Letter from the Pastor
-
March 12, 2023Originally Lent was a 40-day period of intense preparation for the baptism of the Elect. After years of preparation, the Elect went under three Scrutinies on these Sundays. The Scrutinies were a series of rites, which “scrutinized” the spiritual development, moral behavior and intellectual understanding, of the Elect and even the intelligence of godparents. After the scrutiny, there would be a prayer of exorcism, to deliver and drive out evil and sin in the person.
Today we will hear the story of the Woman at the Well. The Samaritan woman hears the Lord then goes and tells the villagers what she has heard, causing them to seek Jesus out for themselves. The reading ends with the villagers saying to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” Pay attention to the dialogue between the Lord and the woman and the titles she uses for Him.
Next Sunday, we will listen to the story of the Man Born Blind. The man healed of his blindness gradually grows to “see” as Christ sees. He regains his sight right at the start of the story. Through the questioning of the Pharisees (who are still “blind”) he begins to “see” the identity of Jesus. Again, pay attention to the titles and the dialogue, Jesus starts out as “the man called Jesus” then “a prophet”, “from God” finally He was “Lord” in whom he believed.
Then on the Fifth Sunday of Lent will be the story of The Raising of Lazarus. In this gospel, the miracle happens at the end of the story. However, faith is expressed long before the miracle takes place. Martha makes her profession of faith in Jesus the Messiah even as her brother is dead in the tomb. Martha needed no words and no miraculous deeds to believe in Him; she only needed to believe. Yet she will only understand after Christ is raised from the dead.
These three gospels of the Scrutinies asked the elect: Do you believe Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior and the Son of God? The things that kept the elect from saying “yes!” are the things that must be scrutinized and exorcized.
This Lent these beautifully written stories of faith ask us to scrutinize ourselves as well: do we hear and believe (like the Samaritan woman), see and believe (like the man born blind), and finally believe without proof (like Martha and Lazarus)?
Come to Church early and read slowly these Gospels before Mass. Prepare before Mass to hear these gospels; they are spiritual gems that will help us to grow in holiness and faith this Lent.
St. Patrick’s Day
This Friday, March 17th is the Solemnity of Saint Patrick. He is the Patron Saint of the Church in the New York Archdiocese. As a solemnity, it is treated as a Sunday. The Masses offered that day will have a Gloria and a Creed. No fasting or abstinence from meat is observed this day. Because of the solemnity, no Stations of the Cross will be prayed after the 9:00AM Mass or at night.
The 9:00AM Mass will be a Solemn Mass in honor of St. Patrick, with music. Following the Mass in Toner Hall, there will be hospitality. Come and celebrate our Patron Saint.
