LENT is around the corner, beginning on ASH WEDNESDAY MARCH 2nd. Are you ready for another JOYFUL LENTEN JOURNEY: 40 days of preparation culminating in the HOLY WEEK, the PASSION and RESURRECTION of our LORD JESUS CHRIST? In this Year of EUCHARISTIC RENEWAL at OLHOC, we have chosen a LENTEN theme of RECONCILIATION AND ADORATION...As a picture speaks more than a thousand words below is the continuous relationship of Reconciliation to Eucharist to Adoration:
I hope you can recall this Picture: GOD is LOVE. HE is at the CENTER of the Triangle. Through HIS Son and HIS Holy Spirit, GOD gives us the SACRAMENTS of RECONCILIATION and EUCHARIST. To receive Jesus in the EUCHARIST, we need to go first to CONFESSION/ RECONCILIATION to have forgiveness of SINS. Through the celebration of the MASS, GOD gives us the BODY AND BLOOD of CHRIST: the REAL PRESENCE OF JESUS. We can then receive HIM in the HOLY COMMUNION. Following Mass, we keep in the Tabernacle the hosts that have not been consumed. This allows us to ADORE GOD present in the Tabernacle or exposed on the altar for a HOLY HOUR of ADORATION. And when we commit sins, we go back to Reconciliation to receive the Eucharist.
We will enter this Lent with a 3-DAY MISSION WITH FATHER MARTIN SCOTT. Many of you are familiar with this well-known spiritual leader who has led annual Healing Masses at our parish in the last 10 years. We are especially blessed this year as he can give us a 3-day mission highlighting RECONCILIATION-ADORATION.
His first talk at 7 PM MONDAY, MARCH 7th will be on RECONCILIATION, followed by a PENANCE SERVICE: you will be able to go to individual confession. We will have 12 priests. This is a great opportunity at the beginning of Lent to reconcile with God and to forgive those who have hurt us. His second talk at 7 PM TUESDAY, MARCH 8th will be about ADORATION of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Following his talk, we will be able to pray in silence ADORING the exposed Blessed Sacrament. In this special Holy Hour, we are invited to experience the LOVE OF GOD, to feel HIS PRESENCE in our hearts, to listen to HIS WHISPER. One of the greatest encounters we can have with the LIVING GOD is in the EUCHARIST: HOLY COMMUNION and ADORATION.
The third evening, 7 PM WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9th, will be a HEALING MASS, followed by a healing service, with Father Martin Scott praying over people individually. In the past, there have been miraculous healings, a few physical and many spiritual.
Throughout the first six weeks of Lent, we will have a follow-up to the earlier series of the Gift of the Eucharist: THE GIFT OF ADORATION to draw us even CLOSER to GOD. It will focus on EUCHARISTIC ADORATION and PRAYER to strengthen and enhance our relationship with God. You can join first session at 7 PM THURSDAY, MARCH 3rd or 10 AM SATURDAY, MARCH 4th (click here to register or call the office)
As I mentioned at the end of Masses last week, you are all invited to come to a very special Exposition and Veneration of Sacred Relics in our church at 6:30 PM on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25th. I can assure you that you will receive many graces (see flyer and also our website for links ). To be in close contact with so many saints will be a good preparation for our Lenten Journey.
This Sunday, February 20, we will begin the 33-day consecration to Jesus through Mary (click here for the prayers) and renew our consecration on the Solemnity of the Annunciation Friday, March 25. For those of you who have already begun the 33-day consecration to St Joseph on February 14 (or plan to catch up with two days at a time), you can make or renew your consecration on the Solemnity of St Joseph on SATURDAY MARCH 19.
May God bless the entire parish and send upon us the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we prepare to enter into this Lenten Journey of Reconciliation and Adoration!
One on Christ,
Fr. Alain