Dear Friends:
Wednesday of this week, believe it or not, is Ash Wednesday and with it, the season of Lent begins. These next forty days are a time of opportunity, opportunity for spiritual renewal and, with it, a deeper and more vibrant relationship with God. During these next forty days, I would suggest at the very least that more time than usual be set aside for daily prayer, that you consider a visit to either church several times a week for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, that you join us for the praying of the Stations of the Cross on Fridays, and, finally, at some point, that you take the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (to go to confession). If you do this, or at least most of it, it will be indeed a good and fruitful Lenten season.
On Ash Wednesday, there will be six Masses celebrated between both the churches and an additional Liturgy of the Word with the imposition of ashes in the afternoon at St. Mary’s. Please note that in keeping with our practice since the pandemic, we will be imposing ashes on the top of the head, and not on the forehead. This eliminates any unnecessary skin-to-skin contact, and in my mind, better fulfills what Jesus teaches in the Gospel of the day, namely, that you should “ anoint your head and wash your face, so that you will not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” Lent is a time for personal reflection and conversion. The only ones who need to know that we are fasting are God and ourselves. If you want to have ashes imposed on your forehead, please go to another parish on Wednesday, as there will be no exceptions.
As we have done for several years now, in the spirit of alms giving, a collection will be taken at all Masses and at the Liturgy of the Word service on Ash Wednesday and the proceeds donated to the Beth-El Shelter.
Please note that Ash Wednesday is a day of universal fast and abstinence in the Church. Please check elsewhere in this bulletin for the regulations on fast and abstinence.
Finally, I have noticed a tendency among some to take a bulletin, read it, and then either leave it in the pew or place it back on the table as they leave church. Besides the unsanitary nature of this and the need it creates to clean up clutter, it thwarts the primary purpose of the parish bulletin, which is to inform the people of what is happening. Before the pandemic, we had instituted a policy whereby bulletins were made available only on leaving the church. Beginning the weekend of the First Sunday of Lent, February 17-18, we will reinstitute this policy. The bulletins will not be placed at the doors of the church until after Communion and will not be available until then. Please take one with you on leaving church and keep it at home for future reference. Prior to Mass is not the time for reading the bulletin. It is a time for prayer and quiet. The bulletin should not be read during the homily, as it is rude to not listen to the homilist who has prepared a suitable reflection on the Scriptures. We have very good preachers in our parish and their messages ought to be heard properly. If this sounds harsh or rude, forgive me. It needs to be said.
Have a good week and a very good Lent!