How to Live a Holy Lent: 7 Essential Keys

Do you struggle to keep your Lenten sacrifices? Do you enter Easter Mass feeling more guilty than joyful? Lent was made for contemplation. It’s a time when we are called to repentance, but repentance requires reflection.  We need to spend time thinking and praying about the most important truths. Lent is a time to experience God's saving grace, and this book will show you how. Fr. Bill Casey has written this retreat to guide you through the Church's holiest season. In Making a Holy Lent, you will learn the the seven keys to spiritual progress in Lent: The Church: We see the medium through which sacramental grace comes into our lives.   Prayer: We strengthen our relationship with God, humbly submitting our intentions while He shares some of His life with us.   The Eucharist: Our sharing of God’s life goes to a new level, when, in His graciousness, God makes Himself fully present to us.    Confession: We come to God so that He can graciously heal us through the Holy Spirit.    The Danger of Pride and the Power of Humility: We empty ourselves, allowing God’s grace to flow into and through us.    The Queenship of the Blessed Mother: We see the perfection that grace can achieve and a uniquely powerful vessel through which grace comes into our hearts.   Reading and praying over one chapter a week will take you from the winter of Ash Wednesday to the spring of Easter. This Lent, deepen your spiritual life and enliven your spirit. It will surely be your holiest Lent yet.  Making a Holy Lent: 40 Meditations to Prepare You for the Church's Holiest Season by Fr. William Casey 144 pages List price: $12.95  Today's Sale Price: $9.95! Order Now Get BOTH books for only $21.95 Order Now In these pages, EWTN host and Franciscan Friar Fr. Andrew Apostoli reflects on each of the questions asked by Jesus and gently guides you into a deeper understanding of the wisdom of who He is and what He is asking of you. Among the many questions you'll explore are . . . What do you seek? Discover why Holy Mass is the key to knowing this answer.   O woman, what have you to do with me? How this question tests your faith, and why the salvation of your soul may depend on how you answer it.   Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Learn how prayer is the key to fully knowing this answer.   Who do you say the Son of Man is? Discover how this question was crucial in granting authority to Peter and the Apostles.   Who do you say that I am? Why recognizing Jesus as your Lord is in itself insufficient.   Will you also want to leave? Learn how this question is key to knowing how to persevere in the spiritual life.   Do you know what I have done for you? Discover it is imperative that you live by the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.   What would a man offer in exchange for his soul? The three things you must offer to Jesus to attain eternal life.   Could you not watch one hour with me? The inevitable dangers we will face if we don't pray.   Why were you looking for me? Learn what this answer says about the presence of Jesus in your spiritual life.   Do you love me? How the reconciliation of Peter and Jesus should give us courage and fortitude. Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join

Lenten reading acclaimed by Mother Teresa, Fr. Groeschel, & Fr. Hardon

In Gethsemane, Jesus begged His disciples to "watch one hour" with Him.   This Lent will you finally manage to watch one hour with Jesus, or even grow closer to him in prayer? If you're uncertain, then consider this remarkable book, written in Jerusalem in the 1920s by a Dominican priest who lived there. It will make it easy for you to watch not just one hour with Jesus, but many. *   "By means of this book," said St. Teresa of Calcutta, "we enter right into the Heart of Jesus and discover how precious we are to Him and how much He longs for our love in return."     *    The late John Cardinal O'Connor called this book "beautiful, devotional, and insightful." *   Fr. Benedict Groeschel proclaimed it "a powerful aid to meditation" and Dr. Alice von Hildebrand says "This book should be in the hands of every single Christian."  That's because its author, Rev. A.D. Sertillanges (1863-1948), wrote with the care of a scholar, the eye of a cinematographer, and the tenderness of a saint. In the pages of this book, What Jesus Saw from the Cross, you'll be jostled by crowds as you enter Jerusalem with Jesus, choke on the dust of the narrow streets, breathe the rich smells of the city at festival time, and share the Last Supper with the disciples.   You'll weep in Gethsemane, witness the kiss of Judas and the lying accusations made before Herod and Pilate. You'll stumble with Jesus through narrow streets, bumped by pack animals and hawkers selling wares to the thrill-seeking crowd, sneering at the Cross Jesus bears.   You'll weep as soldiers drive home the nails and tremble as darkness covers the earth when Jesus dies. So intense is Fr. Sertillanges' account of Jesus' last days --- and so faithful to the Gospel --- that generations of Catholics have used What Jesus Saw from the Cross to prepare themselves for Easter.   *    The late Fr. John Hardon said that: "Father Sertillanges' book immerses us into every detail, every event, and every emotion that accompanies the drama of Christ's suffering and sacrifice on the cross. After reading this book, every Christian will experience the vivid sense of being an eyewitness to the death of His Lord and view the Crucifixion as a personal event that touches his daily life. This is a book for all times, for all places, and for all people, especially our own age." * * *   Will your faith grow this Lent, or will you settle with "just getting by?"   Join Mother Teresa, Cardinal O'Connor, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, and countless other good Catholics who have nourished their faith with What Jesus Saw from the Cross. What Jesus Saw from the Cross  by Fr. A.G. Sertillanges 252 pages List price: $18.95  Today's Sale Price: $14.95! Order Now Get BOTH books for only $22.95! Order Now Lent is hard, and it's so frustrating when we lose focus and surrender to our weaknesses time and time again. That's why all the great saints encouraged meditation as a sure-fire way to place yourself in God's presence and grow closer to Him. Through meditation, we take our eyes off ourselves, and we walk faithfully in the hands of God. There is no better time to begin—or to renew—the habit of meditation than during the Season of Lent. If you want to combine the spiritual benefits of a holy Lent with the bountiful harvest that regular meditation brings, then your soul is crying for Meditations for Lent. These brief but powerful meditations are collected from the voluminous writings of 17th Century Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet. Bishop Bossuet is considered to be among the best homilists in the history of the Church, and his great piety and eloquent writings have been cherished by Catholics for hundreds of years. Now they're available to you in English, for the very first time! In these pages, Bishop Bossuet will take you on a stunning inner pilgrimage to an unforgettable encounter with Jesus' tender love for you as he freely gave His life for you on the Cross. Each meditation is short, and it is a robust complement to the daily readings at Mass during the Lenten season. Read Meditations for Lent and you won't arrive at Easter Mass distracted, exhausted, and frazzled, having neglected your sacrifices and your ordinary prayers, too. Instead, you'll find yourself walking joyfully into church, ready and eager to adore the resurrected King. And your soul will be what it should be: a fit dwelling place for the Redeemer. Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 21, 2018

FIRST READING
Jonah 3:1-5,10
God spared the people of Nineveh because they heeded the message God
sent through Jonah.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7,8-9
The Lord teaches us his ways.

SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Paul warns the Corinthians that they must act differently because the
world in its present form is passing away.

GOSPEL READING
Jesus calls the fishermen, Simon and Andrew, James and John, to be his
disciples.

GOSPEL MK 1:14-20

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

Today we begin a continuous reading of Mark's Gospel that will carry us
through this segment of the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. Remember
that in Cycle B of the Lectionary, most of the Gospel readings are taken
from the Gospel according to Mark.

The Gospel of Mark does not begin with a narrative about Jesus' birth.
Instead Mark begins by reporting on the preaching of John the Baptist.
John is described as the voice in the wilderness sent to prepare the way
of the Lord. Immediately after describing the work of John the Baptist,
Mark reports on Jesus' baptism and his temptation in the desert. Jesus'
public ministry begins after the arrest of John the Baptist. Mark wants
his readers to understand the important connection between the end of
the ministry of John the Baptist and the beginning of Jesus' own
ministry.

As we learn at the beginning of today's Gospel reading, Jesus preaches
the Kingdom of God in continuity with the preaching of John the Baptist.
Like John the Baptist, Jesus' pronouncement of the kingdom is a call to
repentance. Yet Jesus' preaching is greater than John's. Jesus begins
the time of fulfillment; the Kingdom of God is already here. This will
be demonstrated again and again, both in Jesus' words and in the actions
that follow. Jesus' healings and forgiveness of sins are signs of the
Kingdom of God that he announces in his teaching.

In contrast to last week's Gospel, in Mark's Gospel Jesus takes the
initiative in calling his first disciples. As mentioned last week, it
was more typical of first-century rabbinical schools for students to
seek out rabbis, asking to be their disciples. In Mark's Gospel, Jesus
breaks with this tradition and invites his disciples to learn from him.
Jesus is said to have first called four fishermen--Simon, Andrew, James,
and John. Simon and Andrew are brothers. Jesus promises that he will
make them "fishers of men." James and John are also brothers. Mark does
not report Jesus' words of invitation to them, but he does report that
they left their fishing immediately; their father, Zebedee, was left
behind in the boat.

Mark's Gospel is told with a great sense of urgency and immediacy. Jesus
is a person of action, and events occur in rapid succession. We see this
in today's Gospel. Time is of the essence; the fishermen immediately put
aside their livelihood to become Jesus' disciples. The Kingdom of God is
here and now. The time of fulfillment is at hand. How might our lives be
different if we more fully shared this sense of the immediacy of God's
kingdom?

FAMILY CONNECTION

Today's Gospel describes how Jesus called his first disciples and the
immediacy with which these men dropped everything to follow him. We can
only begin to imagine what Jesus' presence must have been like to invoke
such a response in these first disciples. While a few of us might relate
to such a radical conversion, many of us would find such a sudden change
in ourselves or in another person unsettling. There are few things for
which we would willingly drop everything. And yet this is the immediacy
with which these first disciples responded to Jesus. These first
disciples were willing to drop everything in order to make Jesus and the
Kingdom of God the most important things in their lives.

Gather as a family and talk about circumstances in which you have had to
"drop everything." (The call to pick up a sick child from school, the
cry of a hurt or angry child) How did you feel about having to change
your plans in each of these situations? How do we feel when someone asks
us to drop everything to help him or her? For many of us, it is not easy
to drop everything to respond to the needs of another.

Read today's Gospel, Mark 1:14-20. Invite your family to imagine what
Jesus' presence and invitation to these first followers must have been
like that they responded by leaving their livelihood to become his
disciples. How might our life change if we understood the Kingdom of God
to be as important and immediate in our lives? Ask God to help you
experience the Kingdom of God with such immediacy. Pray together the
Lord's Prayer.


Sources: Loyola Press;Sunday Readings

Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday Readings, January 7, 2018

Epiphany of the Lord

FIRST READING
Isaiah 60:1-6
Jerusalem shall be a light to all nations.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-11,12-13
Every nation on earth shall worship the Lord.

SECOND READING
Ephesians 3:2-3a,5-6
Gentiles are coheirs in the promise of Christ.

GOSPEL READING
Matthew 2:1-12
The Magi seek out Jesus and do him homage.


GOSPEL MT 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.


BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

The visit of the Magi occurs directly before the story of the Holy
Family's flight into Egypt. Matthew's Gospel tells a version of Jesus'
birth that is different than the one in Luke. Of the actual birth of
Jesus, Matthew tells us little more than, "When Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod..." The story of the
census is found only in Luke's Gospel, but we hear about the visit of
the Magi only in Matthew's Gospel.

We know little about the Magi. They come from the East and journey to
Bethlehem, following an astrological sign, so we believe them to be
astrologers. We assume that there were three Magi based upon the naming
of their three gifts. The Gospel does not say how many Magi paid homage
to Jesus. In Matthew's Gospel, they represent the Gentiles' search for a
savior. Because the Magi represent the entire world, they also represent
our search for Jesus.

We have come to consider the gifts they bring as a foreshadowing of
Jesus' role in salvation. We believe the meaning of the gifts to be
Christological. Gold is presented as representative of Jesus' kingship.
Frankincense is a symbol of his divinity because priests burned the
substance in the Temple. Myrrh, which was used to prepare the dead for
burial, is offered in anticipation of Jesus' death.

The word Epiphany means "manifestation" or "showing forth." Historically
several moments in Christ's early life and ministry have been celebrated
as "epiphanies," including his birth in Bethlehem, the visit of the
Magi, his baptism by John, and his first miracle at Cana.


FAMILY CONNECTION

The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas is thought by some to be
rooted in the gift giving of the Magi. In many cultures, gifts are not
exchanged at Christmas, but rather on the feast of the Epiphany.
Whenever you exchange your Christmas gifts, take some time to reflect on
this tradition of gift giving at Christmas. Think of the best gift you
have received. What was it? What made it special? Was it the gift
itself, the thought that went into it, or the person who gave it to you?

Read today's Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12. The gifts of the Magi--gold,
frankincense, and myrrh--have come to be understood as symbols of
Christ's royalty, divinity, and eventual suffering and death. They are
special because in giving them, the Magi acknowledge who Jesus was to
be: our Savior. We pray that we will acknowledge Jesus as Savior in all
that we do and say. Conclude by singing together "We Three Kings."


Sources: Loyola Press;Sunday Readings