_THE COLLECT...

Let us pray:  O God, who have commanded us to listen to your beloved Son, be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly by your word, that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your glory.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

This Sunday’s Collects frame the Mass and invoke the prayers that are sent to the Father through the sublime sacrifice of His Son in the Holy Mass and in the unity of the Holy Spirit.  The gospel of Mark recalls the Mystery of the Transfiguration and witness of the three disciples as Jesus’ divinity is made present to them.   May we recall this Mystery of our faith throughout this time of Lent, when Jesus, the Son of God is presented by Him as the fulfillment of His plan of salvation for humanity.  The Word Made Flesh has entered into human history, He is the fulfillment of all prophecy and the Law.  During the Transfiguration, the words of God the Father are heard, “ This is my Beloved Son; listen to Him.”  And so during this time of Lent and throughout our lives, we are to listen to Jesus’ teaching to His word, and to become His disciples, His followers.  In the second reading, St. Paul tells us “if God is with us, who is against us?  In our journey through Lent, let us shed our darkness and be purified and nourished through the word of God and so continue our way to the New Jerusalem.  In the Collect, the priest, in the name of the Body of Christ, sends our petitions for a fruitful and holy Lent.

By Maria Delgado-Braun
Administrative Assistant Religious Education Department
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mbraun@stjmod.com

_THE COLLECT...

It is now three months since the English-speaking world began using the new translation of the Mass.  It is important for us to continue to reflect on the changes, the new richness of the words that we hear and say, so that we can continue to grow closer to God in the Holy Mass.  One change that has occurred that perhaps we have not noticed are the opening prayers or the Collects.  The Collect is after the Gloria and the Penitential Act, and is started by the priest saying “let us pray.” The Collect is said by the priest on behalf of the people.  This prayer is very important because it sets the tone for the Mass.  During the Sundays of Lent, we will discover their great spiritual meaning so that we all experience God’s love and mercy in a more profound way. 

The First Sunday of Lent the priest says:  Let us pray:
Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observance of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.  Amen.

Every year we go through Lent, and maybe we have the tendency to just go through the motions but this is a holy time of year.  These 40 days are set apart for us to grow closer to Christ.  Every year Lent comes around and we reflect on how we have become perhaps lazy or too comfortable in our faith.  Lent helps us to remember the great love of Christ and to renew our commitment to Him once again.  Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension is the key to our salvation.  It is folly to those who are covered in the darkness of our world, but these mysteries are the riches hidden in Christ. During this time of Holy Lent we are called to follow Christ’s example, to be His disciples so that we enter Eternal Life with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

_By Michael Webster
Director of Religious Education
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mwebster@stjmod.com

Fr. Benny Kottarathil, MI Chaplain - The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy

Jillian Cooke, Fr. Kolbe Missionary of the Immaculata -

Ann O'Donnell, Fr. Kolbe Missionary of the Immaculata - Standing at the Cross of Jesus was His Mother

With Lent and Ash Wednesday (February 22) right around the corner, Catholics around the world will begin to prepare for what they will “give up.” The penitential practices of our Catholic faith are in contrast to the values of our American culture. Some Catholics may recall the times when every Friday meant not eating meat. What many faithful Catholics don’t realize is that the obligation of some form of penance on Fridays throughout the year has not been dispensed. In November of 1966, our US Bishops did allow for more meaningful penance other than just meat on Fridays. However, after 40-plus years the plan has back-fired and we have lost the practice of Friday penance. Let’s look at what the Church says:

 

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1438: The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.
  
• Canon 1250: The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.
  
• Can. 1251: Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
  
• Can. 1253: The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.

The Grace available from following the practices of our faith add to our Christian life. Many who have returned to the practice of “no meat” (or some other deliberate sacrifice) on Fridays profess how it has helped them fully appreciate the sacrifice that Christ made on Good Friday. As you and your family prepare for Lent 2012, consider returning to the practice of every Friday being a day of penance.  

Practical tips/suggestions:

• Set the alarm on your watch/smart phone to go off at 3pm every Friday to remind yourself of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and say a prayer for yourself or someone in need.
  
• If you don’t give up meat, fast from something else: sweets, soda, coffee, etc.
  
• Do an act of charity every Friday: drop off food for St. Vincent de Paul or visit a shut-in.
  
• Make it a rule: On Fridays no TV or other electronic devises, or have your kids give up that one toy that they really enjoy.
  
• Take time with your kids and share about Christ’s love and sacrifice for us on the cross: pray the chaplet of divine Mercy or the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Every Friday in the church from 6:30pm- 7:30pm we have Adoration & Confession, 
the first Friday is Children’s Adoration. 

Make it a priority to participate in the rich tradition of the Church by remembering every Friday the Passion & Death of our Lord Jesus. 

Did you hear about the recent YouTube sensation where a man named Jefferson Bethke says: “Why I hate religion, but love Jesus”?

In the video Bethke asks, “What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion?” and “Why does [religion] build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor.” He also wonders why religion can be considered good if it’s started so many wars.

Of course, these are the same tired arguments we’ve all heard leveled against the Catholic Church for generations. But tragically, Bethke uses his great skills as a poet and video artist to make these stale arguments fresh and persuasive to a new generation of Americans.

…and his video already has 15 million views on YouTube and continues to spread like wildfire.

These clever, but illogical and false critiques of the Church cannot go unanswered. 

Our friends at Spirit Juice Studios put together a response that is sensational. And we just had to share it with you.

Now, go share it with your friends

Video Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ru_tC4fv6FE 

This article was taken from CatholicVote.org.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6z9dlQVnsP0 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DCRosY4sw7Y