Holy Angels - Woodbury, NJ
  • Home
    • Holy Angels Parish
    • About Us >
      • Parish History >
        • Most Holy Redeemer
        • St. Patrick's Church
        • St. Matthew's Church
      • Clergy & Staff
    • Becoming Catholic
    • Parish Registration
    • New Parishioners
    • Mission Statement
    • How to Find Us
  • Worship
    • Mass Schedule & Locations
    • Live Stream Archives
    • Mass Cards
  • Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • Sponsors & Godparents
    • Confirmation
    • Reconciliation
    • Anointing of the Sick
    • Vocations
    • Mass Schedule & Locations
  • Formation
    • Religious Education >
      • Contact Info
      • Required Prayers
    • Becoming Catholic
  • Ministries
    • Compassionate Outreach
    • Pastoral & Community Life
    • Youth Group
  • Events
    • Bulletin Archives
    • Parish Calendar
    • South Jersey Catholic Ministries Appeal >
      • South Jersey Catholic Ministries Appeal Website
    • Holy Angels School
    • Stewardship >
      • Ministries
      • Ways to Give >
        • Electronic Giving
        • Parish Envelopes
        • Catholic Strong
        • #iGiveCatholic
        • House of Charity
    • Diocesan Events
  • Photo Galleries
    • Saint Patrick Church
  • How Do I...?
  • Forms Library
  • Donate
  • Ways to Give
  • Link Page

Saturday, 2nd Week of Lent

3/18/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Today's Gospel
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus but the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable.

"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself  in dire need.

So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.

​Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.


​I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' So he got up and went back to his father

While he was still a long way off,
 his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'

But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.'
Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.'

He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again;

he was lost and has been found.'"
Reflection
In today’s Gospel we hear the story of the prodigal son. The father required his sons to work for him. One rebelled externally and pursued his own interests; the other inwardly rebelled but obeyed his father. Neither of them were free. The two will only find true freedom and joy of heart in obeying the law willingly.

 Real freedom frees us from our sinful preoccupations that harm us spiritually and bind us from pursing false pleasures that will lead us away from God. Freedom is not a state where you can do whatever you want. Rather freedom is the state when you are no longer plagued with sin because you know what you want and what is best for you. This is where God’s law and the Church’s teachings guide us. St. John Paul II says, “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." True freedom lies within our ability to chose what is right and just. 

In this parable we are also reminded of the endless mercy of God. Luke 15:7 says, “There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents, than over ninety nine just persons who need no repentance.” 
There is no mistake that we can make that God will not forgive. There is no place too far the we can go that God will not come and rescue us with His infinite love. Which son are you? Are you inwardly or outwardly rebelling against the Father’s law and the church? If so, what is keeping you from being truly free? Whatever it is, today, offer it up to Jesus and let Him help you move towards the true freedom of being a child of God.
All content is created by "Array of Hope".  If you would like to directly receive all of the content created by this ministry you can sign up at www.arrayofhope.net
0 Comments

    Lenten Reflections

    Daily reading and a Lenten reflection including tips on how to live out the hope of Christ's resurrection.
    Sundays you will receive a short inspirational video from one of our Array of Hope Presenters.  

    Invite your friends and family to experience Easter of Hope too!

    Archives

    April 2017
    March 2017

    Categories

    All
    1st Week
    2nd Week
    3rd Week
    4th Week
    5th Week
    Adultery
    Angel
    Annunciation
    Ash Wednesday
    Bed
    Believe
    Broken
    Child
    Commandments
    Communication
    Consistent
    Darkness
    Death
    Deuteronomy
    Dialogue
    Division
    Exalts
    Fasting
    Forget
    Forgiveness
    Free
    Gabriel
    Goats
    Good Friday
    Healing
    Help
    Holy Thursday
    Holy Week
    Humbly
    I AM
    Isaiah
    Jesus
    John
    Jonah
    Lazarus
    Least
    Life
    Lift Up
    Light
    Lord's Supper
    Luke
    Man Born Blind
    Martha
    Mary
    Mat
    Matthew
    Mercy
    Mighty Works
    Mother
    Neighbor
    Prayer
    Prodigal
    Rain
    Remove
    Repentance
    Resurrection
    Rich Man
    Sacraments
    Sacred Triduum
    Saint Joseph
    Samaritan
    Saturday
    Seeking God
    Sheep
    Signs
    Signs & Wonders
    Sin
    Sinners
    Son Of Man
    Sunday
    Tradition
    Tranfiguration
    Transgression
    Triduum
    Truth
    Unfaithful Servant
    Vigilant
    Well
    Word

    RSS Feed

Connect with us

Parish Office
81 Cooper Street 
Woodbury, NJ
Phone 856-845-0123
 Office Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday-Friday
​Fax: 856-845-7409
Email: mail@holyangelsnj.org 
Click Here For Directions and Maps
Picture
Picture
Helpful Links
  • ​​Parish Mass Schedule 
  • MassTimes (For Travelers)
  • How Do I...?
  • Sunday Bulletins
  • How to Find Us
  • Wedding Guidelines
  • Facebook
  • Holy Angels Catholic School
  • Religious Education
  • Diocese of Camden
  • Daily Mass Readings
  • Liturgy of the Hours
  • Bible
  • South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries
  • Common Prayers
  • Rosary Guide
  • Vatican Website
  • U.S.C.C.B.

Picture