It was certainly a very pleasant week, a great respite from the arctic cold of the week before. We got our taste of Spring, and certainly we can sense the increasing sunlight every day.
Today we are celebrating World Marriage Day. All married couples will receive a blessing this weekend. The recognition and blessing of this sacramental union – a sign to us of the love of Christ for his Church – is a good way to pray for the on-going blessings of the Lord in our lives. I challenge couples during their marriage ceremony to reread the Readings that they chose for their weddings each year on their anniversary. They chose those readings and they become a testimonial of their wedding and a sign to all of us of why the celebrated their marriage as a Sacramental one and not just a civil one.
In January I witnessed the marriage of one of my former students at a Mass in Ellicott City, Maryland. For the program the couple wrote the following explanation of the events to their guests: “As the two of us have grown in love, we have become more deeply rooted in our faith. Like so many people who’ve known the joys and challenges of love before us, we have come to see our relationship as a blessing from God. This great gift inspires our hearts to something like awe. We want to express the full measure of our joy and gratitude.”
Certainly they present a brilliant and succinct summary of what and why we celebrate World Marriage Day. We are blessed to have an increasing number of marriages here each year, and are very fortunate to have Lori McCahill – and her sidekick Michael – as our marriage minister. This enables us to prepare couples for marriage in ways that offer new and challenging perspectives designed to meet the struggles that couples face in the modern world. Let us continue to pray for them, for the couples who are recently married, those who are preparing for marriage, and in a special way, for those couples whose marriages are in crisis.
The next few weeks are packed with opportunities for faith enrichment on many levels. As we prepare for Lent (March 6th), later this year than in the more recent past, we are all in need of a boost to get us there.
For the men of our parish, the Catholic Men for Jesus Christ rally will be held on Saturday, February 23rd at Mary, Mother of God Church, Middletown. This year’s theme is “Rebuild My Church”. They offer national recognized speakers, opportunities for fellowship, Confession, and a chance to encounter other men from throughout the diocese who are seeking to deepen their relationship with the Lord. It is always an inspiring day and, as it is so close, I hope many men will be able to take advantage of the day. There are more details in the bulletin.
Our series on the Eucharist continues this week. This is an excellent opportunity to come to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist and then also a deeper insight into the rhythm and nature of the Mass itself. We are all grateful for the prayerful work of Father JM for the construction of the Lourdes Grotto in preparation for the commemoration on Monday, February 11th of the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
We will celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at the 7:00 p.m. Mass that day. All who are suffering from chronic or acute illnesses, or long or shortterm disability, or preparing for surgery or serious medical procedures, are welcome to attend.
May the loving presence of the Lord be with all of us.
Father Garry