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March 6, 2022Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days . . . Luke 4:1
During these difficult times seen throughout the globe, such as the devastation caused by two years of the COVID pandemic; natural disasters including tornadoes, snowstorms, hurricanes; the Taliban causing oppression and bloodshed in Afghanistan; the war in Eastern Europe from Russian aggression, the killings of the innocent, and the attempt of taking of liberties away from the people in the Ukraine; the persecution of Christians in Africa and the Middle East; kidnapping and sexual exploits of children at our southern border and in different parts of the world; the rise of domestic violence and acts of terror in our own country; and the record low temperatures affecting many parts of our country. It is hard to watch at a distance and see others suffering and in pain. And, if the distance, time constraints and/or finances prevent us from serving others in these areas of great need, remember:
The Lord has promised that he would always be with us in our need as we hear proclaimed in Romans (10:13) “the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. . . . “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” During the personal journey of our 40 Days, let us take advantage of different ways to encounter Our Lord’s love and mercy as we use the three pillars of Lent in our prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let us first join together in prayer as we celebrate the Eucharist, the primary prayer of our Church, as often as we can.
In addition to attending Mass, listed below is our scheduled prayer, devotional and liturgical prayer-filled experiences in our linked parish community:
+ Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 pm on Fridays in the Basilica; The Litany of Divine Mercy following 8:00 am Friday Masses at St. John’s (2nd to last Fridays) and the Litany of the Sacred Heart (First Fridays)
+ Rosary (prayed after every Mass during Lent)
+ Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer (6:40 am before 7:00 am Mass in the Basilica) and Evening Prayer (with devotional prayers and exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) on Mondays beginning at 7:00 pm in the Oratory of the Sacred Heart; Thursdays at 4:45 pm (followed by exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) in the Basilica. Additional prayer materials are provided as needed.
+ Additional Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration during Confessions, Wednesdays at the Basilica from 4:30 to 5:30 pm; and Saturdays, 1:30 to 2:30 pm at St. John’s.
+ 40 Hours Devotion (Friday, March 18 starting at 8 am until Saturday, March 19 ending at midnight) Children of Fatima Chapel (Parish Life Center)
+ Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 8:45 am after the Litanies to the Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart following the 8:00 am Mass at St. John’s; 11:30 am before the 12:15 Mass at the Basilica and 6:30 pm at the Basilica)
**Additional prayer materials can be found at the entrances of the Church for your personal meditation including, “Living Faith,” “Turn to God,” and the “Word Among Us” found at the entrances of the Basilica and/or St. John’s**
Blessings and His graces for a beautiful Lenten Season,
Fr. John
