5th Sunday of Lent
Pastor
~ This past week we’ve celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, a great holiday for Irish folk and for anyone who likes a fun parade and a green beer! But of course, St. Patrick’s Day was first a holy day, honoring the great missionary to the Emerald Isle who taught the Christian faith and spread the gospel. I hope all our Irish parishioners have enjoyed the St. Patrick celebrations this past week!
During the days of Lent, there are (usually) two great feasts that the Church celebrates as solemnities, that is, the highest ranking on the liturgical calendar, on a par with Christmas and Easter. The Solemnity of St. Joseph was also celebrated this past week, on March 19. St. Joseph was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. In the gospel, he speaks not one word, but is shown to be a devout and just man who follows the instruction of the Lord and cares and provides for his wife and son. St. Joseph is the patron of the Universal Church, which means he is a patron and protector of us all. He is the patron of workers, laborers, and carpenters, so we can ask his blessing upon our work. He is the patron of fathers, so we entrust our fathers and all fathers to his care. He is the patron of Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, Canada, Mexico, Peru, and Vietnam, so Catholics all over the world seek his prayer and intercession. Finally, he is the patron of a happy death, so we ask that through his intercession that we may die a happy, peaceful death in a state of grace. Many people, especially Italians, celebrate St. Joseph day with wonderful breads, sweets, and baked goods, May St. Joseph accompany the Church on our Lenten journey!
The Solemnity of the Annunciation is coming this Wednesday, March 25, nine months before Christmas. The Annunciation recalls God, through the Angel Gabriel, asking Mary to be the mother of his Son, to which Mary readily gives her yes, her “fiat”. Even as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection as Holy Week approaches, we remember the beginnings of our salvation: that Christ took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This week, pray for the grace to say “yes” to all God asks of you.
Though not one of the two great Lenten solemnities, this week the Church will also remember and celebrate St. Oscar Romero, who was the Archbishop of San Salvador in El Salvador in the 20th century. He spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations, and torture. On March 24, 1980, the Archbishop was assassinated while offering Mass in a hospital chapel. Pope Francis stated during Romero’s beatification, “His ministry was distinguished by his particular attention to the most poor and marginalized.” The Holy Father has a particular devotion to Archbishop Romero and canonized him in 2018. Archbishop Romero’s life and story (and books and movie) impacted me personally as a priest and preacher and a Christian committed to social justice. The 1989 film “Romero” can be found streaming online; consider watching it this week as part of your Lenten prayer and reflection.
Let us always call upon the saints to pray for us and to inspire us, especially during these final days of our Lenten journey. St. Patrick, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us! St. Oscar Romero, pray for us! St. Margaret of Scotland, pray for us! Our Lady of the Annunciation, pray for us!
