The Journey
There are a couple of simple things we can add to our Lenten journey. First is to read
and reflect on the Sunday readings, especially the Gospel, before going to
Mass. Take the time to talk to others (family, friends, and prayer partners) about the
readings as you reflect on them. Ask yourself: What is the main idea of the
passage, what stands out to me? Who are the people involved in the readings?
And, most important, what is God’s word saying to me and what difference should
it make in my life? If Mass is the
big game for the week think of this as your tailgate party in preparation.
Reading the Gospel before gathering for Mass will help you be more actively
engaged at Mass rather than a spectator. Catholic is not just a noun it is also
a verb. A large reason for the liturgical changes coming out of the
2nd Vatican Council was to
implemented personal active participation by the congregation.
Our parish does not have missalets in the pews. Where do I find the reading?
There are a couple of resources: All Catholic religious article stores sell the Sunday and weekday missals. The missal contains all the readings for our three year liturgical cycle. You can also find them at an online book store. A very convenient recourse is DailyGospel.org. Daily Gospel will send you the Sunday and daily readings free of charge via email. A third resource is your Bible. I'll wait for you to pick yourself up, yes, the Bible. The parish bulletin lists all the readings for the preceding week so you may read them as daily reflections.
Last but not lest, during Lent we are all encouraged to pray together the Stations of the Cross. Anyone can pray the stations as personal prayer at home or in the Church. Communal Stations of the Cross are offered twice on Friday during Lent: 11AM and 7PM in the Church. Please consider joining us for the Catholic tradition of walking, through prayer, the journey of Christ’s suffering, crucifixion and death. This is a wonderful opportunity to express our gratitude to Christ for his ultimate gift.