Today we travel to the Co-Cathedral in Freehold to celebrate the Rite of Election for our candidates for Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Rachel DeMasi and Kim Reit will receive the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil. As they participate in the Rite of Election this weekend and the Scrutinies over the Sundays of Lent, we pray for them that they will grow in the faith and in their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church.
Lent is also a good time to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus and his Church. While it is true that many of us are reeling from recent news stories, our focus on Jesus cannot and must not ever waver. This is a good time – perhaps the best time – to be an ardent evangelist inviting and encouraging others – lapsed Catholics, “None’s” and those who are wandering – to reflect deeply on their lives and to consider an invitation to enter into communion with Christ and the Church.
We all know the minimum that the church requires of us during this penitential season – sacrifice, alms giving, penance, and reparation for our sins. Hopefully we are not minimalists, but rather people who step up and go beyond. The Lord really asks us always to do more than the least.
In the midst of the many struggles that we are facing – as a nation, a church, a diocese, and as a parish and school – we can see either obstacles to overcome or opportunities for growth. This is especially true as we embark on the Lenten journey. We are invited to take opportunities both for personal spiritual growth – through fasting, etc., but also to build up the Kingdom of God. While we all strive to become better persons and better disciples of the Lord, Lent is not only or even primarily about us as individuals. This is a period for us to challenge ourselves to growth – for the sake of the Kingdom of God. There are many personal benefits that can be derived from sacrifice – perhaps we drop a bad habit or even lose weight – but we must also focus primarily on God and our relationship with him as we prepare for this most sacred season.
Our eighth grade students – school and religious education – are having their Confirmation retreat this weekend. Once again a wonderful team of young adults from Net Ministries is conducting this retreat for us. Let our prayers this weekend that our Confirmandi may find hope and inspiration in their encounter with the Lord and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as they prepare for Confirmation. The Very Reverend Gabriel Zeis, T.O.R, Diocesan Vicar for Education, will administer the Sacrament for us on Friday, March 29th. 112 students will be confirmed at that time.
I am still recovering from the pilgrimage to the Holy Land and am enlivened and enriched by my experience, as are Father JM and Deacon Steve, as well as the many parishioners from here and elsewhere who walked the way of the Bible with us. Hopefully you will hear this in our homilies, and in your encounters with those who have been there. It is always an awesome encounter. Perhaps we will do this again in the future. Personally I found Jordan to be stunning, and a great opportunity to see the Bible unfold on the other side of the river. I will definitely return there soon.
Thinking more about Lent, I have to dig up some soup recipes – it is time for Soup and Scripture again!