Lenten Reflections

Today's Readings
“Even now says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart…” Joel 2:12

I can still remember the first time I saw someone with ashes on their forehead for Ash Wednesday. I was about 6 years old and my father took me to a deli in Port Chester with him to pick up cold cuts and visit friends. The couple that owned the deli was older and I noticed the black marks on their foreheads. I whispered to my father, “They have something on their foreheads.” I was embarrassed to tell them myself, I was just a little girl and these were grownups! How could they not know? My father chuckled and told them what I said. The woman smiled at me and told me it was Ash Wednesday. They had gone to Mass that morning and received the ashes. I said, “Oh!” and smiled. I had no idea what they were talking about.

Who could have known that 24 years later I would convert to Catholicism? Certainly not me! We didn’t even attend a church until I was turning 13 and my mother wanted me to be confirmed. We were raised as Christians but had never gone to church. When we did start going, we attended a Methodist church. We did observe Lent: we gave up something and the church had an extra service on Wednesday evenings during Lent which we attended as a family. But it wasn’t as ... significant.

The first time I received ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Catholic church was as a young adult working in a brokerage firm. I would go to Mass on Holy Days with a woman I worked with. There was a local church which had a 12:05 Mass on Holy Days for those people who worked. When I walked out of mass that day, I felt like I was part of a secret club. It changed me somehow. When I converted about 7 or 8 years later, I enjoyed everything - every mass, Holy Day, special service. I still do, I hear that it’s a “convert” thing.

But there’s just something about Ash Wednesday. When my children were young, I would have them go into school late so we could go to Mass together and receive the ashes. I would tell them to be sure not to wipe them off. “Wear them with pride,” I would say. “It’s a good reminder for others to make changes in their own lives, it doesn’t matter if they’re not Catholic.”

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a cleansing time for me. That’s how I see Lent, not just as a chance to give something up, but as a chance to be a better person, a better Christian. I tell my students, it’s not just what you give up but what you add to help you get closer to God. Sacrifices are good but God also wants to see what we’re doing. If you see me today, I will be sorrowful for all the mistakes I’ve made but I will also be smiling. I’m smiling because I’m full of hope for the promise of what I may do to help build God’s kingdom this Lent.

“Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. Oh, Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.” Psalm 51: 14, 17

Lord, deep down I am still that little girl who simply loves You with her whole heart.
This Lent, help me to grow closer to You.
Change me and mold me into the person You need me to be to help lead others closer to You.
Forgive me for all of the wrongs I have done and fill me with Your spirit so that I may love as You do.
“In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 Amen

Kim Dixon has been a parishioner of St. Stephen’s since 2001 with her husband Dan and their two children. She is the Second Grade teacher at St. Stephen - St. Edward School. Kim has participated in many ministries of the church through the years including teaching Baptism classes with her husband, Religious Education, Discovering and Following Christ, and the Adult Choir. She is a joyful convert to the Catholic faith.

Thursday, Feb 27

Today's Readings

WE MUST DIE BEFORE WE DIE SO THAT WHEN WE DIE WE WON'T DIE
Grafitti note scribbled on a wall at St Paul's monastery, Mt. Athos.

To the monks at this thousand year old monastery, this message is not as threatening as it might sound on first reading. Seeking to live the humble and invisible life in Christ, they realize that though the gift of these few decades of life on earth are precious, they are to be lived in preparation for that eternal calling leading to an everlasting love exchange with our Savior. And dying to all that would separate us from Christ, in this life or the next, animates and inspires their every moment. What's their secret to the joy in sacrifice that they live day in and day out? It is actively living the Christ message rather than just talking about (or around) it.

Father Richard Rohr suggests Christ invites himself so deeply into our consciousness (read: contemplative mind) that the Christ mystery actually "rewires you on the physical, neurological, and cellular levels." So when Jesus calls out his apostles in their silly scramble to be first and best among his followers, he chides them with the following:

Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

How deeply will you let this message penetrate your being?

We are invited to challenge our thinking, our believing, our feeling and our doing in the light of Christ's calling to wake up and live (by dying) before we die. Ancient Theophane the Monk admonishes one of his monks:

"Detach yourself from everything, from what is senseless, from what seems intelligent. Without detachment, nothing can be learned.
Experience alone can teach these things, not talk."
May this Lent's special grace inspire us to embrace and experience our Lord's challenging words to greater effect than ever before. Allow ourselves to die to (and detach from) the silly and trivial barriers and excuses that keep us from living a full life in Christ. The world is not to be gained, but given away. We shall find our true and joyful self in the act of surrendering material pursuit for the treasure that is the cross. Discover for yourself the profit that is gaining Christ. All roads lead to Calvary. What are you waiting for?

In the company of fellow Contemplatives, Tim Cooper tries to deny himself every Wednesday night in the 8th grade classroom, 7:00 to 8:30. for silent prayer and sharing--all are welcome.

Friday, Feb 28

Today's Readings

For those of us who are married and those who have attended a wedding celebration, the day is memorable. Like most social events, the day is surrounded by food. There are the pre-wedding celebrations…showers, bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinners. The day of the wedding there’s the brunch then the wedding then the celebrating begins. A cocktail hour, five course meal, Venetian dessert table to end it. Oh, and the drinks! It seems the wine and cocktails are endless. A Jewish wedding feast in Jesus' day was the same! It was all about the joy and celebrating with friends and famLilies. The home of the newly married couple was the place for a weeklong celebration of feasting.

How could John’s disciples even suggest a fast now? Fasting was for times of sorrow.
The disciples of John the Baptist were all about the law. They deeply admired John for his personal discipline and followed him in all they did. This was why they were asking about fasting. They had no idea that their long-awaited Messiah was in their midst.
Jesus' response regarding celebrating while the bridegroom was present was to teach them a deeper truth, the difference between the law and grace. The love of God did not need to be earned nor did His forgiveness. Jesus’ use of the bridegroom was his way of telling them that the Messiah has come, it is time for rejoicing. There will be plenty of time to fast when the bridegroom is not with us.

Jesus is our bridegroom, yours…mine.

He thinks about us all the time and wants to be with us forever! How much time do you give back? Do you think of Jesus as your personal bridegroom? Now is a special chance to celebrate for we are his children. How will we show the joy we have? What can we change to reflect that beautiful joy of a life in Christ?

Lord, I thank you for all you do for me.
Help me to grow this Lent in an awareness of the gifts you place in my life and a greater appreciation for your love.
Guide me to know when to fast and when to feast
as I journey with you this Lenten season.

Lydia vanDuynhoven is the Religious Education Director for more than 650 children, preschool - 8th grade for our parish. She enjoys being a part of the Adult Choir at St. Stephens.

Saturday, Feb 29

Today's Readings

For nearly 20 years, my husband, John, and I have held a Mardi Gras bash in winter, on one of the weekends leading up to Lent. In the early years, the gathering was shared with a close circle of friends in our neighborhood, each who took great care in attending the party in disguise. As our friend base here in Warwick grew, so did our invite list, and our party regime; in recent years Mardi Gras colored clothing have replaced costumes, authentic creole cuisine fills the menu, live music abounds, and for one dark and cold winter night each year, in our home, anyway, we share good food and drink, excellent music and dancing with 80 of our family and friends! I have often mused why this celebration is different, unique from other parties, and I think it is because it is held in the dead of winter and it creates the opportunity for sharing and reconnecting among old and new friends.

In today’s gospel, Jesus calls Levi to follow him. Levi then gave a large banquet (Mardi Gras celebration?!) for Jesus and many other tax collectors, aka sinners. The Pharisees questioned why Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners. We know his answer. Jesus said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.”

Bernard Prusak in The Church Unfinished Ecclesiology Through the Centuries writes,

“Jesus’ response to those who criticize him for eating with tax collector and sinners is that he is one who heals. By eating and drinking with such guests, he claimed to be renewing their relationship with God. The merciful love of the God whom he called Abba was thereby made tangible to those whom some considered worthy only of judgment. By eating and drinking with them, Jesus restored hope to sinners, bringing out their deeper potential and the possibility of a different future for them…Acting in the name of that God, Jesus understood his own mission to be one of seeking, welcoming, and saving the lost.”

The day following our bash, decorations are taken down, beads and coins are picked up from the floor and the frenzy of party preparation and a fabulous evening are behind us, for another year. 80 sinners were gathered in celebration, some not to encounter each other again until next year’s Mardi Gras party, and we each returned to their daily lives. The satisfaction and celebratory vibe of the night is fleeting.

How blessed are we, as Catholic Christians to be able to encounter the Lord’s feast each and every day, if we desire it! His banquet in the Eucharist is the greatest and most satisfying gift of all; our hope and peace in the Lord endures. He invites each of us sinners to partake in His meal. With open arms, he seeks us out, welcomes us and offers salvation. He is never far from us. Let each of us accept his invitation!

Loving God, you are always near, always present in my life.
You created me, formed me, a sinner,
but always welcome me to your Eucharistic banquet.
Help me to be more attentive to you in my life and prepare my heart this Lent through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Amen

St. Stephens Mass Schedule for Lent
Sundays: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 12:15pm
Mondays: 7am and 9am
Tuesdays: 7am and 9am
Wednesdays: 9am
Thursdays: 7am and 9am
Fridays: 9am and Noon
Saturdays: 9am and 5pm

Mary Juliano and her husband, John, have been parishioners since 1999. She is part-time Business Manager for St. Stephens Parish. She enjoys cooking, entertaining and dancing.

Sunday, March 1

Today's Readings

I hate fasting! I absolutely hate it even, dare I say, loath it. When I fast I feel tired and I feel HUNGRY all the time. As if on days when you’re going and going and don’t even realize that you haven’t eaten it doesn’t really matter much, but when it’s a day of fasting I am VERY aware of my stomach saying “I’M HUNGRY!”.

As I read the Gospel today about Jesus being called by the Spirit into the desert to fast for forty days it gives me pause. I ask myself “How did you do it Lord?” “Forty days? Really? How did you do it?” And then the Holy Spirit comes to me with the question that I should be asking, “Why did you do this Lord?”.

He said in reply. “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4: 4

God’s providence is so perfect in this response as He patiently teaches me that it is in my self-denial that I will be granted the grace to fully hear His voice and come to know His true and beautiful plan for my life. Fasting is just one simple way in which I remind myself that this life, this world, this very moment isn’t about me. It’s about living for the Glory of God through the gift that He has given me which is my current life here on earth and preparing me for life in the next one with Him. (God Willing!)

On Ash Wednesday evening I sat down on the couch with my family and we began our Lenten Rosary. As I listened to my children recite a decade of the rosary and listened to their small voices so devoted to prayer, I am reminded again of what these small acts of fasting and sacrifice are all about. This is our weapon against the enemy. Why do you think he worked so hard to make Eve eat the apple or tempted Jesus in that desert or make me hate fasting so very much? It’s because he knows the power that fasting can be for us to grow in our holiness. Fasting and sacrifice bring us closer together in love and service to one another. They grow us closer as a family and most of all they grow us closer to Him. So as we enter into this Lenten time of fasting and sacrifice may we all be assured that with every step we take to deny ourselves and pick up our crosses, the closer we get to Eternity with the One who loves us beyond all measure.

Jesus, in this Lenten season of fasting, sacrifice, and prayer
may You send us Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us for the journey.
May we be comforted in our burdens, lifted in our struggles,
and draw closer to Your love and Your heart to receive the Joy that comes with giving of our whole selves to you Father.
We love you Jesus and thank you for giving us this life to live
so that others may see our good works and glorify You in heaven.
In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Kerry Roberson is married to Mark and mother of Brett, Sarah and Aiden. Kerry brought the ChristLife series to St. Stephens more than 2 years ago. She is a graduate of St. Stephen-St. Edward School.

Monday, March 2

Today's Readings

Once his identity as the Son of God had been established at the Jordan, we see in last Sundy’s Gospel reading Christ’s willingness to be led by the Spirit of God into the desert and to be tempted by the Devil. As adopted children of God, it will be no different for us. There will be many occasions in which we too will be “tempted” or literally “tested.”

We often struggle with sin and temptation because our human weakeness. However, the Lord permits us to undergo temptation or “testing”, not because desires for us to fall, but rather so that we can take that opportunity to grow in holiness because it is often only in our struggles that we come to the realization of how much we need Him, how much we are dependent upon his grace. Everytime we are faced with a temptation, we are forced to rise up and make a choice of either being for and with God or being against and without Him. Temptation can be a challenge that God permits in order for us to grow.

In many ways, the image of Our Lord’s encounter with the Devil in the desert captures very well the struggle which all of us endure in this life. We see two diametrically opposed solutions to our struggle: either giving in to the comforts and values of the world or a complete surrender to the mercy of God’s providence. Occasionally, we have to ask ourselves: have we placed our security in the things of this world? Or do we place all our trust and confidence in God’s providence, even when it might be difficult to comprehend at times?

As we enter into this holy season of Lent, bring all of these questions to prayer and reflect upon last Sunday’s gospel account. Lent is a period in which we are invited to reflect upon the state of our own relationship with God, those areas in which we struggle with the most, the recognition of our own human weakness and our need for God’s forgiveness and grace. Meditating upon Our Lord’s responses can afford us rich insight into how we ought to deal with temptation and into how we ought to prioritize our lives. May Lent be a grace-filled period of spiritual growth and purification for each and every one of us. God bless!

Fr. Roger Kwan was ordained in the Archdiocese of New York in May 2019. He served as a summer seminarian at St. Stephens. He is serving in his first priestly assignment at St. Clare's Parish in the Bronx.

Tuesday, March 3

Today's Readings

“When you say the Our Father, God’s ear is next to your lips.”
St. Andre Bessette

I have a very early memory from around five or six years old. We are a big family, six kids, living in a small, three bedroom house. I remember sharing a room with my sisters, I slept on the bottom bunk. The walls in the bedroom were not painted, but were wood paneled. The panels had dark knots throughout them, and the knots were in the shape of ovals which always made me think of faces. My mom would come into my room at night to tuck me in and pray with me. We would look at the knots and she would tell me to give each one a name from our family. “This one is Grandpa, this one Gram, this one is your brother Rob…” She’d go on naming each knot and would tell me that they are all with me, and that we needed to remember to pray for them. I’d touch each knot, say the name and say good-night.

One of the first prayers I learned as a child during those nights was the Our Father. Mom and I would pray the Our Father and Hail Mary each night before bed. In today’s gospel Jesus teaches us how to pray. He teaches us the Our Father. He reminds us that Our Father knows what we need before we ask him. I have taken great comfort in these words over these past few months. He knows what I need before I ask, He knows what I need, He knows...

St. Therese of Lisieux says, “I say an Our Father or a Hail Mary when I feel so spiritually barren that I cannot summon up a single worthwhile thought.” I am living this line these past few months because sometimes I simply cannot find the words to pray. I don’t know what to ask for, or how to ask, so I simply pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary, knowing that God knows what is on my heart.

Through the Our Father we adore (hallowed be thy name), we ask for forgiveness and commit to forgiving (and forgive us our debts, as we forgive others), we ask for guidance (and lead us). All this summed up in one, beautiful prayer.

I am incredibly blessed to have parents who taught me to pray, who prayed with me and for me. I learned by example, I watched my mom and dad begin and end each day in prayer. And now as a mom my prayer is to pass that same example along to my girls.

Heavenly Father, you gave us the Our Father to teach us how to pray.
Thank you for knowing our hearts and loving us even in our darkest moments.
We love you and adore you as little children.
Please guide and protect us always, especially our young children.
May they always seek to know you, to do your will, and lead others to you.

Amanda Lopez is married to Marc and mother of Evelyn, Nora and Penelope. She is an elementary school reading teacher. Amanda was recently part of the Discovering Christ Team at St. Stephens.

Wednesday, March 4

Today's Readings

The first reading today is from the book of Jonah, but it is probably not the most familiar part of this book in the Bible. It picks up after Jonah has parted from the whale. Now Jonah is ready to be the prophet he was called to be. His mission is to tell the people of Nineveh to renounce their evil ways and repent. They did so, and just as He gave Jonah, when he was in the whale, a second chance to say “yes” to God, he gave the Ninevites a second chance by not destroying their city.

The message I hear in the first reading today is one of repentance and second chances. During the season of Lent, we are offered more than the usual times to confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you are reading this reflection, you may be thinking “I go to Mass every Sunday and sometimes more; I read the daily Lenten reflections; I try hard every day to be a good Catholic Christian. What sins do I have to repent for?” If you are like me, you wonder what on Earth people like Mother Teresa confessed.

My Dad defines sin as “a failure to love.” As I ponder that definition, I understand its wisdom. It is clear that by doing things hurtful or wrong, we are failing to love. But also, not loving when we have the opportunity to do so is failing to love. Here’s one simple example. If you are a parent, priest, teacher, manager, older sibling – or a host of other roles – you are in some way in a position of authority, formal or informal. There may be times that it is your responsibility to encourage or correct another person. Words used for criticism can strongly impact another, either positively or negatively. So, one way to “fail to love” is to be in a position of authority and not use the opportunity to teach with gentle, loving words of correction.

Maybe try using this technique when examining our consciences in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation: When have I failed to love? Just as Jonah and the people of Nineveh were given second chances, so will we, from our loving God in the grace of this sacrament.

“I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,”

Anne Prial and her husband Greg, are long time parishioners of St. Stephens. She is mother to five and grandmother to two. She is active in Teams of Our Lady.

Thursday, March 5

Today's Readings

Its not uncommon to see me dropping my kids off at school in my pjs, hair a mess, stomach empty. I have every intention of getting myself fixed up and making myself a solid breakfast, but it seems there’s always extra things the kids need help with and mine drop to the bottom of the list. I have absolutely no doubt that every parent can relate to this. From the cars we drive to how we spend our weekends, we sacrifice the way we are perceived for the betterment of our children. Parenting is a humbling experience to say the least.

This Lent I’ve been thinking a great deal about the idea of being “Fools for God ” as we definitely are fools for our children. Are we more concerned about our earthly status and our image rather than our mission to be faithful followers of God? Do we hesitate to give our Catholic opinions in fear of being outside societal norms? When we do so we are choosing everyone else over Him. Recently I saw an article where Vice President Pence is seen praying with the The Coronavirus Taskforce. The picture shows Pence sitting in a chair and bowing in prayer as more than 15 others in the room also pray. Needless to say, he was mocked endlessly by various media sources. Not all of us have the opportunity to humble ourselves on such a grand scale, but we can in our everyday lives.

The Gospel today says, “Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.” We hear this a lot and are often reminded that God is always listening and willing to answer our prayers, but perhaps for Lent we can flip the coin and ask God, “ How can we meet your needs? How can we sacrifice and be willing to be fools for you?” Maybe during this holy time we can put our needs at the bottom of the list and put His at the top.

Heavenly Father,
Help me to humble myself to Your will and sacrifice for all Your needs,
no matter how I may look to others.
Give me the courage and strength to put You first in my life and the willingness to stand up for all that is righteous in Your name.
Amen

Erin Reagan is a lifelong parishioner of St. Stephen The First Martyr. She is married to Matt and a stay at home mom to her four children. Erin will be welcoming her fifth child this May.

Friday, March 6

Today's Readings

The struggle with forgiveness can sometimes involve a long and lonely battle, depending on the nature and depth of the wound which festers in the heart and mind. Anger, sadness, bewilderment, and pain often play a role in our ability to forgive. Harsh words said in anger may upset us, but more often than not we can perceive these for what they are, simple human reactions and forgiving and moving on tends to be rather easy. In contrast, when thoughtless, careless or cruel actions or decisions of others blindside us, wounds can penetrate deeply and forgiveness can become a true struggle. It is in these types of situations that we can be confronted by, where we must rely on and realize God’s mercy upon our own misgivings to draw the strength we need to forgive someone that may have hurt us deeply. Reflecting upon God’s mercy towards mankind, mercy to the point of dying on the cross so that we may be forgiven has the power to transform our hearts and open the way for forgiveness to enter.

Jesus explicitly warns us that anger against our brothers subjects us to judgement. He does not temper this warning with conditional allowances for anger against others. Jesus does not speak of the “why” that hides behind our anger or if there is even any justification for anger, He simply calls us to be reconciled with our brother and then, and only then, may we return to the altar and offer our gift. This Gospel offers a form of tough love for us that leaves little room for our own interpretation. Anger may not have a home in our hearts. We must let it go and accept the sanctifying gift of forgiveness.

In a world that often seems divided, and ridden with strife and anger, this message underscores how Christians are called to forgiveness because we have all been forgiven. As sinners that have had our ransom paid with the blood of Christ, we must take Jesus’ words to heart. Forgiveness frees us from our own sin of anger, and in doing so opens our heart to love, kindness and reconciliation. Praying to the Lord to help us forgive others as we are forgiven can give us the strength to choose the freedom and beauty of letting go of anger, and letting God live through us.

Dear Lord, When our hearts are troubled with hurt and anger,
come to our aide and help us to remember how you love us.
Lord, help us to choose to let your love heal us and give us the strength to always love and forgive in your name.

Jane Kunzweiler, and her husband, Steve, have been parishioners since 1999. They have five children and two grandchildren.

Saturday, March 7

Today's Readings
“ So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48

When I hear these words, I think, how can this be? I could never be perfect as God is perfect. Earlier in this passage of Matthew, Jesus talks of loving our enemies as well - a double whammy. How can I love someone who has hurt me so much, or has hurt someone I love? When my daughter was so viciously targeted by a girl in high school, my instant urge was to condemn that girl, wish that she was punished for hurting someone so much. I believe a mother feels the pain even more than her child. How often this reminds me of Mother Mary standing at the foot of the cross. Yes, in times like this, I can begin to understand the pain Mary endured in her heart.

But what if I forced myself to pray for this girl, to pray for the conversation of her heart, so that she may turn from her ways and look to Christ to alleviate her pain? Whom would she become? She may become my daughter’s best friend, someone others can lean on for support and love. And when I do pray for someone I don’t like, I find my heart melting and forgiveness flowing in. Jesus does want everyone, and he meant everyone, to be with him in heaven. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all prayed for our enemies, the Lord would hear our pleas, and our worst enemies changed their ways and became followers of Christ? That would be a beautiful sight.

I always have an urge to sin, so no, I will not be perfect like God is perfect. But if I keep trying to be like Christ, and run to him when I mess up, then in God’s eyes, I am his perfect child.

As St. Thérèse taught us in her Little Way...
Dear Lord, help us to recognize our weakness, trust in your merciful love, and to never stop trying to grow in holiness so that we may also bring others into your Kingdom. Amen!

Annette Shaughnessy is a Eucharistic Minister at St. Stephen’s and St. Anthony’s Hospital, and mass assistant at Schervier Pavilion. Her husband, John, is a lector. They have two children in college, with one graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville in May.

Sunday, March 8

Today's Readings

During this Lenten season, we are called as followers of God to reflect upon renewal, growth, meditation, penance, and lastly, purification. We as a community hope to achieve all of these things in whole or in part and we strive to do them as best we can as unworthy beings. We also strive to do them because we are unworthy.

Purification is the most important one of these because we can achieve all the other reflections I have mentioned above through fasting, which is a way to purify the soul. When Our perfect Savior spent 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, He knew that it would be a struggle yet He went through the rigors of not only near starvation and deprivation, but also through what we humans go through here on earth everyday, temptation. Being a person who has had several water fasts myself, I have experienced 21 days without any food and only drinking water . The one thing I have noticed about the experience is how acute all the other senses become. The most important thing though is how much I found Him in places I never looked before, how much more I spoke to Him, and how much closer my relationship with Him became.

When the senses become more acute, you actually do slow down and see what you haven’t seen before. You actually do come to the realization that life is beautiful and that when you do look around, this is Heaven on earth.

Matthew 6:16-18
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Lord, I accept You as my personal Savior, Creator of the Universe, and everything in it. Bless every house I pass and everyone I meet.
Bless my family and my enemies’ families and keep them safe, happy and healthy. Forgive me for my past, present and future transgressions.
Set down Your path for me and I will follow it,
but please be with me when it diverges.
Without You there’s nothing but with You, anything is possible.

Sean O’Regan, has two sons, Tristan and Connor and is married to Renee. They have been parishoners for 7 years.

Monday, March 9

Today's Readings

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Works of mercy mysteriously satisfy a deep human longing. The prophet Isaiah promises that if you share bread with the hungry, clothe the naked and house the homeless, “your wound shall quickly be healed.” (Isaiah 58:8) How often do we hear those who offer themselves in service to the needy say things like, “I received more than I gave.” St. Francis experienced this when he embraced the leper. He was surprised how much life he himself received from that simple offering of love. That life overflowed into the community of the Franciscans and toward all the poor that they have served.

I was the pastor of St. Rita’s Parish when Hurricane Sandy struck Staten Island. In the days and weeks after the Hurricane our parish received calls from all over the country offering material help. St. Rita’s is on high ground and was not greatly affected, so we would offer to refer the calls elsewhere. We were fascinated that so many of the callers insisted on being referred directly to another parish. They trusted that whatever they gave to a local parish community would quickly make its way to the hurricane victims at that parish’s doorstep. So we routinely referred them to parishes closer to the shore.

Those callers’ urgency to respond and their desire to send help as directly as possible to those who needed it was a kind of prayer. On a visceral level it seems that they knew that to be in relationship with the Hurricane victims was also to be in relationship with God.

The Lenten call to almsgiving is an invitation to begin to experience the joy of heaven even now. For Lent is not only a season of penitence, but can also be a season of healing. In a wondrous way when we give ourselves for the good of others, the heart we heal may be our own.

Heavenly Father, may we seek your face through works of mercy toward those in need, and encounter the healing presence of Christ your Son.

Father Richard Verasis a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of Pastoral Formation and Professor of Homiletics at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, New York. He will be leading St. Stephens Lenten Mission, which begins this evening in the church at 7pm. Please join us and bring a friend!

Tuesday, March 10

Today's Readings

At the entrance gate of a particular university, the following message was posted for contemplation:

“Destroying any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs or the use of long-range missiles. It only requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examination by the students…Patients die at the hands of such doctors…Buildings collapse at the hands of such engineers…Money is lost at the hands of such economists and accountants…Humanity dies at the hands of such religious scholars….Justice is lost at the hands of such judges…The collapse of education is the collapse of the nation.”

In light of today’s gospel passage, the above message indicates the future of our family, society and nation which is at the hand of each one. Let us see what Jesus is saying about the authentic teaching in the gospel passage of today.

Jesus has been engaged in controversy with the scribes, Pharisees, and other authorities. In Matthew 21:14-15 it is Jesus versus the chief priest and the scribes; in Matthew 21:23, it is Jesus versus the elders on the authority of Jesus; and Matthew 21:45 pits Jesus against Pharisees.

Matthew tells us that the origin of this conflict was that Jesus performs his teaching in public places outside the synagogues without teaching authority. Matthew’s Jesus lacks literacy and scribal skills of other authorized teachers, yet Matthew presents Jesus as a teacher who impresses audiences with compelling authority, who interprets the law under his own authority in the Sermon on the Mount, raising him to the level of Moses and indicating his teaching authority from God, and who insists that his followers observe the law faithfully.

Looking beyond the controversy, anti-Jewish sentiment and the polemic against the Jewish religious teachers, we see something which Matthew wanted to teach his community. What strikes Matthew’s audience as a bit of a shock in today’s gospel is not the anti-Jewish sentiments which we always like to highlight but the perennial question which transcends the ancient and modern times: What makes for authentic teaching?

For Jesus the criterion for authentic teaching amounts to adequation between content and conduct. In other words, authentic teaching is to live what you preach. Hence the Bible is not to be preached but it is to be lived. If so, life, then, becomes the best preaching ever. Few of us fit into this model. For example, many of us don’t dare to invite our children to come together as a family to pray or take them along with us to the church for Sunday mass because we ourselves don’t like to do these things. In that way the virus of secularism slowly creeps into all the fibres of our family, society and the whole nation. Consequently, when teaching about God is removed from the family, and from the textbooks in the schools because it is assumed to be irrelevant for them, morality vanishes. Without the teaching about God, the sacrament of matrimony becomes a contract between any two persons. Sea beaches or farmhouses replace the Church as venue for the Celebration of the Sacrament of the matrimony; living together replaces the sacred purposes of the sacrament of matrimony. This results in an abundance of immoral crises and finally, then, the nation tilts towards ruin.

Finally, let’s conclude with a promise: if to destroy a nation it does not require the use of atomic bombs or missiles but it requires lowering the standard of religious education in the family and in the school, let us on the other hand make a promise to build our family, society and nation at large by teaching our children the importance of prayers and God in our life. Let’s begin to practice what we want to teach others and then our life will a witness to what we preach.

God bless you! Amen!

Fr. Jisaya Nayak is a Vincentian priest and St. Stephens Summer Associate. He currently is in Rome writing his dissertation.

Wednesday, March 11

Today's Readings

When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your father in secret and your father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying do not babble like the pagans who think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:6-8

Here we are in another Lenten season. As Lent begins, we ask ourselves, “what will I do this Lent?” Will it be acts of charity, penance or giving up something I really enjoy? Whatever it is, the aim is to become closer to God as we prepare for Holy Week.

All of the above I have done during my many years of life, but just as important, is when I take this time to contemplate on my prayer life.

If you are reading this, I assume that you pray. The question we should ask ourselves is “how often?” Are our prayers just repetitive words, or prayers we were taught as children? The people of my generation thought that if you really wanted God to hear your prayers, it had to be at Mass, kneeling and praying the Our Father, The Hail Mary, or the Act of Contrition, and then maybe share some personal feelings. But most important, it had to occur in church. Before I continue, I must say this: all of that was good and proper. Despite a depression and wars, our church flourished. Our seminaries were full and our Masses were packed with people. Our motto was: God and Country.

But, with age, comes wisdom – a Gift from God.

As I grew in my faith, I have come to realize and truly believe that God is present to us every minute of every single day. St. Paul tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. This means that I can pray to Him ANY PLACE, ANY TIME, ANY WHERE. It doesn’t have to be a lot of words. Like most things in life, it is not quantity, it is quality.

In Luke’s Gospel, 18:10-13, Jesus tells us of two men praying; one was a pharisee and the other a tax collector. The pharisee was looking up to heaven, telling God all the good things he does, using many words. The tax collector had his head bowed and said to Jesus, “forgive me, I am a sinner.”

At times, our prayers should be spontaneous. Think about the course of your day. Many of us will say that we are much too busy to stop and pray. But, isn’t it true, that there are many times that nothing important is really happening? Use this time to speak to God. Whatever your feelings are at the moment, whatever your emotions, bring them to God. It just might be 5 minutes, it might be 10, just remember, it is not quantity, it is quality.

Thing about this – why can’t we speak to God when we do our everyday chores, like making our bed or washing our dishes, when we are stuck in traffic? We might be there for 10 minutes with absolutely nothing happening. Every day the opportunity presents itself. I can assure you from my own personal experience, by taking these opportunities to pray, it became a habit for me, and now it is a very nature thing for me to do. Do I feel closer to God? Indeed, I do.

I recall conducting a baptism class where I was speaking to new parents about the importance of prayer in their lives. I said to them that not only will prayer strengthen their marriage but will help in their role as parents of this precious little soul that God has but into their care. One young mother said to me, “Deacon, with all due respect, I understand what you are saying about prayer, but I gave birth to twins. I am so busy that I hardly have time to take care of my bodily needs.” Of course, we all laughed at that statement, and I really didn’t have an answer for it. But after her, another young mother said this, “yes, I am very busy with my newborn, but when I am nursing her, I pray the rosary, using my baby’s toes.”

There is a saying, that where there is a will, there is a way. She had the will and found the way.

During this time of Lent, do we have the will? The way is in plain sight – the way to become closer to God.

There is a short prayer I say every day on behalf of myself and my wife, Ethel:
Oh merciful and compassionate Lord,
Strengthen our faith, as we deal with the difficulties of life.
Help us to persevere in prayer.
Amen

Deacon Artie Cuccia, 88, and his bride, Ethel, 89, married for 68 years, recently returned to Warwick and St. Stephens after several years of living in Hyde Park, NY, South Carolina and Florida. He was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Brooklyn on April 12, 1986. He has been a deacon for 33 years. He continues to assist at St. Stephens for masses and services, as well as baptism classes.

Thursday, March 12

Today's Readings

Jesus said we will always have the poor with us. Let’s reflect on that for a moment.

How often do we see beggars on the streets? And now more and more we see the homeless living in tents on the sidewalks of major cities in America. And we all receive requests in the mail to feed the hungry here in America and in far-away countries. Do we answer the call to help?

And what about the people in our own communities, in the stores where we shop and even in our own churches? Do we just walk past the people who come across our paths or do we smile and offer a warm greeting? Do we really care about them and what they might be going through?

Today’s Gospel points us to Lazarus, a poor beggar sitting outside a rich man’s house. He longed for the scraps that fell from the man’s table. The rich man ignored Lazarus every day. He had the means to help Lazarus but he didn’t.

It wasn’t until they both died that the rich man payed any attention to Lazarus. Now it was his turn to need help; he wanted mercy from the man he denied mercy to. However, it wasn’t Lazarus’ choice or ability to be merciful to him. It was too late for the rich man. How sad for him; he showed no mercy to Lazarus in life, therefore, he was unable to receive mercy after he died.

The poor, the dejected and the outcasts; they are with us, and so are our neighbors we see daily who might need a kind word or a warm smile. No matter the need, we are Christians and we’re called to be Christ’s light in this world. Called to be Christ’s hands and feet in a world that needs Him terribly. We are called to be merciful to everyone in ways that give glory to God.

Lent is the perfect opportunity for us to grow closer to Jesus but also for us to “be Jesus” to someone who needs care, love and mercy. Jesus is mercy Himself. Let’s be merciful to others and remember that what we do for others, we do for Christ.

Dear Jesus,
Please help us this Lent and always,
to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves.
Help us to be your hands and feet to everyone we meet.
Give us hearts of mercy and love for our brothers and sisters;
from those most hungry for food to those most hungry for a kind word.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Amen.

Donna Washio lives in Warwick with her husband Steve, her daughter who is in college and 2 adorable dogs. She works and enjoys her part-time job in the office at St. Stephen’s and also enjoys volunteer work in various capacities. She currently is facilitator of Following Christ.

Friday, March 13

Today's Readings

My wife and I recently watched William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

In a nutshell, the story is about a nephew-prince contemplating whether or not he should kill his uncle, who, according to a ghostly figure of the late king, killed his father in order to take the throne of Denmark and marry the queen, Hamlet’s mom.

Looking for more assurance than the words of an apparition, Hamlet decides that he will entertain the new King Claudius, his uncle, and the queen with a theatrical production that dramatizes the events described to Hamlet by the ghost.

“The play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”

If his uncle responds suspiciously to the re-enactment of the regicide, the words of the spirit must be true.

It is no secret that Scripture influenced Shakespeare’s work, so I wonder if the Bard borrowed this conviction tactic from Jesus?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of the landowner, the tenants and the servants.

His audience, the chief priests and Pharisees, respond much like Hamlet’s uncle: with an indignant self-awareness.

Aren’t we all Claudius (of Hamlet), the tenants (of the parable), and the Pharisees (of the Gospel)?

Guilty.

And when our guilt is seen by the illumination of another person, however directly or indirectly the tactics, don’t we also respond with contempt for the light?

Lent is a time to become more acquainted with the Light of Christ. It is a time to learn how to respond in humility to the reality of our current state that He reveals as opposed to falling on our natural inclination to be hostile.

The most important revelation of Christ’s Light is not our sins, but that we are beloved more than we are sinners. If we seek Him, we will find forgiveness, not a sentence, as our guilty soul counsels us.

So when the Light shines on you, do not run the opposite way or plot murderous revenge.

Bask.
Grow in humble self-awareness.
Do not be afraid.

Matthew Juliano discerns the Lord’s Will in perpetuity: to what extent does He desire Matthew to permanently adorn his temple of the Holy Spirit with inked images of Holy Scripture and Tradition? Seven? Seventy times seven? It is a journey that he and his wife will continue to discover together as they eat a dinner, likely comprised of chicken or beef (or frozen pizza on this Lenten Friday) for the seventy times seventh time since they have promised their lifelong fidelity to each other just 8 short months ago. God be praised.

Saturday, March 14

Today's Readings

All the readings today remind us of the immeasurable compassion of our God.
Micah tells us, "Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt...who does not persist in anger forever but delights rather in clemency and will again have compassion on us."

The psalm tell us , " The Lord is kind and merciful."

Luke's Gospel is the magnificently beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son. We have heard this Gospel many times but I think it provokes serious thought when we attempt to determine which of the characters we are at this stage of our life.
Are we the prodigal son - still searching in a "distant country" for the things that will make us happy until we realize the emptiness that cannot be filled outside of the Father's home?

Are we the elder son, aloof, full of self pride, angry to see the Father's leniency to the son who lived a dissolute life while we remained faithful and thus expected, and felt entitled to more than we have received? Will we allow the Father's joy to transform our bitterness so that we enter the party?

Do we understand the limitless capacity of the Father's love? He is there - watching - waiting for us and running to meet us when we turn to Him in our pain - our loneliness- our fear- our desperation. His arms are open wide to embrace us as soon as we decide to come to Him and only when we recognize Him as the only true source of our hope, joy, fulfillment will we enter into the warmth of that love.

Dear Lord, you seek us always and wait for us to seek you.
There, in the silence of the heart we find each other.
Merciful, loving Lord, thank you for your open invitation to be held in your loving embrace; open our hearts to dare to accept your invitation.
This Lent, let us strive to become more like the Father, loving intently, forgiving with a generous mercy, even those who have wronged us.
Spirit of the living God, breathe into us that we may become...
"perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect."
Amen.

Marie Tito is a long time parishioner of St. Stephens. She serves on the Parish Council, and as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound and volunteers at Mother's Cupboard.

Sunday, March 15

Today's Readings

If you are anything like me yesterday’s announcement that Mass would be cancelled this week and for the foreseeable future was a tremendous shock. In my estimation no one alive today can recall a time when Sunday Mass was suspended because of a national emergency. This morning as I put on my violet vestments for the celebration of our parish live-streamed mass suddenly I realized not only was it truly lent but that we have begun to live lent. The outbreak of Covid-19 (coronavirus) has brought to the surface the awful reality of what fear can do to us. As a priest in a busy parish each night usually brings a different event, activity, or meeting. As I sit here at my desk I can’t help looking over at my calendar and seeing the remnants of a long difficult week, call after call of cancellations and postponements months of hard work and planning cancelled.

At Mass today the Gospel acclamation read “ Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again.”

Dear friends now is the time for us to live our faith by caring for one another and above all else trusting in almighty God that he will see us through this hour. It is easy to speak about the need for courage from the comfort of a desk, I am mindful of those who continue to deal with this crisis every day the sick, and those who care for them. We have so much to fear today, let us try not to make the mistake of being afraid for tomorrow for the reality of today is more pressing than the unknown of tomorrow. As Christians we are called to be people of hope above all else. As we endure the difficulties of lent, let us remember that there is always a Good Friday before Easter Sunday. This week let us find ourselves at the well, not of Jacob in Jericho, but of Jesus’ love and mercy.

May the Lord Bless you and keep you in His Loving Care

Fr. Kareem Smith

Monday, March 16

Today's Readings

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus’ hometown rejects him as a prophet. And I want to say a word about your role as a prophet.

When most lay people hear about prophecy, they sit back and their eyes glaze over. "That’s something for the priests and the bishops to worry about; they’re the modern-day prophets. I don’t have that call or that responsibility."

Well, think again! Vatican II emphasized the universal call to holiness, rooted in the dynamics of Baptism. Every baptized person is conformed unto Christ—priest, prophet, and king. Whenever you assist at Mass, you are exercising your priestly office, participating in the worship of God. Whenever you direct your kids to discover their mission in the Church, or provide guidance to someone in the spiritual life, you are exercising your kingly office.

As a baptized individual, you are commissioned as a prophet—which is to say, a speaker of God’s truth. And the prophetic word is not your own. It is not the result of your own meditations on the spiritual life, as valuable and correct as those may be. The prophetic word is the word of God given to you by God.

Reflect: How would you evaluate your role as prophet—that is, a speaker of God’s truth?

Bishop Robert Barron is an author, speaker, theologian, and founder of Word on Fire, a global media ministry. Word on Fire reaches millions of people by utilizing the tools of new media to draw people into or back to the Catholic Faith. Above is his Lenten Gospel Reflection, which is sent, daily, to those who subscribe to receive them.

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More thoughts for today, based on the readings of the day.

Today's Readings
”In God alone we move and have our being.”

We are living in uncertain times. Lent this year, is truly penitential for us all. As so many rush to find security in toilet paper and sanitizer, have we considered that all our moves and our very being rest always in God, Our Father, creator of Heaven and Earth.

In the first reading, we see a powerful man desperate for healing from leprosy. He turned to the king and begged for a way to be healed. Money and fame did not protect nor heal him, but only the grace of God. We may be tempted to want our government to save us, to stop the spread of disease, and use their might (and purse strings) to end this crisis, but as the king of Israel says, “Am I God, to be able to kill and give life”

The government is called to serve and protect, but all life flows from our Creator. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, except if you are Almighty God. We must trust in His perfect ways and remember His Kingdom is our true home and mission. No pandemic can change that.

”And Jesus answering said to him: It is written: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”

Temptation is real. Even Christ struggled with temptation as He sought refuge in the desert to focus His soul. It is not that the devil ever could have overcome Christ but that Christ in His generosity vanquished all evil, temptations, and even death for our sake. He allowed himself to suffer at the hands of satan and men to set us free.

Every second of our life is a battle for our soul. Will we cling to the Word of God or fall to the temptation of this world? Tomorrow is the feast of St Patrick, one of my favorite saints. He is a powerhouse of strength, patience, and faith despite temptation. His true character is often lost in the green beer and raucous parties that are supposedly celebrated in his name.

Patrick was taken a slave and went willingly to work for his master. He wanted to escape for sure but waited for the time that God appointed. He used his suffering to draw nearer to God and filled his days with prayer. He was surely tested to run and to possibly steal food. But, he dove deeper into His walk with Christ. I wonder if he often pondered this Gospel passage.

When Patrick finally escaped, he gave his life fully to Christ through the priesthood. His friends and family did not approve, but he marched on in faith. And then, much to everyone’s horror, Patrick returned to those who had kidnapped and mistreated him in order to serve and save them. Like Christ, he turned the struggle of temptation into a mission of redemption.

How are we being tempted? Are we lost in despair because of the temptation or are we choosing to find joy in the victory of Christ? Temptation will always be there, especially when we give all we have to God. Satan wishes to conquer our souls, but we are children of light. When fear, weakness, and temptation knock at your door, don’t hide. Put your lamp out for all to see, only the Prince of Light can overcome the darkness, and the battle is already won.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearten to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
Hishand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech.
His heavenly host to be my guard

Against the demon snares of sin
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers
*excerpt from St. Patrick’s Breastplate

Jennifer Hansen and her family have been parishioners at St Stephen’s for over 11 years. They are active in Catholic Daughters, Teams of Our Lady, and Mary’s Meals. Jennifer works as a content marketer and copywriter, in between homeschooling her four children and playing taxi driver.

Tuesday, March 17

Today's Readings

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

My confirmation name is Patrick. While I don’t remember now why I chose St. Patrick as my confirmation name at the time, this gave me the opportunity to research my confirmation saint like today’s current young men and women who research their chosen saint. It was great to see a couple of young men who chose St. Patrick as their confirmation name in St. Stephen’s 2020 class. My confirmation was many years ago in the stone church on South Street in Warwick. While I don’t want to give away too much information regarding how old I am, I was able to research my saint this time without leaving the comfort of my house by using the internet. Back then, I did not have the internet no less a computer to use to conduct my research. I probably went to the Warwick library or borrowed books from St. Stephen’s – St. Edward’s school where I attended.

In brief, I found out that St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain and when he was around 14 years old, was captured by Irish pirates and was taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. At the time, Ireland was a land of Druids and Pagans who did not know about Jesus. While in captivity and solitude, he turned to God through prayer and his love of God grew more and more each day. After about 6 years and while in a dream from God, he was told to leave Ireland. He was able to escape and return to his family in Britain. Patrick had a vision which prompted his studies for the priesthood and was eventually ordained a priest and later a bishop. Because of a life of prayer and his reliance on God’s grace, he returned to Ireland. After 40 years of traveling throughout the land, living in poverty and enduring much suffering, he was able to convert thousands of people to the faith and built many churches across the country completely changing the culture.

Sometimes, I find it hard to forgive even little things. Can you imagine someone forgiving people that abducted you, took you away from your family, and enslaved you only to return to these same people to bring the good news of the Gospel? This is what Saint Patrick did. As we celebrate his feast day today, we can learn so much from his example of forgiveness. To forgive something so significant may seem impossible. Look at the unforgiving servant in today’s Gospel. He couldn’t forgive even after being forgiven by the king. But if we try to start with forgiving smaller things, with prayer and God’s grace, we will be able to forgive even larger things.

“How often must I forgive” (Matthew 18:21). Okay, I say, but then how many times do I have to continue to forgive? If I must keep count, then I completely miss the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus died on the Cross for us so to forgive our sins because of His love for us. There is no number or calculation to keep track of where we can stop to forgive. If we are sorry, Jesus will always forgive us because of His love for us.

Thank you, Jesus, for forgiving our sins and for your ultimate sacrifice
by dying on the Cross for us. Help me to forgive constantly and endlessly.

Casey vanDuynhoven is a life-long parishioner of St. Stephens Parish. He serves our church as a lector, Eucharistic Minister and as a member of the Adult Choir.

Wednesday, March 18

Today's Readings

I was driving home from work the other day, and out of nowhere, a word I had heard over and over again that week, suddenly came to mind and began to crowd out all other ideas: pandemic.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) a pandemic is defined as a “worldwide” spread of a disease. For me, the word alone carries with it so much fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. I was suddenly acutely aware of my mortality.

Then, I stopped at ShopRite and my fears were confirmed. It was absolutely chaotic. I thought, What on earth is going on?

Today's readings are an antidote for what I experienced. They communicate a sobering message of obedience and loyalty to God. In the first reading, Moses is directing the people of Israel to look back and see how God’s loving hand has been present in their lives. He exhorts them not to forget what has been done for them. He reminds them, that as the chosen people, they are called to live out the commandments exactly as they have been prescribed, so they may be a witness to other nations of their hope in God. Then and only then, will Israel reach the Promised Land.

Similarly, in the second reading, Jesus too calls us to devotion to God. Unlike Moses, Jesus makes complete, or more perfect, the law of old. For Jesus, we are called into an even deeper union with God through Christ’s salvific actions. As Christians, we are called to a full commitment of heart, mind, and soul to God.

These are truly unsettling times. But the message today reminds us to look back and see with our hearts how God has been present to us in history. And God is present to us today! God’s Grace and Love are more powerful than any disease. More than ever, now is the time as Christians to lean into the Love and Grace of God and to be a steady witness to the hope we have in Christ. It is now, today, we are called to be faithful in our prayer life and trust the will of God.

Heavenly Father, help my unbelief.
Grant me the gift of loyalty and obedience to you.
In times of doubt and fear, draw near to me,
so that I may always be a living witness of your Grace and Love in my life.
Amen.

Caroline Cunningham is a parishioner of Warwick for close to 20 years. She lives in Chester, NY with her husband Robert Nelson and their four children, Haley, Taylor, Robert, and Rachel Nelson.

Thursday, March 19

Feast of Saint Joseph

Today's Readings

The saint of today is Saint Joseph, husband of Mary.

When I think about Joseph, one-word overwhelmingly comes to mind – trust. Although, history shows we do not know much of Joseph’s background, we do however, know just enough. He was a man who believed that God had called him to be someone very special – the husband of Mary and father of Jesus.

He took seriously his responsibility to believe in God’s calling, even when he knew that there was incredible risk for both he and Mary.

Growing up, I associated this day with delicious Italian pastries. Now, having matured (just a bit), I marvel at the strength that this man had and his openness to trusting in God’s plan for himself. Can we answer God’s call as did Joseph?

My good friend posted this on Facebook: F.E.A.R. – Face Everything And Rise! For sure, today is challenging for our world. We know that our responsibilities are to protect our family and help our neighbor. We must do so while staring down our fears and rising together in our trust and faith in God.

Prayer is needed from us all; let’s all pray the rosary together as Pope Francis has called for (today at 4:00 p.m.) and as our wonderful parish community has encouraged us.

Dear Lord, help us be strong today as was Joseph.
Help us be thankful for our blessings today and trust in your will.
We pray especially for those who live in fear that they may feel your comfort and love.
Amen.

Joe Garguilo and his wife, Amy, are parents of Philip and Mary Grace. Joe is a member of the parish council.

Friday, March 20

Today's Readings

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear about the Greatest Commandment. Jesus is asked what is the first of all the commandments, and He responds:

The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

I have to admit, a lot of my thoughts lately have been about the coronavirus that we are all dealing with here, and around the country. My kids are out of school for a month, my husband is home working, and things are very uncertain about the US economy and what will happen in the future. There is so much to worry about. So many concerns! I recently called my brother in Atlanta to see how he was dealing with this crisis and he said something interesting to me. He said we as Christians are so blessed because we know where we have been and where we are going, and we know Who is in charge. We know God has got this, and we need to be a beacon in the dark for those that are lost and scared. Is that not the Love that Jesus is speaking about in today’s reading?

Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He doesn’t suggest it or ask it of us, but commands us because He knew it would not be easy. And He was right (of course)! It’s not easy to love our neighbors who are hoarding toilet paper and bread right now. It’s not easy to love people who continue to disregard social distancing and continue to travel unnecessarily, putting others at risk. But we are commanded to do so as Christians, as Catholics.

We may not be able to go to Mass right now but we know the Lord’s teaching. Love one another, even the toilet paper hoarders. Love your neighbor by praying for them, because they may not know Jesus. They may be scared for the future and not have the same Rock that we can rest easy in. Love your neighbor by speaking kindly, or at least smile and wave from a distance, because a kind word or smile these days is so important. Love your neighbor by allowing for their humanity, and all the flaws that humanity encompasses. No one is perfect, especially in a crisis. Love your neighbor by sharing in their joys and sorrows, whether it’s a fruitful day spent homeschooling children by a mother, or the sadness endured by an elderly person who is isolated.

Love your neighbor by forgiving. People do and say things they don’t mean, especially during stressful times. Forgive just as you yourself are forgiven. And while we are talking about loving others, let’s not forget about ourselves. Practice some self-love. If you are homeschooling, take a break and have a cup of tea (make it a green tea because that’s good for immunity). If you’re working from home, take the opportunity to spend some time with the family that you normally would not get to see during the day. Get outside and feel the sunshine…we have been seeing some nice weather lately! We are going to get through this, "For nothing will be impossible for God" (Luke 1:37).

Lord,
You loved us first. You love us always.
You are always with us.
Help us to remember that our neighbors are made in Your image,
Just as we are, and are deserving of our love, patience, and service.
In Jesus’ Name, we pray.
Amen.

Kelly O’Brien grew up in Georgia and is a convert to the Catholic faith. She is wife to Tim and mother to two sons, Aedan and Sean, who attend St. Stephen-St. Edward School. She enjoys camping, cooking, and daily walks with her German Shepherd, Rhett.

Saturday, March 21

Today's Readings

A couple months ago I read an interesting article in the Washington Post entitled “The Disposables.” The reporter mailed out 25 disposable cameras to women across the country (some famous, some just regular folk) to take pictures and then send back to await the results. Remember those days? Take the pictures, turn it in somewhere to develop and then see the pictures…seems archaic now in the days of camera phones and instant photographic gratification. In the “old days”, we didn’t know how the pics would turn out nor whether they would reflect our subject in the best light. Admit it…if you see a picture of yourself on your phone and you’re not happy, it is easily disposed of with a click of that little trashcan icon in the corner and you have a chance to do it over. Not possible back in the day…you didn’t know until the envelope filled with your photographs came back. This got me to thinking…

How would a packet of pictures have looked from back in Jesus’ time…would someone have captured Peter’s expression as the rooster crowed for the third time? Was he chagrined? Ashamed? Sad? Surprised? What about Judas? How did he look as he led the soldiers to Jesus…did he look scared? Arrogant? Defiant? Or maybe confused at Jesus’ reaction? Chances are the photos would not have shown either of them in their best light…and no chance for a do-over, no hitting that little trash can to erase that image forever. We would see them as God saw them…

In Luke’s gospel today, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector…the one where the Pharisee shows everyone in the temple how righteous he is by praying loudly and announcing his high-minded virtues – in effect, showing himself in his best light and disposing of the notions through his prayer that he is like those who are “greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this – gasp!- tax collector” (the “gasp” is mine, not Luke’s!). Would seem that the tax collector showed his true, unedited, sinful self – and was accepted for who he was, just as we are when we seek help and forgiveness.

Prayer is a lot like the old-time cameras…as we pray, we “take a picture” in our mind’s eye of what we want through our prayer, often revealing our unedited selves. And yet, unlike an iPhone pic, we have to wait to see how it turns out…and we may have to accept that it’s not always exactly what we expected to see.

How did the subjects of “The Disposables” feel about the project? Actress Kristin Belll summed it up this way: “It made me reflect on the imperative we place on immediacy in today’s culture and the habitual desire to capture our ‘best’ selves. This project reminded me that it’s actually the small, non-filtered moments that make up our ‘best’ self.”

Lord, Jesus, as we pray – let us trust you enough to show you our true, unedited selves knowing you will accept us as we are.
And may we have patience as we await the answers to our prayers.
Amen.

Katie Bisaro has been a St. Stephen’s parishioner for over 25 years and is currently serving as a Trustee. She has four grown children and four grandchildren. She enjoys singing in the Adult Choir.

Sunday, March 22

Today's Readings

Amazing grace . . . How sweet the sound . . . was blind but now I see.

Today, Jesus heals a man born blind. But there is so much more going on!

They ask Jesus: “Whose sin is this?” I remember my dad. The last two years of his life were very difficult. He was very devout, a faithful man. After retirement he went to Mass daily. But he asked me: “Did I do something wrong?” I told him, “No, you just got old.” I told you don’t get old! Some problems are caused though misfortune due to sin. Sometimes we do cause our own problems, but many times we do not. Things happen. We do grow old. Jesus shows us how we can bring good out of it.

Now Jesus, the enemy of darkness, does something unusual. He spits on the ground and makes a mud paste – do you remember the creation story? – how we were formed out of the clay of the ground? – “mud bloods” as we are called in Harry Potter. But now in Jesus, creation is being completed.

Jesus says: “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.” Siloam means “Sent.” This is a symbol of Baptism – sight is restored, new life is given!

The man born blind has become a new person – he can see physically – but now, like everyone who is baptized, he is invited to see spiritually!

Can we see? The basketball commentator – the art critic – the doctor – they see thing I cannot see. We must train ourselves to see, to see as Jesus sees! Remember this phrase: “Seeing is believing?” Now: “Believing is seeing!”

Step by step the man born blind now begins to really see:

First, he calls Jesus - A Man

Next - A Prophet

Then - A Man from God

Finally - Lord!!!

Now he can truly see. Faith is a new kind of sight - we see Christ in the poor, in the unborn child, in the homeless person, in the husband, the wife, our parents, our children, our co-workers, people of different races or religions.

John Newton in 1748 was a Slave Trader. His nickname was “The Great Blasphemer.” His ship was in a terrible storm. He tied himself to the helm of the ship and made a promise to God that if he survived, he would stop being a slave trader. He survived. He not only stopped but became a force against slavery. Later he wrote the words of this song:

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see. I see!”

Fr. Michael McLoughlin is pastor at St. Columba Parish in Hopewell Junction, NY. He was pastor at St. Stephens, Warwick from 2002 - 2014.

Monday, March 23

Today's Readings

Practice: Lamentation for a Time of Crisis

Intelligently responding to the Coronavirus demands that we access resources of physical, emotional and spiritual resilience. One practice Christianity has developed to nurture resilience is lamentation. Prayers of lamentation arise in us when we sit and speak out to God and one another—stunned, sad, and silenced by the tragedy and absurdity of human events. . . Without this we do not suffer the necessary pain of this world, the necessary sadness of being human.

Walter Brueggemann, my favorite Scripture teacher, points out that even though about one third of the Psalms are psalms of “lament,” these have been the least used by Catholic and Protestant liturgies. We think they make us appear weak, helpless, and vulnerable, or show a lack of faith. So we quickly resort to praise and thanksgiving. We forget that Jesus called weeping a “blessed” state (Matthew 5:5) and that only one book of the Bible is named after an emotion: Jeremiah’s book of “Lamentation.”

In today's practice, Reverend Aaron Graham reflects on the elements found in prayers of lament. I hope that you will find in his words and in the text of Psalm 22 a way to voice your own complaints, requests, and trust in God, who is always waiting to hear.

We need to be reminded that our cries are not too much for God. [God] laments with us. In fact, [God] wants us to come to the [Divine Presence] in our anger, in our fear, in our loneliness, in our hurt, and in our confusion.
Each lamenting Psalm has a structure;

They begin with a complaint. . . that things are not as they should be.
They turn to a request. God, do something! Rescue me! Heal me! Restore me! Show mercy!
Laments end with an expression of trust. Laments end with the reminder that God is setting things right, even though it often seems so slow. It is right for our laments to turn towards a reminder that God is in control and about the business of righting all things made wrong. [1]

Consider praying these words found in Psalm 22, or choose another passage of lament. Before you pray, ask God to speak to you. . .

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame (Psalm 22:1-5).

Richard Rohr, OFM, is an American author, spiritual writer, and Franciscan friar based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church in 1970. He has been called "one of the most popular spirituality authors and speakers in the world."

Tuesday, March 24

Today's Readings

“What [insert person of ridicule here] ought to do is…”

Something like this begins nearly everything I’ve heard or read in the last few weeks. It’s become fashionable these days to let the world know what each individual person thinks. Tweeter and Bookface and Instantgrahamcracker and the rest are full of people who know better, or think they know better, or just want everyone else to think they know better… But as hard as people work to build a perfect, infallible public persona, acknowledging none of their own shortcomings or failures, there’s really only one person who’s actually got it all correct, and that person is the only one who is in a position to be telling the world “what they ought to do.” He didn’t need a little computer-in-a-pocket device to get the word out; He sent His son down here to let us know in person.

But even then, with a personal communication, so many didn’t get it. Many people argued against Him, even about their perception of what God’s law required. Many people searched for every opportunity to undermine and destroy Him. And now, almost 2,000 years later, we haven’t really changed much as a people. We each still think we know better, and we still think we don’t need anyone telling us what to do or how to think because we each should be telling everyone else what to do or how to think. Because we each know better. Right?

No thanks. I’ll pass on the advice found on social media. I’ll let the opinionated opine all day long, ad nauseam. I’ll be mindful of the fact that, in the face of ridicule and opposition, not to mention all the other social and economic challenges of His day, Christ always knew what to focus on, and He constantly reminded those who listened to Him. In the end, we will all have our challenges, we will all have to face them head-on, and we will only need advice from one person. Coronavirus will pass, and many people’s lives will never be the same. But the one thing that will always be the same is that God will be there for us. Rules of society and cultural mores will always be secondary to God’s will.

Our Lord, Help us stay focused on what really matters,
Help us use the gifts you’ve given us to help each other,
and Help us persevere through our challenges.
You give us nothing we can’t handle.

Tim O'Brien is husband to Kelly and father to two sons, Aedan and Sean, who attend St. Stephen-St. Edward School. Tim recently participated in the Saint Matthew Bible Study at St. Stephens.

Thursday, March 26

Today's Readings

The first reading makes me think of when I was little (even though I still am) and I did something goofy. One time, my grandmother sarcastically said that she didn’t think I could get mad, and she wanted to see how mad I could get. In order to demonstrate how “mad” I could get, I completely trashed my bedroom. When I was done, I went downstairs and told my mom what I had done. When she came upstairs and saw my bedroom, she was furious and said she was going to tell my dad. I begged her not to tell him, because I knew he would punish me. Then she and my grandmother helped me clean my room back up, and she decided not to tell my dad because she didn’t want me to get punished.

I was in the same situation the Israelites were in by worshipping the molten calf. Had my mom not stepped in to help me and take pity on me, my dad would have punished me for messing up my room. Instead she helped me fix what I had done. Moses, in the reading from Exodus, had to save the Israelites from being killed by asking God to spare them. If Moses hadn’t said anything, the Israelites would have been destroyed.
In the Gospel, the people of Jesus’ time still aren’t listening to Moses. They may have read Moses’ writings, but they do not believe them and they do not live by them. They don’t believe Jesus is the Son of God. Nothing Jesus says or does can make them believe because they are a “stiff-necked people.”

What can we learn from the example of the Israelites, in Moses’ time as well as in Jesus’ time? We should listen to the instructions we are given so nothing bad happens to us. We should not wait to get in trouble to change the way we think and act, we should change now. If we don’t, we could end up like the Israelites, and have to rely on someone stepping in to save us from something bad happening. Now that I know that, I know my parents don’t just tell me things for the sake of telling me things. They’re trying to help steer me straight, just like Moses was trying to do, and just as Jesus is doing RIGHT NOW. Jesus will keep us on the right path. We only have to listen.

Lord,
Always keep the path open for us, even if we wander off.
In Jesus Name, we pray.
Amen.

Aedan O’Brien is a 5th grade student at St. Stephen St. Edward School. He enjoys go-karting and playing basketball. He lives with his parents and his brother, Sean, and his dog, Rhett. He credits Mrs. McGill and Mrs. Higgins for any writing abilities he may or may not have.

Friday, March 27

Today's Readings

Today's first reading for Mass is from the Book of Wisdom. In two weeks we will hear the very same reading proclaimed on Good Friday. This Scripture is given to us today and repeated then, so that the prophetic truth it speaks may resound in our hearts. Jesus' passion, death and resurrection are all prophesied throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. When we reflect upon these Old Testament passages and make the connection with Christ's life and teachings we gain a deeper insight into who he is, where he is from and the fulfillment of his mission of salvation.
The Gospel passage from St. John is very interesting. We are told that Jesus stayed in Galilee to avoid falling prey to those who wished to kill him, and then we are told that he went to Jerusalem in secret. However, his concealment and secrecy are soon put aside as he speaks openly to those gathered for the feast. He has a message to preach and he puts himself in harm's way. The truth he wishes to proclaim takes precedence over his very safety and well being. Is it any wonder that Calvary can't be too far away?
On a personal note, I have experienced first hand this very human desire for avoidance and secrecy. Since December, when I was ordained a Bishop, I take the train into Manhattan almost every week. For any Priest to appear publicly in his Roman Collar is risky business these days. I find that I am the target of every homeless person from Grand Central to the Chancery Office. I have endured the stares of the curious, the sneers of the angry and the quick glance of the indifferent. I began to be grateful for the cold weather that warranted a nice scarf around my neck, not so much for warmth but for avoidance and secrecy. Then it hit me...if Jesus put himself out there, what kind of Bishop would I be if I hid behind a scarf? So, now I walk the streets of Manhattan with my collar in full view, a pocket full of change and a smile on my face for all who stare me down. There is a sense of peacefulness knowing that I was able to provide a cup of hot coffee for a homeless person and a smile for someone who holds a rather negative opinion towards a Catholic Priest in these days of suspicion and anger. I have even gotten a fair share of "good morning, Father," and "thank you, Father," which warms my heart, even if my neck is feeling the chill of winter.
"If you wish to be my disciple take up your cross and follow me." How else do we expect to "know him and where he is from." How else will we be ready when our "hour" finally comes?

Bishop Gerardo Colacicco was installed as an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of New York in December. Three weeks ago, he confirmed our St. Stephens 8th grade Confirmation class. We were pleased to learn that we had the honor of this being the first Confirmation class that he confirmed since being ordained. His reflection was written prior to the Corvid-19 pandemic.

Saturday, March 28

"I knew deep down that this was going to become a public health catastrophe. I am committed to confronting the enormity of this global public health catastrophe and its potential for even greater devastation ."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institutes of Health

His face is familiar to most of us, if we have been following news of the Covid-19 pandemic. Anthony S. Fauci, MD, age 79, has been the director of the National Institutes of Health since 1984. Fauci wrote the above quote in response to the HIV-AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. I'm sure most read it and thought this was written in relation to our current global crisis. At national press conferences these days, Fauci is at the front of the room and is called upon to give almost daily science-based updates related to coronavirus. He has had a remarkable career, spanning decades and continues to devote himself to this horrible virus that is gripping and paralyzing our world.

Below is a piece he wrote that was published in 2006, contained in the book, This I Believe, based on the NPR series of the same name. This I Believe features eighty Americans―from the famous to the unknown―completing the thought that the book's title begins. His commitment and guiding principles are as true now, as they have been throughout his career. Below is Dr. Fauci's statement from This I Believe:

A Goal of Service to Humankind

I believe that I have a personal responsibility to make a positive impact on society. I've tried to accomplish this goal by choosing a life of public service. I am a physician and a scientist confronting the challenge of infectious diseases. I consider my job a gift. It allows me to try to help alleviate the suffering of humankind.

I have three guiding principles that anchor my life, and I think about them every day.

First, I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Knowledge goes hand-in-hand with truth - something I learned with a bit of tough love from my Jesuit education, first at Regis High School in NYC and then at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. I consider myself a perpetual student. You seek and learn every day: from an experiment in a lab, from reading a scientific journal, from taking care of a patient. Because of this, I rarely get bored.

Second, I believe in striving for excellence. I sweat the big and the small stuff! I do not apologize for this. One of the by-products of being a perfectionist and constantly trying to improve myself are sobering feelings of low-grade anxiety and a nagging sense of inadequacy. But this is not anxiety without a purpose. No, this anxiety keeps me humble. It creates a healthy tension that serves as the catalyst that drives me to fulfill my limited potential.

This has made me a better physician and scientist. Without this tension, I wouldn't be as focused.

I have accepted that I will never know or understand as much as I want. This is what keeps the quest for knowledge exciting! And it is one of the reasons I would do my job even if I did not get paid to come to work every day.

Third, I believe that as a physician my goal is to serve humankind.

I have spent all of my professional life in public service, most of it involved in the research, care of patients, and public health policy concerning HIV-AIDs epidemic. When I chose to concentrate on AIDS in the 1980s, many of my colleagues thought I was misguided to be focusing all of my attention on what was then considered "just a gay man's disease." But I felt that this was my destiny and was perfectly matched to my training. I knew deep down that this was going to be comes a public health catastrophe. I am committed to confronting the enormity of this global public health catastrophe and its potential for even greater devastation.

Failure to contain it cannot be an option. I believe that to be even marginally successful in working to contain this terrible disease, I must be guided by these principles. I must continually thirst for knowledge, accept nothing short of excellence, and know that the good of the global society is more important and larger than I am.
This I Believe

Dr. Fauci's reflection in This I Believe, are as true today as they have been over his nearly 40 year career. His commitment, his insight and his care for humanity gives us hope for a cure of Covid-19.
Yesterday, Pope Francis addressed the world during the Urbi et Orbi blessing while praying for an end to coronavirus. Pope Francis urged us that this moment in history is “a time to choose what matters in life and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.” You can read Pope Francis' complete address here.

Thank you, Lord, for the likes of Anthony Fauci, who has committed his life to serving humanity through his gift as a physician. While Dr. Fauci's service seems extraordinary, Pope Francis reminded us in his address that we each have roles to play throughout this crisis. How can we serve humanity in our upside-down world? Times have changed; two weeks ago feels like a year. We each have friends and family on the front lines in hospitals, clinics, working in grocery stores, in public service. Let's continue to pray for them, to send messages of encouragement, a quick text, a phone call or note to those who are alone and anxious. We can and are connecting with each other in our unconnected world. We are making differences in the lives of friends and strangers. But, we cannot do this alone. It is essential for us to look towards Christ, to put our faith and hope in him as we weather this storm.

Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7).
Pope Francis, March 27,2020

Mary Juliano and her family have been parishioners since 1999. She is grateful to serve St. Stephens as Business Manager.

Sunday, March 29

Today's Readings

I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I, by a mysterious way, was recently introduced to the Contemplative Prayer meeting held on Wednesday night at 7:00 in the 8th grade classroom. I typed this Jesuit prayer by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in 1979.

Patient Trust in our Selves and the Slow Work of God

Above all trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new and yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability and that it may take a very long time.

And so, I think it is with you. Your ideas mature gradually, let them grow, let them shape themselves without undue haste. Don't try to force them on as though you could be today what time, that is to say, grace and circumstance acting on your goodwill, will make you tomorrow.

Only God can say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give our Lord the benefit of believing that His hand is leading and accept the anxiety of feeing yourself in suspence and incomplete.

And so it is with me learning the skill of Contemplative Prayer and understanding something else. St. Theresa of Avila wrote, "May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith...

I can do all things through Christ who strengths me. (Philippians 4:13)

Christine Sears is a long time parishioner of St. Stephens. She as been part of the Prayer Shawl Ministry and is a current member of Women's Sodality.

Monday, March 30

Today's Readings

In today’s gospel, John 8:1-11 is a story with lessons about grace and mercy. We meet the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes who were trying to test and trap Jesus by bringing him an adulterous woman that they wanted Jesus to condemn and the woman who knew that she had sinned. The Pharisees and scribes were so sure that they were right and the woman knew she had done wrong. It almost seems like Jesus is stuck between a rock and a hard place, when we see him writing in the dirt and then telling the accusers, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” One by one each of the accusers leave.
(To ponder: We are all guilty of sin and deserve condemnation. Not one of us is perfect. Instead of being so quick to be condemning, judgmental and critical of others, we should show grace, mercy, kindness and compassion.)

After they have all walked away, Jesus tells the woman that he does not condemn her either and tells her to not sin again.
(To ponder: Truth must always be coupled with grace and in this story, Jesus does not offer grace at the expense of truth-he tells the woman not to sin again.)

You don’t have to look far these days, especially with social media, to find people judging, condemning and verbally attacking others. Often, even a small, well intentioned question or comment on a Facebook group page somehow, someway turns into a contentious debate or a slam on somebody’s character. May we always remember before we cast that first stone, before we criticize and before we accuse that not one of us is perfect. May we always show others the grace and mercy that God has showered upon us. Please God, in these difficult times, help us to be less judgmental and to cast less stones and to be more compassionate and empathetic towards others.

Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Karen Walker has been a St. Stephen’s parishioner for the last 20 years. Karen and her husband, Erik, are the parents of 5 children and teach 3rd grade Religious Education together.

Tuesday, March 31

Today's Readings

The Sound of Silence:

I love to cook. I am certainly not a trained chef but I sure do enjoy the task of preparing a meal for family and friends and like most people these days, I have had more than a normal amount of time to focus on cooking, and experimenting with some new types of dishes. The kitchen is filled with sounds and smells of sizzling oils, herbs, and assorted ingredients and the occasional smoke alarm reminds me to turn on the fan. Yesterday while making a few different dishes, I kept the overhead fan on for quite a bit longer than normal. I wasn’t even aware that it was running, because I was busy and focused on the array of food around me and on deciding what else I might add to the mix or if it was ready to serve. When we sat down eat, and began with saying grace, my husband got up and walked over to the stove and turned off the fan. Voila. Silence. I hadn’t even realized how much noise that fan was throwing off but felt a sense of actual relief when it stopped. We said our prayer in a silence that I was grateful for, and as I thought about that very thing- I realized that this current pandemic is providing a backdrop of silence for us- and a sudden phenomenon of time. Using the fan as a metaphor for the noise of life I can observe that much of what is happening, “the noise”, can seem necessary like the fan. However the noise has had a way of including ever more sources- and ever more justifications that it is necessary or just the way life has to be.
Today’s psalm reveals the cry of God’s people…beckoning Him to hear them in their time of distress:

O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.

We are in the midst of an uncertain time. People of faith- as well as those that may have let life’s distractions obscure their faith life are praying for God to hear our prayers. We pray for the health and safety of our communities and the world around us. We pray for the healthcare workers trying to help the sick and remain healthy themselves. We pray for the people that do so many jobs that we may have taken for granted- but that are keeping us going and filling us with confidence that we will get through this. Many of us are taking time we didn’t previously have available to be sure we connect with God, and family and friends that we unintentionally set aside amid the noise of life. We are basking in the beauty and glory of nature- grateful to just be able to take it all in.

This newfound silence in our life- a break from the hustle bustle, the many distractions from God and the people we are closest to- has presented us all with the opportunity to cling to that which matters most- our God, our family, and our friends. Each day prayer opportunities with family and friends present themselves to us, but this time reminds us to take advantage of them, and the opportunity that always waits in the silence for our restless hearts….God and His endless love and invitation for us to draw closer to Him.

Oh God, we ask you to bless and be with all of those that are sick and struggling
and all those that care for them.
We thank you for the opportunity to love and know you better
and to appreciate the gifts that you have given us in this life.
Amen.

Jane Kunzweiler her husband, Steve, and her family have been parishioners of St. Stephens since 1999. She is proud mother of five, mother-in-marriage of one, and grandmother of precious Noah and Lillian.

Thursday, April 2

Our readings today focus on being seen and called by God, and others not recognizing giftedness and grace in their presence. Being in the midst of a pandemic feels a lot like these readings today. People do not want to see the possibility of something positive when there is so much fear and anxiety. It is so easy to slip into a place of terror and more difficult to focus on the possibility of positivity and grace meeting us in new ways. Jesus is a symbol of unexpected possibility and grace. In this reading his confidence in his own sense of self and his confidence in God trigger others. They cannot believe that his age is not a factor when it comes to God’s grace and that he has something to teach them.

As a young person, faith was always something that came easy to me. I believed, I knew Jesus, I loved easily. I remember in third grade writing about my talent of loving people. I dealt with challenges of not being believed that God could be working through me at the age that I was in graduate school. I had classmates who were in their 60s when I was 23 and they were threatened by my faith and wanted to rationalize away my understanding by saying developmentally it was impossible for me to feel and find God and be so attune to the Spirit. This said more about them, then it did about me. Jesus gives us a great model of courage in this reading. He stands firm in his knowledge, even though it means they throw stones at him. God reminds us even though we are bombarded by fear, we need to stand tall in our knowledge of who we are called to be in the face of trauma. We are called to stand firm in our understanding of responding in love and mercy. We are called to love unconditionally and remind others that God’s love is present – even in this pandemic. God’s love is shining through our acts of generosity, our acts of prayer, our acts of fasting from what does not serve. We are called to be a light for the kingdom so people believe in the midst of their fear. We are called to be bread for others – we are called to be Eucharist in our love, our words and our deeds. Afterall, God knows, God made us, and God is calling us to be like Jesus: reflecting God’s love so we can be a balm that heals our global community.

Loving God,
You created us in your own image and know what is in our hearts.
Give us courage to take steps to offer love in the midst of fear.
Open our eyes to see your grace.
Open our hearts to be bread for others.
Make of us instruments of your peace.
And may our peace be balm for the world.
Amen.

MaryAnne (Cappelleri) Davey, MA, graduate of St. Stephen-St. Edward School, has worked in mission & ministry work in higher education for over 15 years. She has graduate degree in Spiritual & Pastoral Care, is a trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator and reiki master. Her parents are parishioners at St. Stephen’s Parish and she lives in Massachusetts with her husband Craig.

Friday, April 3

Today's Readings

Truly, our present condition, both individually and collectively, in every state, region, country, continent, hemisphere, latitude or longitude, is, in the words of the first reading and the psalm, “distress” and for many, “terror on every side”.

For those of us fortunate enough to have the refuge of home to shelter in place perhaps the terror is not quite as pressing, it’s not our lived experience now. Hopefully, it will never be because we WILL gain the upper hand with the virus eventually, though we cannot know when at present. What we can and must know, however, is that our voices need to call upon the Lord, first and now, so that they can be heard, and so that our collective efforts to gain the upper hand and end this pandemic will be sourced, blessed and made manifest through Him as “our shield and our stronghold”.

But in our midst, through the medium of television, the Internet; and, in person, we are coming face to face, intimately and profoundly, with those for whom the terror IS a lived experience, for whom there is overwhelming physical and emotional distress on every side, and for whom “the breakers of death surge round, and the floods overwhelm”. It is to our sisters and brothers in extremis that we must bear witness and pray the psalm in their name, even as they lie tethered to machines, “enmeshed in the cords of the netherworld”. We pray, as their families would if they did not have to distance themselves, Jesus’ words “Spirit and everlasting life” in the place prepared for them from the beginning and to which we will all one day return.

In what feels to be a somewhat abrupt about- face from the tender moments we were just occupying, we come into a scenario in today’s Gospel that is found quite often during Jesus’ public ministry wherein He is being not simply pursued and tested by certain of His Jewish brethren but outright harassed and persecuted. I must admit however that I find Jesus’ initial statement to them “for which of these (many good works from my Father) are you trying to stone me?” very clever, and ironic, almost as if He were having a little sport with them! “Go ahead, choose one!” They don’t necessarily take the bait however and offer instead that their problem isn’t with any of Jesus’ “many good works” but with His claim to kinship with God. Jesus then proceeds to use their understanding of Scripture to justify His assertion “I am the Son of God”, but since that was still too unacceptable or vague to them, He very wisely appeals to their ability to “see” with their own eyes the good works that He performs and “realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father”. Actions can speak louder, clearer and more convincingly than words sometimes if we have the eyes to see.

Once Jesus crossed back over the Jordan, there were those who had not only the eyes but the ears to have heard John the Baptist’s words about Jesus and came to believe.

May we all remain open to the outpouring of grace through prayer and good works at this time of tribulation. May this be a transformative time in the life of our world.

Today's reflection was written by parishioner Katherine Klein.

Saturday, April 4

Today's Readings

"I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever."

“I pray that God gives us a miracle so incredibly big, that the world recognizes that the only way it could be explained is through God.” That has been my consistent prayer these days (okay, I didn’t say “incredibly”, but the description I used would be censored here!)

These are scary times for sure. We are all in this state of “unknowing”. Will we get sick? If we get sick, will we die? What about the people we love? Are they safe? Are we harming them without knowing it? It’s easy to get caught up in the news reports, in the numbers, in the nightmare scenarios. Personally, it’s a little too close to home for us as one of our children is working in the medical field, and we hear all too much about the reality of what’s in our “own backyard.” But in the midst of all of this, I pray for miracles. And I see them in so many different ways in both my own family and our parish family, our town, our bigger community, our extended families, our friends.

Miracles even in recognizing how much I love the people that I oftentimes take for granted in the day to day. In finding unstructured time, to sit on my front porch and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy – at 2:00 in the afternoon! A month ago, that never would have happened, although there was no reason it shouldn’t have, other than my “busy day.” But those “busy days” lacked what was most important within me. God. God is the single most important part of each of us. He is the piece that enables us to move through our days with the things we say we yearn for: grace, peace, wisdom, joy.

This virus is, without a doubt, a scourge. But my other prayer for each of us is that we find the miracles within it, because if we do, it can also be a gift, and not be wasted. Be still. Be with God. Trust Him in all of this – the good and the bad. Recognize that the only One in control is God. And then? Join me in praying for that incredibly big miracle that makes the whole world stop and take notice and know that the only explanation is our awesome God!

Mary-Ellen Kerr and her husband Bob and their three children (Meg, Bobby and Erin) have been parishioners of St. Stephens since 1996. She shares her gift of photography with our parish and maintains and updates our parish website.

Sunday, April 5

Today's Readings

A few days ago, I found a box full of palms delivered outside the door of the Church. It got me excited but only for a short while. I soon realized that although there will still be Mass for Palm Sunday, families will not be here to pick them up.

For many years, together in the church with joy in our heart and palms in our hands, we commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. This year will be different. All of us separated “6 feet apart” with fear in our heart and sanitizer in our hands. How do we commemorate His triumphal entrance?

There will still be Mass and there will still be a blessing of the palms, but the palms will then be stored until it is safe for distribution. Will the palms survive the quarantine? When all of this is over and few of the palms survive, can we still hold them in our hands and wave them in joy and excitement? I don’t know.

What I do know is that everything that is of this world is temporary except for the love of God that is always present, eternal, and everlasting. While we cannot, in the church together, commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, we can still commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into our heart and into our home.

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
-Isaiah 43:19

Fr. Reynor Santiago is parochial vicar at St. Stephen the First Martyr Parish.

Monday, April 6

Today's Reading

Katherine Juliano is a Registered Nurse, living in Manhattan. In normal circumstances, she works on a thoracic/surgical step-down unit at Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in Manhattan. She is a graduate of St. Stephen-St. Edward School. She and her colleagues are on the front-lines of the corona virus war.

Tuesday, April 7

Today's Readings

In today's Gospel reading, we are with Jesus at the Last Supper. He is surrounded by his disciples, one of whom is leaning on his breast, one who will lead him to his cross, and one who is told by Jesus that he will deny him three times.
Whom do we represent at the table during this Holy Week? Are we staying steady in our faith in spite of the health crisis and still remain resting on the Lord's bosom? Are we gripped with upset and disbelief and think of trading in our faith for fear and fear-based attitudes and behaviors? Or perhaps we have denied our Lord many times over the past few weeks, choosing some sort of inaction of mind, body, and spirit that would deny love of Him, oneself and neighbor?

We have our crosses to bear just like our our Lord. We continue to bear them in spite of the darkness and suffering we will endure right to the end. But the good news, the very good news, is the light ahead that is the Resurrection which brings the promise of hope to disciples returning to the table reborn, renewed, and transformed.

Let us acknowledge the Lord;
Let us press on to acknowledge him,
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;
He will come to us like the winter rains,
Like the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea 6:3

Jeannie Snyder of Warwick is a frequent attendee of St. Stephen's Parish.

Wednesday, April 8

Today's Readings

Today’s gospel reading focuses on Judas Iscariot. Fair to say that Judas is one of the most reviled personages in the Bible. Despite the fact that he was one of the twelve apostles and worked and ministered with Jesus, not even the Gospel writers have anything good to say about him. Luke and John suggest he was directly influenced by Satan.

It is easy to simply condemn Judas as a traitor and a turncoat. And he was. But isn’t there something more? Isn’t there something that Judas can teach us about fear and faith?

Judas is not the only weak disciple. Yes Judas was a thief and stole from the money bag. He had his human weaknesses and fears. But Peter denied Jesus three times. All the disciples, perhaps save one, abandoned Jesus. Even Jesus, fully human and divine, had his human fears and weaknesses, as when he asked his Father if the cup might pass from him.

We all have fear and weaknesses. And sometimes that separates us from God. Sometimes that leads us to do wrong. We are all human. We will all do wrong.

But the lesson of Judas is that it is never too late to ask for God’s forgiveness. When Judas saw the tide of the times turning against Jesus, he gave into human frailty and committed his act of betrayal. Afterwards, a repentant Judas thought it was too late for him to seek God’s forgiveness and committed suicide. But it really wasn’t too late. We can seek God’s freely given forgiveness up to our very last breath. Sadly, Judas did not understand this. But we can learn from his example and never hesitate to seek the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy.

George A. Smith is a frequent St. Stephens attendee.

Holy Thursday, April 9

Today's Readings for Mass of the Lord's Supper

There is a Facebook post that circulates every once in awhile. It is one of those silly, viral posts that everyone can't help but comment on. The theme is simple, tell the scariest story possible in just four words. The answers usually range from the silly to the absurd, but it is something that always gets people chatting. Here is mine:

Separated from God forever!

Today is Holy Thursday, my favorite Mass of the year. There have been dark times in my life where all that kept my faith alive was the coming prospect of Holy Thursday, or the residual grace of that night. Every year that I am blessed to be there, I leave refreshed, renewed, and brimming full of amazing grace. No matter how troubled or doubtful my soul is when I enter the Holy Thursday Mass, I leave deeply devoted and committed to Christ.

This year...I'm not trapped under a crying baby or attending to a sick family member, yet I cannot be there. None of us can be there! The Mass of the Mass, the Mass of the Priesthood, the Mass of Christ's Last Supper is closed to the public and our dedicated priests are left to celebrate alone. For years, I have prayed over and over, especially during Communion, that God would never permit us to lose the great privilege of attending Mass. To be honest, that has been my biggest fear, and these past few weeks have shaken me to the core.

However, then we read about the apostles and how their world was rocked. Here they sat, in great fellowship with their Lord and Rabbi. They were sharing a meal that had been miraculously provided in a room that was prepared for them without even asking. They seem to be living the best days of their lives. The Transfiguration confirmed Christ's divinity. He had overturned the money changing tables and they held out hope that He would rid the Temple of all its secular ills. They had missed Jesus after His 40 days in the desert, but He was home now. This Passover was akin to the first day of a even deeper adventure.

But, then there is uneasiness. Judas slips out, after Christ reveals his impending betrayal. Jesus washes their feet and talks about eating His body. He is trying so desperately to prepare them for the coming hours of chaos, but the apostles are just basking in the glow of an amazing holiday. They have God with them, and even though they do not fully understand what that means, they know Jesus is special. They know that He will change lives and the promises of their forefathers are coming to pass. The oppression of Israel is set to end, the kingdom of David will rise up and rule forever.

Then their entire world come crashing down!

How they must have ached to be back at the Passover meal. How they must have questioned how it all happened so fast. How did life go from so promising to the darkest days of their lives? Everything was uncertain and surreal. Could this really have happened? Where did they go from here?

They huddled within the Upper Room, afraid to leave, afraid to accept what had happened.

We may not be at our beloved parish for Holy Thursday, but Jesus is here with us. We know that. We know that even though the church is empty, and the tabernacle bare—Jesus has already won! He is risen. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow—Jesus is risen!

The emotions of these days are something we have never experienced. However, God is already on the other side. We need only to believe that since we have eaten His body and drank His blood that we will never really die. Death is scary, but on the other side is a paradise we cannot even imagine because there is Jesus—all day, every day, and His Cathedral in Heaven can never be closed.

Just give me, Jesus!

Dear LORD, you know how desperately we want to
meet you in the Eucharist tonight.
Please come and rest in our hearts.
Heal the loneliness and anxiety of our time.
Help us to remember that you are always with us.
Jesus, we trust in you!
Amen

Jennifer Hansen and her family have been parishioners at St Stephen's since 2008. They are actively involved with TEAMS of Our Lady, Mary's Meals, and Catholic Daughters. Jennifer works from home as a Content Marketer and Copywriter, in between homeschooling her four children and serving as their personal taxi driver.

Good Friday, April 10

Today's Readings
“Greater love hath no man…”
Or as a different translation puts it:
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

These words of Christ come to mind as I reflect on today’s readings and particularly, the Passion Narrative. What an immense and unfathomable sign of love is on display today as the Church relives the drama of Jesus’ passion and death. Yes, this act of selfless love occurred two-thousand years ago, but its effects were—are—so powerful that their efficacy continues to this very day and will continue to extend well into the future.

While this has not been a normal Lenten season by any means, it is the love of Christ from this sacrifice on the Cross that has comforted us and has carried us this far through our current crisis and it will continue to carry us through the pandemic’s end. To keep this gift of love as a mere comfort to ourselves is not enough. It must be a model for us to live and witness that Jesus’ self-sacrificing action still has an effect today. Without putting into practice Jesus’ example, we keep the effects of Christ’s death in the past.

This pandemic though it has taken away from us many things (and people) we have cherished or taken for granted, it has brought out the best in humanity and has shown that Christ and His love is alive in the world. For instance, parents and educators providing our young people with continued care, intellectual advancement, and some sense of normalcy is a true labour of love imitating Jesus’ selfless love. All workers at farms, supermarkets, stores, and pharmacies who selflessly continue to provide the essential services and items we need to survive during these days of isolation are demonstrating Christ’s gift of love to us in their everyday actions. Postal workers, truck drivers, transport & delivery personnel, and goodhearted volunteers who carry goods to their destinations and to us while we must remain indoors lovingly go out of their way for us in Christlike solidarity. And, of course, all the medical professionals, hospital staff, EMTs, and countless others who during this time most perfectly exemplify Christ’s loving example by literally laying down their lives for the good and betterment of those entrusted to their care. Their sacrifice, I think we all agree, will be remembered by all for many years to come.

So for this Good Friday, let us rejoice because Jesus’ great sacrifice of love two thousand years ago is very much alive today! Let us rejoice because so many people in the midst of this overbearing darkness continue to emulate Christ and allow His love to shine through. Let us rejoice because so many of us have this unique opportunity to walk Jesus’ Way of the Cross so closely—for by doing so, we will truly realise the victory won for us and joyfully spread its Good News on Easter Sunday.

Lord Jesus,
May your love continue to prevail in the world. May it inspire good and selfless deeds, strengthen the weary, comfort the lonely, heal the sick, console the mourning, and raise the dead to new life in you.
Amen.

Anthony Marcella is the Music Director at St. Stephen’s Parish since January 2019. Never did he imagine a Lenten season and Holy Week quite like this one, but he is truly blessed to have the opportunity to continuously serve the St. Stephen’s community through our new live-streaming equipment.

Holy Saturday, April 11

Today's Readings
First Responders - A Reflection for Holy Saturday

Just when everything seems to be going well, a catastrophe occurs, and everything seems to collapse. Conversely, when our world seems to be falling apart, it may only be beginning. Things are not always as they first seem. And “first responders”, those untrained ones who rush to a scene to make the call, may not always get it right. At this writing, we are witnessing an increasingly fluid narrative as the virus named COVID-19 runs its course. We can only hope and pray for an end to the suffering which, at the moment, seems to be looking somewhat more imaginable.

Few of us are old enough to remember Great Depression, or even World War II, though the sense of unpredictability, imminent danger and loss of even essentials has been more palpable in recent weeks than most of us have experienced in our lifetimes. Including 9/11.

This has been a Lent like we’ve never had before. Many of us started with the best of intentions. We had plans about how we were going to observe it, what we were going to give up this year, the novenas we would make and the prayers we were going to say. We thought we were being reasonable, and hoped God would be, too, rewarding us with a certain sense of spiritual wellbeing at the end of our forty days in the wilderness, following as we do the example of Jesus. Few of us expected that God would be demanding of us so much more sacrifice than any of us ever bargained for. What can we make of a providence that asks of us a Lenten fast even from the Eucharistic presence? Can there even be a divine plan in this – or is it just the Devil’s?

We were planning, no doubt, a Lent culturally and logistically suitable for 2020, not 1918-20, the time of the last pandemic. Suddenly, we are catapulted into what seems like another century, on a different planet, more like a science fiction movie than the reality we knew, or thought we knew. Stephen King even said “I’m sorry” that it feels we’re living through one of his horror stories.

A lot of uncertainties. When can we go back to work? When will it be safe for our kids to go back to school? Okay, so maybe we won’t be able to shake hands in church again (good riddance, I’ve heard some say), but if we’re good and sit six feet apart, will we at least be able to go back to Mass?

One thing for sure, we have never been closer to what the disciples faced on the day after Good Friday. What we call Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil, the night on which the Exultet proclaims the light that dispels the darkness, was not even on their radar screen. Their lives were broken, everything they hoped for, the One they had hoped in. They saw no light at the end of the tunnel. Death closed all doors. Jesus had died an agonizing death, and eleven of his chosen, closest friends never even showed up.

This night was the last night of their world. A complete disaster. As bad as our current crisis might seem, it is hardly more devastating than what this small band of disciples faced, the day after Jesus died. They were shattered and they scattered.

We all know how the narrative changed. Suddenly and unexpectedly. Not that Jesus hadn’t put them on notice. Countless times he repeated that the Son of Man would be put to death and on the third day rise again, but when it happened nobody had a clue. In fact, the discovery of the empty tomb, instead of being a consolation, seemed even more terrifying than his death!

No one believed anyone dead could rise. We assume (wrongly) sometimes that these ancients were naïve and gullible rubes. They might not have had our science and technology, but there was nothing wrong with their I. Q’s. Dead people did not come back. Period. And there were plenty of imposters around making predictions of a comeback, as historians account. None of them would ever make a dent on the world. Except this one.

The first response to this crisis, however, and even to the empty tomb was doubt. Read the Scriptures. Especially Mark’s Gospel, the earliest narrative. Naturally, many did not believe and, suspecting grave robbers, feared they might even be blamed. Mary Magdalene, coming to the tomb on Easter morning, was also frightened, thinking that the risen Jesus who suddenly encountered her on the way to the tomb was someone else, the gardener perhaps. Then Jesus addressed her by name, Mary, and she recognized him. She was looking for him in the tomb, dead. He was looking for her on the way, alive.

Easter, and the hope for the life that lasts, is not a story we can make up or make happen but a mystery we discover, that comes to us. It is not a what, but a WHO. Our efforts to find God in the midst of dark and foreboding times, can blind us to the fundamental mystery of who God really is. God is the Eternal Love from whom our being flows and who seeks US out. It is God who is seeking our heart, knocking gently at its door. Will I give God permission to enter?

Looking for the Lord in a tomb, or any other dead end, I bring disappointment. If I seek security in things returning to how they were – the “good old days” – that quest will lead nowhere. Our hope is, rather, in a God who loves us, each and every one of us, who comes to us and calls us each by name. In the silence of this long period of watching and waiting, our best prayer is to let the longing that comes from deep within the heart to be our prayer. It is this soul-hunger that can never be satisfied by what we consume, being what we were or thought we were, that only God can fill, and that helps us discover our true humanity. We are made for love and only love can call us by our true name. God is the Eternal Love who alone knows who I really am and will come to me and set me free from fear, anxiety and all that kills. As they say in the twelve-step programs, let go and let God. Be the first responder who gets it right!

“ Something strange is happening - there is a great silence on earth today,
a great silence and stillness.
The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.”
~ from a second century homily given on Holy Saturday by Bishop Melito of Sardis.

The Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, was ordained a priest from the Brooklyn Diocese. He has family members who are parishioners of St. Stephen’s. Last December, Pope Francis appointed him as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Buffalo, to accompany the faithful in time of transition. Bishop Ed’s 6th anniversary of ordination as bishop was on Good Friday and he asks for your continued prayers.

St. Stephen the First Martyr

Warwick, NY

Lenten Reflections

LENTEN REFLECTIONS WRITTEN BY
MEMBERS OF OUR PARISH FAMILY