In the Gospel today, Jesus says: Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. This is in reference to the woman caught in adultery and the question posed by the Pharisees and scribes as to whether she should be stoned. They were asking this question to test Jesus. But his statement outwits them all and causes everyone in the crowd to walk away. These words of Jesus are important ones for us to commit to memory, especially when we find ourselves quick to judge and condemn others. We, too, are called to drop the stones and walk the way of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman; he offers her acceptance and love. Jesus invites us all to look inward before judging others. As we continue our journey of Lent and seek to be disciples of Jesus, may we imitate the mercy of God in our lives.
Please remember that one of our important Alms-Giving projects during Lent is our Parish Blessing Boxes to support our scholarship students in our sister community of San Rafael Cedros in El Salvador. There is information in the bulletin each week during Lent about our sister community and the impact our contributions make in the lives of the young people who receive scholarships to high school and college. There are also suggested actions for each day of the week. You can collect your own change at home and make a donation by check in the regular collection at the end of Lent or use the QR Code in the bulletin or go to our website to contribute through OnLine Giving. We rely on your support to meet our scholarship obligations. Thank you for your generosity.
Please remember to help us beautify the church for Easter by making a contribution to Easter Flowers. You can place your own envelope in the regular collection or use OnLine Giving.
As we continue to hear stories in Scripture about God’s love and forgiveness, please remember to join us this Monday, April 7, at 6:30pm for our Parish Reconciliation Service. This is an important way for us to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. If it’s been a while since you have participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I encourage you to take advantage of this grace-filled sacrament. There will be several priests from neighboring parishes present to hear individual confessions. We hope to see you Monday evening.
Next weekend, April 12-13, is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. This also marks the beginning of the holiest week of the Church year and our celebration of the sacred Three Days, called Triduum. Mass for Palm Sunday begins with a triumphal procession. Weather permitting, most Masses will begin outside with the blessing and procession of palms. Please plan to arrive at least a few minutes early for Mass. We invite you to WEAR RED clothing to Mass to complement the liturgical color for the day.
Many Blessings!