ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA (321) 636-6834 THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT THE CROSS The theme of the Cross in all three Readings from last Sunday carries over into today’s Readings. In the 2nd Reading we hear that “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom”. So, what is the “sign” of the cross? The Cross is “an expression of the wisdom and power of God that inaugurates a new dispensation and a new worship.” God the Father did away with human sacrifice in the story of Abraham and Isaiah. Jesus did away with animal sacrifice with a new covenant or dispensation, which he inaugurated, and replaced animal sacrifice with His and our own self-sacrifice. We sacrifice - i.e. – make holy – our false self (ego) by dying to our false self – our pride, our hubris – to anything that keeps us apart from God our Father. When we “die”, when we make that sacrifice, we become like Christ, the Son of God and are therefore pleasing to God. Our “death”, Christ’s death, is pleasing to God and redemptive, salvivic. We are “saved” – from ourselves! God the loving Father did not send His beloved Son to die a brutal death. The death of Jesus was an inevitable result of being human. All of us die. His execution was a result of His way of living. He tried to change the system and those in power had him killed. However, His loving Father raised him from the dead. We too have to “die” to self to become truly human, truly alive, and then, we glorify God in being like his Son, and in reflecting His love to the world. Our cross, our “dying” is our liberation. The cross then is a sign of victory. A sign of great love, that of the Son and ourselves, and of the God who gives us new life. It is only when we have faced the cross with Christ that we can proclaim (witness) the earthly life of Jesus to the world as the epiphany (revelation) of the glory (presence/love) of God. The cross is indeed the sign to the world, of victory over death, of new life, of change – transformation, of rebirth. It’s not so much something that happened 2,000 years ago as it is happening now in us. Embrace the cross. “Repent”, it is the key to new life, abundant life. Fr. King Today’s Readings: Ex 20:1-17; Ps 19; 1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25 “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, And knowledge of God, rather than holocausts”. Hos 6:1-6 Christian Mystics The core of the analysis of Jesus is that we are a child of God, the God of life that sustains all of nature and guarantees all the intricacies of the life-process itself. Jesus suggests that it is quite unreasonable to assume that God, whose creative activity is expressed even in such details as the hairs of a man’s head, would exclude from his concern the life, the vital spirit, of the man himself. This idea – that God is mindful of the individual – is of tremendous import in dealing with fear as a disease. In this world the socially disadvantaged person is constantly given a negative answer to the most important personal questions upon which mental health depends: “Who am I? What am I?” A child of God! Howard Thurman MARCH 8, 2015 For more information please visit www.stmarysrockledge.org Scripture Readings for the THIRD Week of Lent – A Thought for Each Day Monday, March 9 2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Ps 42; Lk 4:24-30 1) Everyone belongs in the Kingdom of God. 2) We are all God’s children. Question: How do you witness to God’s presence? Tuesday, March 10 Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25; Mt 18:21-35 1) We ask you to receive us with humble and contrite hearts. 2) If you don’t forgive how can you expect forgiveness? Question: What do you need to let go of to be at peace? Wednesday, March 11 Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147; Mt 5:17-19 1) Do the Will of God. 2) Keep God’s love – i.e. love God, self, and others. Question: Are you a good teacher of the Word? Thursday, March 12 Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95; Lk 11:14-23 1) Listen – I will be your God and you will be my people. 2) He who is not with me is against me. Question: What is the quality of your listening? Friday, March 13 Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81; Mk 12:28-34 1) Acknowledge your needs and receive God’s help. 2) The greatest commandment. Question: Do you love with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength? Saturday, March 14 Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14 1) What I want is love, not sacrifice. 2) The publican went home justified, not the pharisee. Question: Is religion about you (self-deception) or about God (and openness)? Sunday, March 15 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21 1) - - until the land has retrieved it’s lost Sabbaths. 2) Only God saves. 3) God so loves the world. Question: Have you made your choice? Jottings The greatest challenge of our age is not to discover extraterrestrial life, but to discover our own inner lives. For various reasons we have lost touch with our own inner selves. We have become disconnected interiorly (and then exteriorly). A disconnected ego can become a selfish one. The church is stuck in the middle ages – unable to evolve. It symbolizes a culture of self-serving interests and unbridled power. SEASON OF LENT: February 18th through April 1st A warm welcome to all new parishioners who registered at St. Mary’s in February: Congratulations to all who received their Confirmation this past Friday, March 6th, from Bishop John Noonan: Sullivan Altman Jessica Baez Arianna Cancar Ryan Choppe Adam Corak Zachary Dawson Tyler Figueroa Patrick Horosco Summer Lopez Amanda McDonald Alessandro Navea Cindel Perrusquia Eric Pilkenton Daniel Sosa Courtney Stevenson Jose Tinajero Marc Walker Aidan Badgett Daniel Bassett Richard Chamberlain Jessica Clanton Ian Craig Danielle Doyle Christine Haun Shaine Horvath Kimberly Magliari Isaac Navarrete Laisha Perez Tyler Phillips Kyle Ruether Elis Sterling Jessica Teed Mariela Umanzor " " " " " " " " " " " " " Tax Statement for Stewardship Donations For the tax year 2014, the year-end tax statements will be issued by request, and we ask that you complete the form below. Please cut or tear out the request form and drop it off at the Parish Office, or place it into the collection basket at any weekend Mass. You may also contact the Parish Office at 636-6834, between the hours of 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, and request your statement. Thank you for your cooperation! TAX STATEMENT REQUEST FORM Envelope #: ______________________________ Name: __________________________________ Address: ________________________________ ________________________________ Phone No.: ______________________________ " " " " " " " " " " " " " Fitzgerald Family John W. Herrera Lassonde Family Sharon Wright Please accept our warmest welcome on behalf of the staff and entire Catholic Community of St. Mary’s. Please know that our community and staff are here to assist you in your spiritual and sacramental needs. A “colossal” thank you goes out to the entire retreat team who helped out on this year’s Confirmation Retreat! The Confirmandi could not have had their grace-filled day with you sharing your time, talent and treasure . . . and especially all of your prayers. Weekly Offertory Collection: 03-01-15 ............................................... $ 14,332.08 Weekly Req. for Expenses $ 16,000.00 Debt Reduction Collection: 03-01-15 ................................................ $ 1,088.50 Add’l Collection: St. Mary’s School ................................ $ 1,512.54 I know that I do not know how to seek you, yet I don’t give up. What is it that causes me to follow you? Why do I persist in trying to discover your face? I do not know if my desire is faith. I do not know if I believe in anything. What is it I believe? I don’t know. . . but I keep seeking. Juan Jose Domenchina Writer and Poet (1898-1959) Centering Prayer Group meets every Thursday in the Bride’s Room, in the Church, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. Any questions, feel free to contact Carol Buck at 631-8962. Lord, hear our prayers for the sick of our parish listed below and for all of those who are not listed, but are in need of prayers. Please pray especially for: M.P. Hoppin, Helen Holmstrom, David Scott, Jose Guadalupe Perez, Jerry Jackson, Judy Ensell, Christina Sutch, Rury Barrial, Jennifer Sallows, Tessie Lee, Gabriel Barteau, Dang Thi Thuan, John Devereaux, Patricia Gague, Juanita Bush, Jack Lantry, Virginia Hoskowicz, Barbara Nokes, and Joseph Kleinschnitz. Into Your Hands O Lord, we commend the souls of our dearly departed, especially: Frank T. Koch Let us hold in prayer the family and friends of the departed. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. We Wish to Honor Our Advertiser of the Week COCOA CHIROPRACTIC CENTER Dr. Paul M. Lombardi Chiropractic Orthopedist Parishioner Tele: 321-636-6090 Fax: 321-632-5805 111 N. Fiske Blvd., Cocoa 32922 Thank you for supporting St. Mary’s bulletin Do You have a Birthday, Anniversary, or Graduation coming up? Why not celebrate at our own St. Mary’s Parish Hall! Please contact Ron Cartrette at 633-6633 for a tour and/or more information on this wonderful opportunity to support our Church and have a memorable celebration. MASS INTENTIONS The Week of Mar. 9th through Mar. 15th MON .... 8:30 AM 7:00 PM TUE...... 8:30 AM Wed ... 8:30 AM THU ..... 8:30 AM FRI ....... 8:30 AM 12:15 PM 7:00 PM V Jerry Jackson Penance Service V Gerry Washburn COMMUNION SERVICE V Jack Lantry SCHOOL MASS Stations of the Cross Spanish Stations of the Cross SAT.......5:00 PM V Judy Ensell V Virginia Hoskowicz SUN ................... 8:00 AM 4th SUNDAY OF LENT 10:00 AM 4:00 PM Ann Burns PEOPLE OF THE PARISH SPANISH MASS Ester Julia Ceballos de Leyva Eduardo Leyva V Denotes an intention for the living MASS SCHEDULE Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., at 8:30am Communion Service – Wed. at 8:30am Saturday at 5:00pm Sunday at 8:00am and 10:00am Spanish Mass at 4:00pm RECONCILIATION: Saturday 4:00 – 4:45pm STAFF Pastoral Center: 636-6834 Facsimile No.: 632-4301 Ministry Office: 631-8962 Helping Hands: 632-7211 Faith Formation Office: 636-6834 Music & Liturgy Office: 636-6834 St. Mary’s School: 636-4208