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3-29-26 Palm Sunday the Passion of the Lord

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  This Sunday begins the holiest week of our year. During it, we experience through quiet, thoughtful prayer, and attendance at Holy week Services how much and how deep our God is in love with us.          On Palm Sunday, we have two gospels. The first gospel as the mass begins, reflects on Jesus ‘entry into the city of Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover later in that week.  Note that when Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, there are numerous gates by which he can enter it. He enters the city not riding triumphantly on a horse, like a king, but, rather on a donkey, a sign of humility and lowliness.  He chooses to enter the city through what is known as the Sheep gate. This particular gate was where all the lambs and sheep would also be brought through and who were going to be sacrificed later in the week during the Passover festivities.  So, the Lamb of God enters along with the other lambs.  So, we might pause at ...
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3-22-26 Fifth Sunday of Lent

                  God may not be on time always, but God is never late. The first reading of the gospel this weekend speaks so beautifully of God’s concern for us and for our future with him.     From the words of the prophet Ezekiel in the first reading this weekend we read “Oh my people, I will open your graves, and have you rise from them.” (Ezekiel 37:13).   At times w e can feel that God has forgotten us because our problems are so great and God seems so distant from us, whether these problems be health, financial, familial,   work or other.   Perhaps, we have asked God for help, and He does not seem to be listening.    And yet in that first reading this weekend, He promises to restore his people to life and to their homeland. This promise is made to them while they are still in bondage in Babylon and are far from their homeland.   That reading speaks of redemption.   But more than that, it ...
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3-8-26 Third Sunday of Lent

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                                                      As we look over the readings for this coming Sunday’s there appears to be three  themes that repeat themselves, the theme of thirst, the theme of patience, and the theme of trust.                                                                                                          In the first reading there is the story of how the Israelites, wandering through the desert for some time now, complain to Moses that they...
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3-1-26 Second Sunday of Lent

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As we begin our reflection on the gospel, this second Sunday of Lent, it may be of importance to note that in the previous chapter of Matthew's gospel, Chapter 16, Peter has both claimed that Jesus is the Messiah, and the Son of God, when Jesus asked the apostles “Who do you say I am?””  But also encountered in that same chapter, Peter objects forcefully, when Jesus said that he was headed for Jerusalem and there he would be scourged, crucified, and die, to which Peter said,” No Lord, this will never happen to you.”                                                                                                    ...
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