SATURDAY 5TH WEEK
Corey Krengiel Sem. C ‘14

Future Joy

“The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock … I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” Jeremiah 10: 13

Tomorrow begins the week of the Lord’s Passion. Tomorrow Jesus will enter into Jerusalem to be tortured and killed on the cross. And yet today we pray a Psalm that seems downright celebratory. This is because our eyes see more that a man about to suffer – we behold the God-man about to sacrifice himself in order to conquer the power of death forever!

“The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.” These words help us see that God is concerned for us; he does not stand by idly as we suffer, but jumps to action to safeguard his defenseless children. The image is meant to dismiss any thought that God is far away or simply some unperceiving ‘higher power’. He is more like the shepherd who spends all his time in the field watching over his flock and guarding his little sheep from the many dangers that might await them. Jesus not only saves us from danger, but does so by jumping right into it.

“I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” Mourning first, then joy; sorrows, then consolation. This was the way for Jesus who had to die before he could rise, and it is the way for us – the Way of the Cross. We undergo trials daily, but when we endure them with the grace that flows from Christ’s sacrifice, we grow as men and as women. And looking at the big picture, this life is one long struggle that we must endure to the end. And in the end, it will be worth it! Jesus himself will “console and gladden” us as he welcomes us into his perfect joy – the supreme joy of Heaven.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the good Shepherd who stopped at nothing to guard us from the death that awaited us. Give us the grace to endure peacefully the daily trials of life, so that when our journey is over
we might share with you the eternal joy of Heaven. Amen.

Ez 37: 21-28, Jer 31: 10-13, Jn 11: 45-56

FRIDAY 5TH WEEK
Kathryn Zagrobelny C ‘14

God in Shining Armor

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18: 2

The first reading from Jeremiah says it all: “Praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” How often have we felt excluded from others or attacked by society because our values and beliefs differ from what the rest of the world claims? More often than not, we are bombarded with messages from the media, from music, from movies, and from TV that contradict what we know is true. It is in those times that we must cling to the Lord. As today’s Psalm tells us, the Lord is our “rock,” our “fortress,” and our “deliverer.” He will protect and shield us from those that persecute us and those that try to turn us away from Him. Like a knight in shining armor, He rescues His people from their enemies. In the gospel, Jesus faces persecution and although he is spared in today’s reading, we do know the he soon will face the worst persecution—death. But God raises Jesus from the dead and saves Jesus from sin and death. If we too rely on God, He will save us. What persecutions do you face in your life? Do you put your trust in God to protect you?

Lord, protect me from all that attacks me and tries to tear me away from You.
May I remain steadfast in You who are;
my rock, my shield, and my salvation. Amen.

Jer 20: 10-13, Ps 18: 2-7, Jn 10: 31-42

THURSDAY 5TH WEEK
Amanda Clark C ‘13

God’s Promise

“I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact.”
Genesis 17: 8

Have you ever been unsure about something? Or had trouble trusting a person? In this verse, God explains to Abraham that he has made a covenant (or a promise) he will never break. He promises to take care of Abraham and his family. He does the same for us. God has promised us that he will be with us and offer us strength in times of need. He is steadfast and unwavering in his love and care for us. God wants to take care of you and have a relationship with you. He loves you. The question that arises is whether or not you will trust Him to love you, and take care of you. Do you trust in His promise? Sometimes it is frightening to trust because we are exposed to people who may lie or who may not genuinely care for us. But God yearns for you to trust in His promise and love Him back. He wants this to be a two-way promise. Will you trust in his promise of love and promise to love Him in return?

Adonai, please help me to trust in your loving promise. Remind me that you are present and that I do not have to be anxious because you love me and care for me. Please help me to love you back. I want to develop a beautiful relationship with you. Help teach me how to do it. Thank you for loving me and for taking care of me. Amen.

Gn 17: 3-9, Ps 105: 4-9, Jn 8: 51-59

WEDNESDAY 5TH WEEK
Celeste Coajou C ‘15

Live in the Light of the Truth

“If you remain in my word, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31-32

In this gospel, some who call themselves “the descendants of Abraham” are trying to kill Jesus because they do not believe He is God. And Jesus, upon hearing this, said that if they don't believe in the truth, then they are living in the darkness of sin. As disciples, it's hard to believe in something we cannot see. But does it mean it's not real or doesn't exist? In times of doubt and uncertainty, believing can be really hard to do. The hardest lesson I've recently had to learn is that faith is affirmed in darkness. And sometimes we need to just let go and open our eyes in the darkness, trusting that God will lead the way that we may see the light. And through our own spiritual journeys, we will come to fully believe that He is the Truth. We are called to live in the light and spread the good news of Christ, even in the darkest of places.

Open my eyes Lord. Help me to see your face. Open my eyes Lord, help me to see. Open my ears Lord. Help me to hear your voice.
Open my ears Lord, help me to hear. Amen.

Dn 3: 14-20, 91-92, 95, Dn 3: 52-56, Jn 8: 31-42

TUESDAY 5TH WEEK
Josh Weaver C ‘15

St. Joseph, More than a Carpenter

“When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” Matthew 1: 24

In reading this passage from the Gospel of Matthew, let us not forget St. Joseph, whose cooperation with God’s will, serves as an example for us to remain open to God’s voice even when we think we have everything figured out. Joseph, because he was righteous, was going to divorce Mary quietly, but the Angel of the Lord came and instructed him not to divorce her, but to take her into his home. Instead of following through with his previous intentions, he obeyed the will of God and took care of Mary. Let us forget our selfish intentions and follow the Lord’s voice in our own lives no matter how scary or daunting it may be. Completely resigning to the will of God in our lives is not an easy task, but it is the most rewarding one. Throughout our lives, God is calling us to trust in Him. We may think we know the direction our lives are going to take, but let us follow Him wherever He leads us. He will not send us where His grace cannot sustain us.

St. Joseph, pray for us that we may, like you, be righteous enough to hear, recognize, and obey God’s will for us by putting aside our wants and following that voice so that we may bring souls to Him and give glory
to Him through all that we do. Amen.

2 Sm 7: 4-5a, 12-14a, 16, Ps 89: 2-5, 27, 29, Rom 4: 13, 16-18, 22

SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
Reverend Frederick L. Miller
Seminary Professor of Systematic Theology

The Mystery of the Annunciation

“My souls proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Luke 1: 46

Artists throughout the ages have helped Christians grasp the deep meaning of the Gospel of the Annunciation. Three details frequently included by artists come immediately to mind. First, Mary is often depicted kneeling with a book in her hands. The point is that she was grounded in the Word of God and lived in a spirit of silence and prayer.

Second, the Angel Gabriel is frequently dressed as a Deacon in these artistic renderings of the Gospel scene. He wears a dalmatic or stole, or both. The theological point is that Gabriel comes from God to do what every deacon is ordained to do: He proclaims the Gospel of salvation to Mary.

Third, in some of the paintings of the Annunciation, a ray of light from outside of the painting passes through the Angel. The light is directed towards Mary and often towards her ear. On occasion, there is a tiny translucent infant in the ray of light. The point: The Word/Son comes from the Father of Light. Gabriel is his messenger, his instrument. Mary receives the Word and conceives the Word through hearing and believing. St. Augustine taught in the 5th century that Mary first conceived the Word of God in her mind through faith and then in her flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mary’s response to the Angel’s message, her fiat—“I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to your word”—has often been described by saints and doctors as an act of faith. The virgin of Nazareth heard the Word of God spoken to her by Gabriel. She pondered the word deeply in her heart. Mary said “yes”! “I’ll do what you propose! I’ll do it for God!” Her abandonment to the will of God expressed in the Word necessitated a great deal of hope. Without knowing how the future would unfold, this young girl trusted the God of her people would care for all her needs.

However, Mary’s fiat was more. Above everything her fiat was, and is, an act of charity. Before the day of the Annunciation, Mary’s love had looked for a way to manifest itself. In an unprecedented act, Mary desired to give her virginity to God. She wanted to be his bride to make expiation for the sins and infidelities of her people. Even though she was engaged to Joseph, her deepest desire was virginity for the King-dom. Hence, Mary’s question to the angel, “How will this be since I am a virgin (Lk 1:34)?”

The Angel’s message confirmed Mary’s desire to love God with an undivided heart as his bride. She would conceive God’s Son, the Messiah, not by human seed but through the power of the Holy Spirit. She would be forever, and all at the same time, virgin, bride, and mother. In her self-surrender to God, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). And Mary became the Virgin Mother of God.

Holy Mother of God, you brought the Savior into the world through your faith, your hope, and your charity. Help us, your children, to believe in Christ, to trust him, and to love him as our Lord and God. Lead us on the way to holiness in this life
and to the eternal enjoyment of God in Heaven. Amen.

Dn 13: 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or Dn 13: 41c-62, Ps 23: 1-6, Jn 4: 43-54

FIFTH SUNDAY
Emily Koenning
Focus Missionary

Roll Away Your Stone

“This sickness is not to end in death; rather it is for God’s glory, that through it the Son of God may be glorified” John 11: 4

The raising of Lazarus is a beautiful story of hope to prepare our hearts for this last week of Lent. In the story, Jesus weeps over Lazarus’ death and the Jews say “See how he loved him.” This story is about us and how Christ loves us far too much to leave us the way we are—dead in our sin. Jesus longs to bring us to life no matter what the cost. In the story his disciples warned him that he was almost stoned in the town where Lazarus lay, but all Jesus wanted was to go to “the one he loved” and bring him life.

When Jesus arrived at the tomb he told them to remove the stone from the grave. He was warned that there would be a stench because Lazarus had been dead for days. This stench is an interesting image of sin. To think of our sin as an unbearable odor brings light to the reality of its ugliness. God even revealed the “stench of sin” to St. Catherine of Siena, who was given the gift to physically smell the stink of sin on people when she was around them. She said that the smell was so unbearable that she might die. But we see again Jesus doesn’t care, all he wants is to go to the ugliest parts of our hearts where we are dead without him and bring life.

We can reflect on the story of Lazarus and recognize these areas in our own lives where we are dead in sin, and we need the love of Christ to come and bring us to life. “Thus says the LORD God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them …Then you shall know that I am the LORD … I will put my spirit in you that you may live …”

Heavenly Father, have mercy on us poor sinners. Grant us the grace to allow you into those darkest, ugliest parts of our hearts so that you may heal them with your love. We thank you for this journey through lent and that during this last week we dive even deeper into longing for your resurrection and the life you long to give us. Mary, make our prayer perfect. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Is 43: 16-21, or Ez 37: 12-14, Ps 126: 1-6, Phil 3: 8-14 or Rom 8: 8-11
Jn 8: 1-11 or Jn 11: 1-45