<TW>Weekend of 28 and 29 March 2009
- From: "Fr. Pat Umberger" <frpat@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Fr. Pat Umberger" <frpat@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:13:41 -0500
.=: T H I S W E E K E N D :=.
from Father Pat Umberger
_________________________________________________
L E N T P A G E S
Visit my "Lent" page for lots of good information .... a count-down 'til
Easter, Lenten Reconciliation (including a very portable "Credit Card to
Heaven" to take with you, an Examination of Conscience .... all you'll need
to go to Confession except the sins. Visit our on-line Stations of the
Cross too, illustrated by the kids of Saint Pat's School. Our Stations and
Reconciliation aids are available both in English and Spanish. Follow the
link from: www.frpat.com
O N - L I N E S T A T I O N S O F T H E C R O S S
Visit my on-line Stations of the Cross. I wrote the text for children and
adults alike. The Stations were illustrated by the children of Saint Pat's
School. They're available in English and Spanish as well. Visit the Stations
every day during Lent. I think you'll like them a great deal.
Here's the link: www.frpat.com/stations.htm
__________________________________________________
.=: V O L U M E 2 0 0 9 , Number 03-29 :=.
.=: T H I S W E E K E N D ' S S C R I P T U R E S :=.
The Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year B.
Weekend of 28 and 29 March 2009
"The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel and the house of Judah." What is a covenant? What
covenants are part of our lives ... at home, work, school, in our community?
Which are rewarding? Which are challenging?
"I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be
their God, and they shall be my people." This is formula of God's covenant.
What is the difference between a law that is on the books and one that is
written upon our hearts? Which is more challenging? When do we follow the
law because of fear of consequences? When do we follow it out of love?
"Create a clean heart in me, O God." Can God do this against our will? How
can we best allow God to do this for us?
"Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he
was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey
him." How did Jesus' obedience bring us salvation? How can our obedience
to God help save those around us?
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much
fruit." How do we need to die to ourselves? Can we be full of self pride
and willfulness and still produce the fruit God would have us produce?
"And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
How does this happen? How can a seeming defeat be turned into a great
victory?
How are these Scriptures comforting? Challenging?
.=: S P I R I T U A L R E F L E C T I O N :=.
We strive to be people of our word. We admire that quality in others as
well. We enjoy being around people who can be trusted to be true to what
they say. When we see our children being dishonest we can become very
worried. We can even try to deny that they would ever be less than
truthful. We value the truth so much that we don't even want to admit to
the possibility that those around us could be anything less than true to
their word.
Still, we can easily learn that it's much easier to be deceptive at times.
We can be tempted to tell half truths and half lies. When we have done
wrong we can take the easier way out by lying or by avoiding telling the
whole truth. Even when we've agreed to do something, we can rationalize and
try to get out of our commitment. We can find ourselves trying to remember
what we've said. We know our lack of truthfulness doesn't lead anywhere
good, but it's sometimes hard to be truthful.
A covenant is a promise. It can exist between God and us. It can exist
between us and others as well. Covenants presuppose faithfulness and
honesty. We know that God is always faithful to the covenants God makes.
People don't have such a great history of faithfulness.
God's covenant with God's people began with Exodus and the giving of the law
on Mount Sinai. Our understanding of this covenant expanded and deepened
over the years. God was faithful and constant. We were constantly in need
of help. Still God was not willing to reject and abandon those who rejected
the covenant. God's faithfulness remained.
In the exile of the people the old covenant is brought back to life. The
covenant is not written on stone any more, but in Israel's living heart.
That's God's dream, that it will be so natural to be God's people, to live
with honesty, integrity and love for God and for one another.
This weekend's second reading helps us look at the suffering Jesus endured
to help establish a new and eternal covenant. Jesus' death and resurrection
establishes this new covenant. Jesus died that we might have life.
In the gospel, we hear of the grain of wheat that must fall into the earth
and die so that new life can spring forth. Death leads to new life. As it
is said, before there can be a resurrection there needs to be a death.
During this holy season, we take the time to consider the direction of our
own lives. We are certainly in need of God's salvation. As God did not
abandon the people of Israel, God will not abandon us.
As God constantly waited for the return of the people God loved, God waits
for us as well. The ashes that were traced on our foreheads when we began
this Season were a graphic reminder of things that will last, and things
that won't. We have a little more time to turn away from our sinfulness and
back to God.
Many of us will make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Season.
Perhaps our prayer, fasting and almsgiving will lead us to a greater
commitment to those we love and those in our world who need our help. God
addresses us today as always, "I will be their God, and they shall be my
people." We know that death and resurrection brought about this covenant.
We know that God will be faithful and forgiving. Our response can be,
"Yes!" May God's law be placed within us and written upon our hearts. Have
a good week!
(c)MMIX Fr. Pat Umberger. This Spiritual Reflection is found each week at
the Web Site www.frpat.com. Feel free to link to this page or reproduce them
for parish use as long as this credit remains.
__________________________________________________
<TW>This Weekend is free, and comes from:
Father Pat Umberger, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse
in Wisconsin U.S.A.
Web Site: www.frpat.com
Evangelization (reaching out): www.cmonback.com
.=: M A K E A D O N A T I O N ? :=.
www.frpat.com/donation.htm
.=: F O R W A R D I N G :=.
Please leave these credits when doing so.
.=: C H A N G E Y O U R S U B S C R I P T I O N :=.
Unsubscribe from your old address before you subscribe with your
new address. Use this link: www.frpat.com/morningprayer.htm#mp
You can also set your account to Vacation Mode there.
Other related posts:
- » <TW>Weekend of 28 and 29 March 2009 - Fr. Pat Umberger
