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Saturday, Annunciation of the Lord

3/25/2017

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Today's Reading 
Hebrews 10:4-10 
Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats 
take away sins. For this reason, 

when Christ came into the world, He said:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"

First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then He says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
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Reflection
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, or you could say the Feast of Jesus’ conception. The second reading comes from Hebrews and gives the reason for the second person of the Trinity becoming man interpreted through Psalm 40, today’s Responsorial Psalm. The Word of God became man to do His Father’s will; this was His delight!
 
Sometimes we think discerning God’s will is just about vocations, or we think God is not speaking to us and we get confused as what to do. Let’s talk about doing God’s will. Yes, sometimes God dramatically speaks to us or guides us towards a life-changing decision. But every day we can do His will. Start with the fact that we are Catholics. We follow God’s will when we follow the lead of Mother Church in living out our faith in daily life, avoiding sin, and praying. Then we all have family responsibilities and acts of love and mercy to show to our family members. Jesus tells us to forgive always. If you are consecrated, God’s will is manifested in your rule, constitutions and through your superiors. Even if you are in a temporary state of discerning your vocation, God’s will is to give your extra time in volunteer work and to live in right relations with others. Your job also manifests God’s will to you: to fulfill your duties with due diligence and attention, to study when you are a student, to nurture when you are a housewife and to treat your co-workers with respect.
 

God’s will is manifested to us every day in multiple ways and the more we listen in prayer and request His presence throughout the day, the more we will be accustomed to the way He guides us. Today, spend an extra ten minutes in prayer listening to the ways that God is leading you. Let us start being more attentive to God’s will in our lives.
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Friday, 3rd Week of Lent

3/24/2017

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Today’s Gospel
Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 
with all your soul, 
with all your mind, 
and with all your strength.

The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than He.
And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,  with all your strength, and to love your
neighbor as yourself  
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that He answered with understanding,
He said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask Him any more questions.

Reflection
Today, Jesus is reminding us to set our priorities straight: first God, then others, and last, yourself.
First, "The Lord our God is Lord alone!" We must put God first and love Him with everything we have. This must be our number one priority. But how often do we put other things before God in our every day lives? Our lives become busy and so we put off our prayers, Mass, or our Lenten sacrifices because we do not have the time or the energy. Let this Lent serve as a time for us to re-evaluate our priorities and make time for God, put Him at the top of your list. When we give God our time as an expression of our love, we care for ourselves and our loved ones not only in our present life, but for our eternal one as well. Everything stems from our love of God and God’s love for us. 

Then,“you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We should treat others the way that we would like to be treated, with the dignity given to them by God; we should love others as He loves them and as He loves us. Putting others interests before ours allows us to see the world in a much wider perspective.


Last, yourself. You may ask, if I am preoccupied caring for other’s needs, who will care for me? The answer is simple: God will care for you. God knows that it requires great trust in Him for us to put our all into caring for others and worshiping a God we cannot see. We must remember that it is the child-like who enter Heaven, those who trust that God the Father will provide for them. Today, put all of your trust in God and re-prioritize: God first, then others, and lastly yourself.

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Thursday, 3rd Week of Lent

3/23/2017

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Today’s Gospel
Luke 11:14- 23 

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,  and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, He drives out demons."
Others, to test Him, asked Him for a sign from heaven.
But He knew their thoughts and said to them,"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the
finger of God that I drive out demons,
 then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
 his possessions are safe. But when one stronger
than he attacks and overcomes him,
 he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the
spoils.
 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

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Reflection
Demons are a big part of the Gospel narrative. Many of us Catholics seem to be hesitant in admitting the presence of Satan or demons and become a bit uncomfortable when we hear someone preaching on the existence of the devil. However, we cannot deny, even if we cannot fully understand, that there is a spiritual reality all around us. We like to believe in angels but shy away of our belief in demons, which in fact, are angels as well. We see throughout our history, beginning with Jesus in the desert, this spiritual battle we have with Satan. Wherever we may find ourselves on the spectrum of belief, we must rededicate ourselves to the cause of Christ. We must not be divided because as Jesus says, “every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste.” This is true for Satan as it is for God. 

Lent is a time for us to once again recognize the presence of the spiritual reality that is all around us and recommit ourselves to the building of the Kingdom of God. We know that in every war, both sides bring their weapons. We cannot become complacent in our spiritual lives and think that there is no need to fight. Put on the armor of God, pick up the weapons of prayer and good works and accept the grace that will give you the strength to fight the daily temptations that you face. We have nothing to fear but let us not become comfortable. 
​

Take the time today to pray at least one decade of the sorrowful mysteries, asking for the strength to battle the demons in your life and recommit yourself to being a true disciple of Christ, willing to do what it takes to build the kingdom of God here on earth.  
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Wednesday, 3rd Week of Lent

3/22/2017

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Today’s Gospel
Matthew 5:17-19 
Jesus said to His disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."


Reflection
In today’s Gospel. Jesus tells us "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law.” In our day, the law is too often viewed as a set of rules and guidelines. This understanding of restriction is often passed on to our faith. But our faith is so much more than that. Scripture, Tradition and the Sacraments are guides which aid us in discovering what we truly desire and help us to obtain it. Man was designed to seek the good, and the ultimate good is God.

How often do we fill our lives with things of the world that we think will make us happy but are not good? When God is the only one who is going to truly fulfill our hearts deepest desires. A relationship with Him is the key to true happiness and fulfillment in life. Lent is the perfect time to work on that relationship and grow closer to our Lord. May we take advantage of this time to grow in holiness.
​

Today, reflect on what may be distracting you. What things are we using to fill ourselves up but are really distracting us from our true good? Once we have identified them, let us turn back to what the Church teaches  and how and why it came to this teaching. If we do not know what is taught regarding the things we identified as “distractions," then take the time today to find out what the teaching is and why. Then teach it to others, for "whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."
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Tuesday, 3rd Week of Lent

3/21/2017

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Today’s Gospel
Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked Him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
 who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused.
Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.

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Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
 as I had pity on you?'

​Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
 until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
Reflection
Today’s Gospel reading highlights an essential element of our faith: forgiveness. Jesus tells us that we are called to forgive always. The person who holds a grudge and refuses to forgive is weighed down and burdened. Just as God is merciful to us, we are called to be merciful and forgiving to all those we encounter. We must let go and allow God to work in us. 

Christ’s message of forgiveness is a message of freedom but we have to want to be free. Forgiveness is ultimately a choice. God has given us free will and we must exercise that in order to find the freedom we so desperately seek. In order to truly forgive we must unite ourselves to God  through prayer,  because we know that we cannot do it on our own. Prayer becomes the dialogue of love where God communicates His strength to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the same Spirit who breathes the divine life in us. Armed with the Spirit of God, we are able to overcome our weaknesses and forgive others. 


Christ came to liberate us. Our hope is Christ, who shows us that we must pray for those who harm us and by doing so we not only liberate them, but ourselves in the process. Today, think of the things you may be holding on to or the person in your life that you need to forgive, and make the choice to fully forgive them. Ask God to give you the strength to let go of what is hurting you and allow His grace and peace fill your heart.
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Monday, 3rd Week of Lent: Solemnity of Saint Joseph

3/20/2017

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​Today’s Gospel
Matthew 1: 16, 18-21, 24a
​

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
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For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Reflection
In today’s Gospel we hear about Mary and Joseph. Just imagine what they must have felt. They did not have the whole story presented to them, and nothing like it had ever occurred before in history, but what they did have was extraordinary trust in the Lord. When Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel, she obediently consented to the will of God, though she did not know what would happen. How do you tell your husband, parents, family, and friends that you conceived God’s Son? Do you think she wondered about what others would think? If she feared that they would not understand or believe her? Whatever she may have been thinking, nothing stopped her from saying "yes." Can we say the same when God asks us to serve Him? Even when we are convicted of our mission, do we put it aside because we are afraid?  How can we place our trust in the Lord as Mary did and respond?

Think of Joseph’s role in all of this. He discovered his wife was pregnant and knew it was impossible for the child to be his. As a result, he planned to divorce her. But the story does not end there, for God intervenes. An angel appears to Joseph in his dreams, encouraging him to not be afraid to receive his wife and her son. The little information he was given still would have been impossible to understand, but he chose to trust. 

Though we have seen Jesus fulfill every promise, we can still find it hard to trust Him. May we follow the example set before us by Joseph and Mary. Today in honor of St. Joseph's feast day, spend some time in silent prayer asking him to intercede on your behalf. Ask the Lord to help you to fully trust in Him. Pray that you may have the courage to answer His call and say "yes" to His will for your life just as St. Joseph and Mary.
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3rd Sunday of Lent

3/19/2017

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Today's Gospel
John 4:5-42 
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,  near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink, ' you would have asked him  and he would have given you living water." 

The woman said to Him,  "Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;  where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob,  who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself  with his children and his flocks?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;  but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;  the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty  or have to keep coming here to draw water."

Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband and come back." The woman answered and said to Him, "I do not have a husband." Jesus answered her, "You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.' For you have had five husbands,  and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true." The woman said to Him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;  but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand;  we worship what we understand,  because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here,  when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;  and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;  when he comes, He will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her, "I am He, the one speaking with you."



At that moment His disciples returned,  and were amazed that He was talking with a woman,  but still no one said, "What are you looking for?"  or "Why are you talking with her?"

The woman left her water jar  and went into the town and said to the people,  "Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?" They went out of the town and came to Him.

Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat." But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Could someone have brought Him something to eat?"

​Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish His work.
 Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment  and gathering crops for eternal life,  so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;   others have done the work,  and you are sharing the fruits of their work." ​
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Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in Him because of the word of the woman who testified,  "He told me everything I have done."When the Samaritans came to Him, they invited Him to stay with them;  and He stayed there two days.

Many more began to believe in Him because of His word,  and they said to the woman,  "We no longer believe because of your word;  for we have heard for ourselves,  and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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    Lenten Reflections

    Daily reading and a Lenten reflection including tips on how to live out the hope of Christ's resurrection.
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81 Cooper Street 
Woodbury, NJ
Phone 856-845-0123
Summer Office Hours: 9:00am - 3:00pm Monday-Friday
​Fax: 856-845-7409
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