How did that affect your week?

3. Have you ever felt like Job, as if “man’s life on earth [is] a drudgery” (Job 7:1). In what ways? 

4. Have you ever experienced healing from the Lord, perhaps in a physical, emotional, or spiritual way?

5. Who brings/brought you to Jesus when you are/were ill? Who have you brought to Jesus for healing?

6. 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? 

7. Has your experience of work lately been more of a drudgery or fruitful labor?

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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

1. Why do people who are hurt and sick come to Jesus? 

2. How does Jesus show love and care for people who are sick?

3. What does Jesus do after he heals people?

4. Where do you find Jesus’ healing love in the world today?

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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. What has been your experience with silence up to this point in your life?

5. What is one time you heard God speak to you clearly and powerfully? What did He say to you?

6. 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)?

7. St. Paul encourages us to be “anxious about the things of the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:32). What are you anxious about now?

8. 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

1. Why do you think the people were amazed and astonished at the way Jesus taught?

2. Where did Jesus’ authority come from?

3. Can you name any people in whom you have seen the power of God at work like it was with Jesus?

4. What are some of the ways we can still hear Jesus' voice today teaching us how to live?

Third 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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Were you able to invite someone to something? If so, what was that experience like? If not, what prevented you from inviting someone?

3. Have you ever seen someone proclaiming the end of the world, like Jonah proclaimed the end of Nineveh?

4. 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?

5. “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?

6. 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?

7. 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

1. How did the lives of the four fishermen change?

2. What do you think it means to be “fishers of people”?

3. 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?

4. 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

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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Were you able to find the date of your baptism last week?

3. Have you ever had an experience like Samuel in the first reading? When you heard the Lord calling you or speaking to you?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. Does inviting others to things about faith seem intimidating? Why might that be?

7. 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.”)

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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

1. John helps point Andrew to Jesus. Who in your life has helped point you to Jesus? What did they do? 

2. 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.)

3. 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

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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Did you do anything differently last week to grow in mission?

3. 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?

4. 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”?

5. Knowing Jesus was perfect and without sin, why do you think He submitted to baptism by John?

6. Have you been baptized? If so, does it make any difference in your life?

7. 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”?

8. Have you heard about the Discipleship Pathway at St. Ann? What are your thoughts about it?

9. 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

1. Have you ever been to a baptism? Can you remember what happened?

2. Have you been baptized? Do you think it makes a difference in your life?

3. In baptism we become sons and daughters of God. What do you think about that?

4. 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

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Did you do anything differently last week to help your family grow after the example of the Holy Family?

3. 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)

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. 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

1. What is the best gift you have received? What made it special?

2. What is the best gift God has given you? 

3. Can you name some ways we seek Jesus like the Magi did?

4. What are some ways you can change/grow this year closer to Jesus?

Feast of the Holy Family

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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

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. 

1. Did you have any new insights, reflections, or experiences of the Lord as you celebrated His birth on Christmas day? 

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. What was your experience of family like growing up? What is your experience of family now?

5. Are there things about your family that you are very grateful for?

6. Are there ways you have experienced disappointment in regards to family?

7. 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

1. Why do we call Mary, Joseph, and Jesus the Holy Family?

2. What does your family do to show their faith?

3. How does God help families?

4. 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!

“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:

1. 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?

2. 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?

3. 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.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

“Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Lk 1: 30)

As we get closer to Christmas, you might find yourself reflecting on how fast this year has gone by. This year has pressed us to experience a dramatic shift from our familiar way of life. For many of us, letting go of the old familiar way we used to live has been particularly difficult as we adjusted to a re-routing of our lives. For this reason especially, you might be yearning to make Christmas and family traditions as normal as possible. The exterior preparation for the season might look the same as before such as a beautiful tree, shiny ornaments and twinkling lights. All of which have been prominently displayed in stores for a few months now.

Although surrounded by delightful decorations everywhere we look, it might not be a big surprise that many of us are feeling fatigued, melancholy and perhaps have a nagging feeling of how uncertain the future seems. It might be hard to muster up some Christmas cheer! Maybe you have a deep longing in your heart for some good news to help you feel reassured and safe. This sense of longing should not surprise us as one of the strongest human desires is for peace.

Whatever you might say about the times in which we live today, you would likely not say they are filled with peace. We need peace for our hectic and troubled hearts. In Luke’s gospel, we see a glimpse into Mary’s life as she also faced a dramatic shift from her reality, potentially disrupting her peace.  In fact, her initial reaction was that “she was greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). Although we get a sense of the initial fear and confusion she might have felt, we also see the example of God wanting Mary to be at peace. Before the angel announces a change of plan for her life, he reassures her to “not be afraid” because she has “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). This is a powerful reminder that peace is not absence of conflict or problems, but rather peace is an absence of fear. On the first Christmas night, the angels announced “peace among those with whom God is pleased” (Lk 2:14). How is it possible today to experience an absolute peace that erases fear from our hearts?

Christ our Lord, the Prince of Peace, has come into this world so that we might have peace. He was born, suffered, and died for us so that we might have the peace of being reconciled to God, and the grace to truly reconcile with one another. The peace he offers us is not the peace of the world, which seeks only to avoid conflict, but is a deeper peace, rooted in authentic reconciliation and forgiveness, a peace which anchors our hearts in his love and which casts out all fear, no matter what storms may rage around us. And so as we prepare for Christmas, prepare your heart to receive Him and allow yourself to let go of anything that keeps peace away. “Be anxious about nothing. But in all things, with prayer and supplication, with acts of thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And so shall the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

PRACTICE

Christmas is just a few days away. Even though this year has held extraordinary challenges, the Prince of Peace wants to be born anew in our hearts and lives. But often there are things we need to surrender to make room for Him. Our practice this week is to take some time to reflect on what we need to let go of so that we are better able to receive our newborn King, for example:

• Is there any unforgiveness you need to surrender?

• Is there any fear or anxiety about a situation that you need to surrender?

• Is there any anger you need to surrender?

• Is there a situation you are impatient about that you need to surrender?

• Is there something in your life that you are trying to control that you need to surrender?

Whatever it is that you need to let go of, take some time to surrender it to the Lord in prayer. Your prayer can be as simple as, “Jesus, you are the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace, I give to you ________. Help me to let go of this so that I might be more filled with your love, joy, and peace as I celebrate your birth at Christmas. I am your servant, be it done unto me according to Your will.”

You might also find encouragement in reflecting on the words of St. Teresa of Avila, known as her “Bookmark”:

Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you,

All things are passing; God only is changeless.

Patience gains all things. Who has God wants nothing.

God alone suffices.

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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Were you able to do something last week to spread joy to someone else? How did it go?

3. In this Fourth Sunday of Advent we focus on peace. What are words you would use to describe what it is like when you feel at peace?

4. Is there a difference between what the world considers to be “peace” and what a Christian considers to be “peace”? If so, what is different? If not, what is the same?

5. Do you consider yourself to be an anxious person? Are there things that you feel particularly anxious about right now?

6. We hear in today’s Gospel that Mary was “greatly troubled” at the greeting of the angel Gabriel. And, yet, even in the uncertainty and questions she is able to respond, “may it be done to me according to your word.” What lesson is there for us in her example?

7. With Christmas being this week is there anything you need to let go of to be more filled with His peace at the celebration of His birth?

---

KIDS

ACTIVITY

Draw a picture of what you think an angel looks like. We don’t know what angels look like so it’s fun to use our imagination to think about what they could look like!

CONNECTION

On this fourth Sunday of Advent we read the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus. We see Mary’s example of faith and obedience to God. It is a great example to us of how to be obedient even when we are scared or don’t know what’s going to happen. Mary trusted and said yes so we should follow her example in our own lives.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What would you say/do if an angel told you that you would be the Mother/Father of Jesus?

2. Do you think it was easy or hard for Mary to say yes to God? Why?

3. What do you think the life of Mary was like?

4. Mary says yes to being the mother of Jesus. What are some ways you can say yes to being a follower of Jesus?

Third Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

“My soul rejoices in my God.” (Isaiah 61:10); “My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47)

Have you been able to experience joy this Advent? It can be so easy for us to focus only on the negative things, as we observe life through the microscope of our minds. Sometimes it seems that all we can focus on under the microscope lately is the disease of the present. Ever before us is all that has been lost, the ways things have changed, the dissatisfaction with the current situation. But we can choose what we focus on, even in times of challenge and struggle. Where we place our attention can either lead to encouragement or consternation, to joy at the moment, or distress at the present. 

To help us cultivate our sense of joy, we can look to Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom we join as we sing the Magnificat (in the responsorial-psalm). Mary is pregnant with Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her cousin Elizabeth, whom she is visiting, is pregnant with John the Baptist. John leaps for joy in the womb of Elizabeth at the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary, and in an explosive response of joy, Mary tells Elizabeth, “My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk 1:46-47). 

In our Gospel, we encounter John the Baptist, the last great prophet, who announces the coming of the Messiah. Away from the commotion, out in the wilderness, John is more conscious of the promptings of the Holy Spirit, helping him to perceive the truth that Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us”. He is a living encouragement for us to do the same, to “make straight the way of the Lord” (Jn 1:23), which is so  often overgrown with a tangle of voices and viewpoints which obscure our focus. We are encouraged during this time of Advent to withdraw from the world in some way to be able to be more aware of the presence of God, and to be able to recognize Him when He shows up in our life, which often happens in subtle ways. Our increased attention to God’s subtle action in us allows us to rejoice in His presence and, like John the Baptist, to point Him out as the source of joy to others: “He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him” (Jn 1:7). 

With the example of John the Baptist in mind, we come back to Mary and notice that she could have easily focused on the struggles of her current circumstances, full of uncertainty, and the fears about her future as she traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Acknowledging God's goodness to her, Mary chose to focus on His greatness instead of her anxieties. The words of Mary’s song of praise contain real wisdom for awakening greater joy in our own life. Mary says that her “spirit”–all that she is–“rejoices in God” her “savior” (Lk 1:47). Where does such joy come from? How does this happen to her? She lets us know that it is because her “soul magnifies the Lord” (Lk 1:46). Mary is flooded with joy because she is “magnifying”, or zooming in, on the work and presence of God at the present moment. 

There is, without a doubt, a lot of distraction from the goodness of God in our world today, and it is easy to allow ourselves to be swept along by it and focus on, almost exclusively, what seems to be inevitable chaos and doom. Mary’s situation was not ideal, but despite all that, she remembered the joy of the Savior by focusing on and pondering His ways. Within this time of advent, we are invited to take up Mary’s disposition, and refocus the eyes of our hearts on the Savior, who alone brings an unshakeable and lasting joy. Then we can live the words we hear from St. Paul: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess 5:16-18).

PRACTICE

The first reading speaks powerfully of the mission to spread joy to others, not just in word but through concrete actions. Find one way this week to spread joy to someone else. It could be sending a card to someone in prison. It could be making a phone call to someone you think might be lonely. It could be anonymously paying for the coffee of the customer behind you. Choose one specific way to bring joy to someone else this 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. 

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Were you able to take any time last week to reflect on God’s action in salvation history or in your own personal history? If so, did you have any thoughts or insights on that?

3. As we light the pink candle this week for Advent the theme is about joy! Do you see much joy in the world today? What about in your own life: are you experiencing much joy?

4. Is there a difference between joy and happiness? If so, how would you explain the difference? If not, how are they similar?

5. What is the kind of joy you want? Pause for a moment and reflect on what brings you joy; the real joy that has substance, the sort of joy that lingers in the memory years later.

6. In the Catholic devotion of the Rosary there are different sets of “mysteries” (or events in the life of Jesus) that you are invited to reflect on as you pray. What about each situation in the Joyful Mysteries do you think would have been hard or contained challenges? Why do you think they are still called “joyful”? The five events of the Joyful Mysteries are:

   • the Annunciation (when the angel Gabriel comes to announce to Mary that she has been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah)

   • the Visitation (when Mary travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is also pregnant)

   • the Birth of Jesus

   • the Presentation (when the infant Jesus is presented at the temple)

   • the Finding of Jesus in the Temple (when at the age of 12 Jesus was lost for three days before being found in the temple)

7. Can you think of a time when you were able to find joy even in the midst of challenge or suffering?

8. What are ways this week that you can “rejoice always”?

9. What are ways this week that you can spread joy to others?

---

KIDS

ACTIVITY

Find a candle in your home. Turn off all the lights in the room and light the candle. Talk about how much light that one candle makes in the darkness. If you have more candles, light more and see how the light overcomes the darkness around it.

CONNECTION

In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear again about how John the Baptist was baptizing and preparing the way for Jesus. The Gospel says that John the Baptist “came to testify to the light.” Jesus, The Light of the World, is coming and we are called to testify, or be witnesses, to the light just like John the Baptist.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does light do for us in our everyday lives? How is Jesus like light?

2. What does the word ‘witness’ mean? How was John the Baptist a witness to Jesus?

3. How can we be witnesses to Jesus? What is one thing you can do this week to be a witness to Jesus?

Second Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

“A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isa 40:3-5).

Over 2600 years ago, in 586 BC, it seemed like God had failed his people. The Babylonians were at the gates, and king Nebuchadnesar was poised to destroy both Jerusalem--the Holy city--and the God’s own temple. How could the Lord fail to protect them? He was the mighty one, the one true God who had chosen the people of Israel for himself, working such mighty deeds to free them from slavery in Egypt and to bring them into the promised land. He had done great miracles before, so why not now? But instead, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and sent the Jewish people into exile. It seemed as if God’s promises had failed.

It is into this darkness that the words of the Lord spoken through the prophet Isaiah radiate such great light. The beginning of Isaiah 40 reads, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2). To a people in exile, to whom all hope seems lost, the Lord speaks words of comfort and hope. His promises have not failed, and on the contrary, the long-awaited Saviour is coming soon. These words of hope, echoing throughout the centuries to sustain the people, find their fulfilment in John the Baptist, who comes to prepare the way for the promised Messiah, proclaiming, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:7-8). He is the voice who cries out in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his paths” (Mk 1:3) for the Lord is coming soon!

This Advent season, with the pandemic still around us after nine long months, we may be feeling a heavy burden. We may be tired, frustrated, or ready to just give up, unable to withstand the darkness of our own exile from friends, family, and normal life any longer. These Scriptures speak a powerful word of hope for us in this time. By recounting the history of salvation, they help us read our own situation in the light of God’s mighty deeds. They recall to us the moments when it seemed as if God’s promises had failed, and the way in which they were ultimately fulfilled. They encourage us in times of darkness to remember God’s promises and His fidelity, and so to take hope. Hear, then, the word of the Lord, which He spoke so long ago to a people in exile, and speaks also to you today: “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2).

PRACTICE

In this second week of Advent the readings speak to us of hope. It can be hard during times of challenge to remain hopeful, but it is in times of adversity that we need to cling to hope the most. Our practice this week is to have our hope renewed by reflecting back on God’s faithfulness. Consider using one, or both, of the suggestions below to find comfort in the ways God has moved in power in the past.

God’s Faithfulness to His People - The Advent tradition of a “Jesse Tree” is a way to remember God’s action throughout salvation history. You can consider making a physical Jesse Tree with ornaments that can be placed each day to remember specific events from the Bible. Or even without the physical tree, take some time to read through the Scripture verses that go with the ornaments to remember how God has been faithful to His people. You can find many creative suggestions online for how to make a Jesse Tree, and also a list of Scripture verses for reflection. 

God’s Faithfulness to You - Set aside some time to reflect on your own personal history. Start as far back as you can remember, and as you think through your life ask these questions:

• Where has God been present in the circumstances of your life?

• Where has God been faithful to you in the past?

• Where have you seen God’s gifts and blessings to you throughout your life?

As you take time to remember God’s action throughout salvation history, and throughout your own personal history, ask Him to fill you again with trust and hope for the future.

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 stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Did you do anything different last week to enter into this season of Advent?

3. In the first reading we hear the Lord speaking words of comfort and encouragement to His people. Is there any certain area of life right now where you are longing for comfort or encouragement?

4. To the Israelites in exile it had seemed like the Lord had failed them, but the second reading assures us that the “Lord does not delay his promise.” What are your feelings on that? Has it ever felt like the Lord did not keep His promise to you? How do you work through those feelings with faith and hope?

5. Is hope something you are experiencing right now? Or do you feel more a lack of hope? Why do you think that might be?

6. Can you think back on a time when God has been faithful to you? What is one way you have seen Him at work, even if at the time it didn’t seem clear?

7. Are there ways this Advent that you could “prepare the way of the Lord” with hope? What could that look like in our circumstances of 2020?

---

KIDS

ACTIVITY

Set up an obstacle course by placing objects around the room which the kids will have to navigate around as they follow a designated leader around the room. The leader and kids will pick up the items to clear the path as they march just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.

CONNECTION

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist announces that something great is about to happen- the savior that God has promised is coming. John preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins as the way to welcome Jesus. In this Advent season, we must prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming by being sorry for our sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How does our family get ready for the Christmas season?

2. What does John the Baptist announce to the people?

3. How does John the Baptist’s message help us get ready for Jesus’ coming?

4. What can you do to get ready to welcome Jesus?

FAMILY PRACTICE

During the Advent season, if you are old enough, go to confession. Confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness is a great way to “make straight his paths” in our lives.

First Sunday of Advent

First Sunday of Advent

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:33).

This time of year is often filled with a flurry of busy-ness and a bustle of preparation as we look towards Christmas. We are invited, though, to take some time to watch and wait during Advent, the four weeks leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth. 

What is it that we are to be watchful for? During Advent, which comes from the Latin word meaning “coming,” we are watchful for the three comings of Jesus Christ. The first coming we prepare for is to remember the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The second coming we prepare for is as we look towards Jesus’ final coming in glory at the end of time. But we also wait and watch and prepare for another coming - the coming of Jesus more into our lives right now, in this present moment. 

Think of a time when you were eagerly anticipating the arrival of someone you love. Did you check the time often, impatient for the moment to come? Were you busy with preparations - maybe cleaning your home or making a meal - fervently getting ready to welcome the one you were waiting for? Love makes us vigilant. In this season of Advent, we are invited to be vigilant in love, to watch and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. Not so much in the hectic tasks of decorating and baking and buying gifts, but to prepare our hearts with more silence and more prayer, with repentance from our sins and sincere care and concern for others. 

It can be tempting during this busy season to allow ourselves to become overwhelmed and distracted. Or to unintentionally skip over Advent. But just as you wouldn’t start the dinner before your special guest had arrived, so Advent invites us not to jump straight into Christmas, but to take the four weeks we are given to prepare our hearts for the arrival of our King.

Jesus asks us to be watchful and alert, breaking from the demands of this world, waking from the slumber we can be lulled into through the routine of daily life, to place our focus more on Him and His love for us. We eagerly look towards the celebration of Christmas. We ardently wait for Jesus’ return at the end of time. And we fervently long for Him to come more and more into our hearts right now.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

PRACTICE

It can be tempting to jump completely over this time of Advent, diving headlong into celebrating Christmas already. While there is nothing wrong with listening to Christmas carols and putting out Christmas decorations during Advent, we also want to be conscious of giving Advent due space in our lives so that when Christmas does finally arrive we are filled with joy, not with “holiday let-down.” Below are a few suggestions to consider for your time of watching and waiting during Advent:

• Use an Advent wreath - You can find a prayer of blessing for your Advent wreath as well as prayers to use each week online here.

• Ease in to decorating your home for Christmas - maybe do a little each week of Advent, or wait to decorate your tree until Christmas Eve

• Put out a Nativity scene but do not put out baby Jesus until Christmas Day

• Commit to a small sacrifice during the time of Advent similar to what you might do during Lent, as a way to wait and to prepare

• Add times of prayer and silence during Advent, perhaps with a form of prayer you aren’t usually able to be committed to like the Rosary or reading the Daily Mass readings that can be found here.

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 stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

1. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

2. Did you do anything different last week based on the readings or practice?

3. Did you grow up with any Advent traditions? Are there any Advent traditions you practice now? 

4. Has there ever been a time in your life when you were watching and waiting for someone or something? What emotions did you experience? What did you do during that time?

5. Are there ways that Advent and Christmas become “blurred” for you? Is there any one thing you could do to keep Advent as a time of preparing for Christmas?

6. What does it mean for you in your life to be “watchful and alert” for the coming of the Lord?

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KIDS

ACTIVITY

Make an advent calendar! You can make a paper chain countdown- removing one chain each day. Or you can write out the numbers 1-26 on separate pieces of paper and remove a number each day.

CONNECTION

Today’s Gospel reminds us that Advent is about more than our preparation for Christ’s birth at Christmas. Advent is also about preparing ourselves for Christ’s return in glory at the end of time. We must stay alert and watchful. Our faithfulness to God through good and bad times helps us to be ready for when Jesus will come again.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What’s your favorite thing about the Christmas season?

2. Do we know when Jesus will come again? (No) What did Jesus tell us to do? 

3. How can we stay watchful and alert? 

4. How can we keep our focus on Jesus during this season?

FAMILY PRACTICE

As Advent begins, come up with a family practice that you can commit to doing every day. Praying a decade of the Rosary, or reading a family reflection on Advent during dinner are great practices to add during this season as we prepare for Jesus’ birth.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

“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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon his glorious throne, and all nations shall be gathered together before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates His sheep from the goats. He will set/place the sheep on His right side/hand and the goats on His left” (Matthew 25:31-33).

Perhaps you have never noticed the stained glass image of Christ the King in the St. Kilian Chapel at St. Ann, but it is worth reflecting on, especially this week, as we celebrate the solemnity. The depiction of Christ crowned in glory with sheep approaching one side and goats departing by the other is something we may have glossed over, but it has an important message for us if we take the time to ponder it. 

In the Gospel, Jesus declares that the Son of Man “will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left” (Mt. 25:33). This is likely the first thing that we might notice as we look at this image, but notice also that the sheep are facing Christ, while the goats are facing away from Him. The main dividing characteristic between the sheep and the goats is their orientation and posture. Those who keep their gaze on Christ, no matter what comes their way, are rewarded with beatitude, that is, with the blessed vision of Christ for all eternity. They are able to perceive Him in all situations and people, especially ones filled with hunger, thirst, nakedness, exile, illness, and imprisonment. Despite all the desperation displayed before them, the sheep stay oriented towards Christ the King who reigns in every circumstance. The goats, on the other hand, are not facing Christ. With their face turned away, they give Christ their backs. The posture they assume shows us that they have turned away from the face of Christ, facing instead out towards the world. 

Contemplating this image brings to mind another dramatic scene from the Gospels: the crucifixion. Looking at this teaching of Christ, we can see a similarity with the cross.  We read that after Jesus' crucifixion, the soldiers placed above His head a sign which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Mt. 27:37). Next it is recorded that “two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left” (Mt. 27:38), like the sheep and the goats of our parable. Christ’s response to the repentant thief is the same as what he says to His sheep: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43). The glory of Christ and the cross are connected. The “good thief” on the right side of Christ does not look to himself for salvation but to Christ on the cross, to Christ who is hungry for souls, thirsting for love, estranged, alone, and abandoned, to the Christ who hangs naked from the tree. The thief on the left, the goat, does not accept Christ on the cross and can only mock what he cannot control. To those who lack the humility to see grace breaking out in these terrible circumstances, all that can be done is to curse the world, which begins to become less clear, less comprehensible, and less full of meaning. 

If we stop and take a moment to think about it, we can find that, throughout this tumultuous year, we ourselves have taken on the orientation of both the sheep and the goats. At the close of this liturgical year, on this Solemnity of Christ the King, we are called to reflect on when we have responded to the cross-moments in our lives like the good thief and bad thief. When we look at the fading light of this year, and as the dawn of a new year is just about to rise, it is important to ask ourselves an uncomfortable but necessary question: where am I? On the left or the right? Perhaps, if we do not like where we are now in association with Christ, we ask forgiveness and ask for the grace to be where He wants us to be at this time next year.

PRACTICE

This week think about how you can help those who are hungry or in need. Maybe you can clean out your closet and your toys and donate them. Or you can use some of your own money to give to the Thanksgiving baskets. Or donate food to a food bank. Or you could make cards for those in nursing homes. There are lots of ways we can help those in need around us. 

Next Sunday marks the beginning of a new liturgical year with the season of Advent. As this year comes to a close, it can be helpful to look over this year, to take stock of how closely we journeyed with the Lord, and how we cooperated in His grace.

For the practice this week, spend some time reflecting on this past liturgical year, thinking back to the first Sunday of Advent in 2019 to now. You may have found that you have had more time than usual to reflect, or maybe you’ve been doing everything you can just to stay afloat. Either way, we’re inviting you to spend some time prayerfully reflecting on this year. Where have you witnessed God at work, God’s grace breaking into the everyday burdens and tasks? Where did you cooperate with God’s grace and grow in obedience and humility? Where did you fall short? When in these past twelve months have you been a sheep? When were you a goat? How in these past twelve months have you reached out and cared for those near you?

Having spent time reflecting on this past year, thank the Holy Spirit for His inspiration and journeying with you in this process of recollection. Ask Him to guide you now to make some firm resolutions for the coming year. Looking over this past year and how you cooperated in God’s grace or have fallen short, what can you do moving forward to stay oriented towards Christ’s face?

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 stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

1. When you think about Christ as the King, what image comes to mind? Have you ever looked at the image in the St. Kilian’s Chapel of Christ the King? When you look at it what do you notice? 

2. The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel speaks about how God will rescue His sheep “scattered on the day of dark clouds” (Ezek. 34:12). It seems there have been a lot of “darkness and clouds” in this past year for many of us. Where have you experienced this? Did you experience God’s presence working in that moment or later on? Where have you witnessed God at work, in the everyday burdens and tasks? Have there been any struggles this year that you have been grateful that God has allowed? 

3. Where did you cooperate with God’s grace and grow in obedience and humility? Where did you fall short? 

4. In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the time of judgment saying that He will be separating “sheep from the goats.” and that “He will set the sheep on His right side and the goats on His left” (Mt. 25:32-33). What does it look like to be a “sheep” vs. a “goat”? When in these past twelve months have you been a sheep? When were you a goat?

5. Christ identifies Himself with the hungry, thirsty, strangers, abandoned, naked, sick and imprisoned. How in these past twelve months have you reached out and cared for Christ in people suffering in those ways?

6. Do you have a vision for where you want to be at this time next year? 

7. Having recalled this past year and how you cooperated in God’s grace or have fallen short, what can you do moving forward to stay oriented towards the face of Christ?

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KIDS

ACTIVITY

Make a list of the things that make someone a good King/Queen (helpful, kind to others, brings peace, etc.). Then go through the list and see if Jesus has all of those requirements. He should! He is the greatest King!

CONNECTION

Today is a special feast in the church year- it is the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (also known as the Feast of Christ the King). The priest wears white vestments to signify this special feast. Jesus tells us in the Gospel today of the sorts of things he wants us to do for each other- feed and clothe the hungry and needy, care for the sick, welcome strangers, visit those in prison. He says that whoever did these things to the people around them, did them to Him meaning that whenever we help others, we are helping Jesus.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How is Jesus like a King? 

2. How will Jesus separate the sheeps from the goats?

3. Why does Jesus want us to help those in need? 

4. What are some simple acts of love and kindness?

FAMILY PRACTICE

This week use the particular gift/talent, you just discussed, that God has given you. Make a plan on how you can use one of your talents this week to help someone.

XXXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time

33rd 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.”

— Exodus 20:8-10

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.”

— 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-8

PROCESS

“When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize” (Prov 31:10-11). 

Last week in our Sabbath Guide, we saw how the wise virgins were the ones who recognized that everything is a gift from the Lord, and who set aside a portion of their material goods (symbolized by the oil in their lamps) as dedicated to Him. Over the course of this week, we have been releasing a series of short videos to teach about some of the beautiful theology and effects of tithing, that it helps us grow in faith and practice interior freedom in resisting our tendency to put our trust in the false idol of Mammon (wealth). If you haven’t seen these videos, check them out at stannparish.org/tithe. Today, we zoom out, expanding our view of stewardship to look at how we are called to make good use of all that God has given us–our abilities, strengths, natural and supernatural gifts, and time–in whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Our first reading can seem a curious choice by the Church when you understand that during the weeks of Ordinary Time, the first reading and psalm are always paired together intentionally with the Gospel. What does the praise of the worthy wife in Prov 31 have to do with the parable of the talents in Mt 25? It becomes more clear when we read Prov 31 allegorically as descriptive of Christ the bridegroom, and his bride, the Church, along the lines of Eph 6:21-30. There, St. Paul describes the sacrificial love of Christ for his body and bride, the Church, and how he “handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her with by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph 6:25-27). In this light, we see the words of Proverbs 31 as descriptive of Christ’s great love for us, and how through His sacrifice on the Cross, He has irrevocably proven that love to us, that our value to Him is “far beyond pearls… an unfailing prize” (Prov 31:10-11).

What, then, is our response to such tremendous love from our divine bridegroom? It is to bring Him “good, and not evil, all the days of [our] life” (Prov 31:12), working diligently “with loving hands” (Prov 31:13), reaching out our “hands to the poor,” and extending our “arms to the needy” (Prov 31:20). By meditating on the virtues of the worthy wife in Prov 31, we can see an example of the many practical ways we can serve the Lord in small things done with great love. This is the same message as in our Gospel, where we see that our response to God’s great love is to make wise and faithful use of the talents with which He has entrusted us, in the hope to one day hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy” (Mt 25:21). 

PRACTICE

If you haven’t been able to yet, please consider making a financial pledge to St. Ann to support the work and mission of our parish in this upcoming year. You can view a series of short videos here that can help you in your discernment and to make a commitment.

The rest of the practice for this week is to continue exploring what it means to be good stewards of all that God has given us, fulfilling our responsibilities for the service of others and the glory of God. Considering the different roles you have in your life (i.e. single, married, parent, child, friend, roommate, student, employee) we invite you to reflect on qualities from the section of Proverbs used in the first reading. You can use some of the questions below as a guide. Take your Bible and read the full passage from Prov 31:10-31, and as you go through the reflection, ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areas He might be asking you to grow in, to greater fulfill what the Lord is asking of you. Try to make a concrete commitment to do at least one thing differently this week.

Qualities found in Proverbs 31:10-31:

• Good judgment - do I make good decisions, taking time to seek the Lord’s will and be prudent in all of my affairs?

• Brings profit not loss - do I live within my means?

• Works with skillful hands - am I faithful to my calling as a student, or employee, not wasting time and doing my very best?

• Secures provisions - do I see mundane tasks like laundry and grocery shopping as responsibilities that the Lord has entrusted me with?  

• Rises early - do I start my day with prayer, giving the Lord the “first fruits” of my time?

• Looks to the future - do I live in the balance between trust in the Lord for all I need, but also wisely planning for the future?

• Exerts her arm with vigor - am I willing to work hard for others, even if I am tired or not recognized or appreciated?

• Helps the poor and needy - am I generous in service of others, particularly the poor?

• Filled with joy not anxiety about the future - do I worry inordinately about what is to come, or do I find joy in the moment the Lord has given me?

• Opens mouth in wisdom - is my conversation wise and uplifting?

• Gives kind instruction - am I willing to speak truth charitably to others?

• Is not idle - Do I waste a lot of time on entertainment or “escapism” habits instead of finding a balance of work and true life-giving leisure?

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 stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?

1. The first reading gives a beautiful description of a wife who works diligently for her family, but it can be applied to all of us in regards to being responsible to what we are called to do. Are there any responsibilities you have (this could be in the home, in your work, at school, etc.) that you particularly dislike? Have you ever considered doing that responsibility faithfully as a way of living out your friendship with Jesus?

2. The parable in the Gospel is about a man entrusting his servants with his possessions. What are examples of things you feel the Lord has entrusted to you?

3. Reflecting on what the Lord has entrusted to you and how you are responding, do you feel more like the first, second, or third servant? Why might that be?

4. In this parable our Lord does not include an example of a servant who worked hard to gain a return on what had been entrusted to him but then fails (only servants who are successful, or a servant who doesn’t try). Why do you think that might be?

5. As you reflect on the different roles you have in your life (ie. parent or child, spouse or single, employee or student) what are some things the Lord asks of you to be responsible and faithful to that role?

6. What is one way this week you could be a more faithful steward of what the Lord has entrusted to you in the roles He has called you to?

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KIDS

ACTIVITY

Give everyone a piece of paper and tell them to draw a picture and/or write a talent that they may have. Then have everyone fold their paper and hide it somewhere in the house to be found by another . When the "talent papers" are all found, sit down and discuss the talents that everyone can use for God.

CONNECTION

In this Sunday’s Gospel, God is the Master and we are his servants. The talents that the master gave to his servants in this story was a form of money but God has given us talents too. He created each of us with special gifts and he expects us to use those gifts to follow Him and bring others to know Him. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Do you have a special gift or talent? What is it?  

2. Does everyone have the same gifts and talents? Why not?  

3. What would happen if we had talents that we “buried” or didn’t use?

4. How can we use the gifts that we have?

FAMILY PRACTICE

This week use the particular gift/talent, you just discussed, that God has given you. Make a plan on how you can use one of your talents this week to help someone.