Dear Parishioners and Friends,

“For to His angels, He's given a command. To guard you in all of your ways. Upon their hands, they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone”, Psalm 91.

It is chilling to hear the devil quote Scripture. The very psalm 91 we will sing at Mass this Sunday is twisted in the devil’s mouth to fit an agenda that is not of God. He uses it to tempt even Jesus Himself, and the temptation is one that is ever relevant. The devil tries to make Jesus believe that He can treat God as a vending machine that will dispense favors at His command. This is a real and common temptation; many of us slip into treating God like this from time to time. It makes God comprehensible to us, and it offers some sense of consolation when our lives are challenging. When we succeed at living out the demands of the Christian life, we often hold an unspoken expectation that our faithful sacrifices will be rewarded – with a job that pays amply, with uncomplicated and joyful relationships, with the easy conception of financial success and affluent, comfortable living. 

This is all the more enticing because there’s a partial truth at the heart of Satan’s lie. At first glance, it looks like Satan is asking Jesus (and us) to trust in God, who does provide for our needs and who does act in our lives. God’s trustworthiness is true. But things that are true about God can easily become idols if we think they’re all there is to God. What the devil tempts Jesus to commit is essentially an act of idolatry. It turns God into something God is not – a puppet under our control, a tame pet doing tricks at our command. 

This is a beguiling image of God; it fits into our lives and makes us comfortable. It might even enable us to dismiss the suffering of others because they must have “deserved” it in some way. We create this image of 'god', and we sometimes cling to our understandings even when we know they’re incomplete. The devil continually allures us with inadequate ideas of God so that we, satisfied with a god that is too small, will ease our pursuit of the God that is real. But the reality of God is always bigger than we envision, and we cannot allow our images of God to replace God in our hearts. Our life of faith is one of continual idol-busting, breaking down every notion that ultimately fails us when we strive to love God in the fullness of God’s reality. 

We’re not called to a one-sided objectification of God; we are instead called to an authentic relationship with God. God, of course, always acts first; it is only by God’s goodness that we even have anything to offer back to God. We are called to respond, and to respond with gratitude, with worship, with awe. God receives this response, and the cyclical dance of relationship continues. In many ways, it’s like our most intimate relationships with each other. As God draws us into a relationship, we become ever more deeply acquainted with the infinite goodness of God. We realize that God does not fit into the imaginary categories that we create. God defies all of our human attempts to prioritize among people and exclude the ones we have deemed unworthy.

Jesus responds to His temptation with humility, which is not mere self-abasement but is a confident resting in the truth of who we are and who God is. That humility is what God calls us to in this Lenten season. There’s ongoing work here; we have to keep tuning our ears to hear God’s voice and our hearts to want God’s will. 

So, right now is the time for us to strategize in order to make Lent 2022 spiritually profitable by choosing at least one element of personal reform if not more.  This is how we reach the promised land of heaven.  We know in our depths that Satan has won over us in the many ways we have lived our lives since last Easter.  We know the weak spots in our defense.  We know what needs to be done.  With confidence in the outcome, gleaned from Christ’s resurrection, we begin our personal march to Calvary knowing that He is Love incarnate, and “most sure on all His ways.” 

Throughout this lent, as a parish, let us all offer our prayers, penance, and sacrifice for peace and the end of the unprovoked war and invasion of Ukraine. All our daily and Sunday Masses will be dedicated to this intention. Our Stations of the Cross every Friday of Lent would also be offered for the same intention. I urge you, dear parishioners, that in your private prayers please include our intention for peace and end of the war. Let the guns be silenced, as according to Pope Francis. 

Every Lent we are asked to make sacrifices- we give up something (sweets, junk food, smoking, alcohol, etc.); we fast and abstain and the savings we incur through these sacrifices we give to the poor. To make our Lent 2022 even more meaningful and fruitful, let us dedicate and give our savings to help our brothers and sisters who are struggling and victims of the atrocities of war in Ukraine. 

This weekend, March 5 and 6, we will have a second collection for our suffering Ukrainian brothers and sisters and we will send our compassionate and generous aid thru Catholic Caritas Ukraine. So, please consider giving generously. Your prayers and financial assistance are much needed. 

We pray to Our Lady, Queen of Peace that she may keep our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in her loving embrace and keep them safe from harm.

God Loves You.