Fourth Sunday of Lent

Dear Parishioners,

     We are now at the half way point of Lent.  This is Gaudete Sunday.  Gaudete is the Latin word for praise.  During the past week we celebrated Reconciliation Services with our grade school students.  This week Alleman will be having similar services.  We are still asked as Catholics to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Lenten-Easter season.  This is something we all need to put on our calendar.

     We do not do this simply because we have to, but we receive absolution because we hunger for it.  St. Paul puts it well in the second reading for this Sunday when he says, “God wants to show us the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

     What a wonderful thing it is to receive kindness from someone else. Maybe we are struggling with a problem, perhaps we are feeling overwhelmed by a task we must do and then someone says, “Let me help you with that.”  What a relief we feel. Our benefactor probably does not have to help us, but chooses to.

     Jesus is like that.  We may feel overwhelmed with the burden of sin.  And our savior Jesus says let me lift that weight from your shoulders.  That is what happens to us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

     Why wouldn’t we want to feel the forgiveness of Jesus?  There will be many other opportunities to experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Easter. Hopefully, we will take advantage of this and feel the healing that comes with the absolution of Christ.

Blessings,

Fr. Mark

P.S.  Last week I wrote about the First American State Bank offering to give us their building. I contacted our diocesan offices and they have given us permission to negotiate a transfer of the property.  With this permission we will move forward with the negotiations.

P.P.S.  I would like to thank all the parish members that helped with our second Leadership Training Day last Saturday.  We had nineteen participants take part.  It was a wonderful day of prayer, fellowship and training. A special thanks goes to Carolyn Wilson who coordinated the event.