Spring 2018 Messenger

Messenger WWW.STODILIA.ORG SPRING 2018 IN THIS ISSUE From Our Pastor - Fr. Rask 2 CCW / Men’s Club 18-19 Stewardship 3 Adult Faith Formation 20-22 Endowment / Capital Campaign 4-5 Youth Faith Formation 23-25 Expansion Update 6-7 Worship and Community Life 26 St. Odilia School and Preschool 8-12 Promises Fulfilled 27-29 St. Odilia Alumni 12 New Parishioners 30 Pastoral Care / Social Justice 13-17 Holy Week and Easter Schedules 32 from our pastor Fr. Rask We Dilbert, began the another pointy the-haired season boss, of Lentand Wally,this past the Wednesday, coffee drinking Ash employeeWednesday. who Lent tries is to avoid work at all thatcosts, 40 dayare meetingperiod of over prayer the and annual penance Christmas that reaches party. itsThe climax pointy during-haired Holy boss Week announces in the that the company solemnChristmas celebrations party will of be the in passion,January, death, because and everyone resurrection is too of Jesusbusy –inthe December. paschal mystery. Wally responds: The “I’m sure firstthe readingalmighty on creator Ash Wednesday of the universe from doesn’t the prophet mind Joel that setswe dothe things theme on for your the season:schedule "Even and not his. What nowcould says go thewrong?” Lord, In return the last to frame, me with Dilbert your says. whole “I hearheart, thunder.” with fasting, At one and Christmas weeping, staff and party here at Saint mourning....Odilia, someone blow said the thattrumpet he could in Zion! not stay Proclaim very long, a fast, because call an he assembly...." had two other Christmas parties to get to that evening. Isn’t there something wrong when Christmas celebrations become simply another burden to endure? For Advent Catholics goes fasting so quickly during for Lent everyone used to that be extensive.there really Now is no the time Church to prepare simply for asks Christmas us not to spiritually eat be- tweenis there? meals We on just Ash don’t Wednesday have time and for Good Advent Friday in December! and to refrain We’re from already eating too meat busy! on Is these that...is days that....thunder and the other I Fridayshear? of Lent. It’s a rather modest experience of fasting. The hardest thing about it is remembering. Fasting If it isn’t has thunder, never beenit could widespread be a spiritual among alarum evangelical clock: "IT and IS Protestant NOW THE denominations, HOUR FOR YOU although TO WAKE some groupsFROM now SLEEP... encourage THE itNIGHT on occasion. IS FAR ManySPENT, Orthodox THE DAY Christians DRAWS fast NEAR" before from Christmas Paul’s Letter and Easter. to the RomansMuslims faston thefrom first all Sundayfood and of water Advent; from or sunrisethose words to sunset from during Matthew's the month Gospel, of Ramadan."STAY AWAKE, Jews fastYOU on CANNOT Yom Kippur, the DayKNOW of Atonement. THE DAY YOUR Native LORD Americans IS COMING... fast before YOU rites MUST of passage BE PREPARED... to adulthood. THE There SON are OFmany MAN references IS COM- to fastingING AT in THE the OT TIME for YOUvarious LEAST reasons. EXPECT." But fasting in all these different religions and in the OT were never undertaken for The ascetical readings reason and or prayer for reasons and hymns of health.–indeed Fasts the were season not ofundertaken Advent itself to lower–focuses cholesterol on the twoor blood comings pres- sure.of Christ, They thewere coming not undertaken of Jesus ofto Nazareth,lose weight, the in Christ, order into thelook incarnation good and feeland better. the return In Scripture of Jesus thereChrist is at no the suchend thingof time as as a holyfinal diet.judge Even and savor.though Adventeach of beginsthese motives as the oldmay year have ended some announcing value, fasts againundertaken the truth in religion and involvesurgency one'sof the relationship return of Christ with inGod. power We and fast glory primarily to usher to prepare in finally ourselves the full reign to enter of God. more Thedeeply selections into the cen- tralfrom mysteries the Old ofTestament our Christian throughout faith. Jesusthe season, shows dominatedus the way. by Isaiah, move us through all those readings important to the early Christian community for understanding what had happened among them. In Jesus all the ancient On this prophecies first Sunday were of fulfilled, every Lenten those season,prophesies we read of the about coming his fastingof God into therestore desert order for 40to hisdays es- in order totranged, prepare divided, for the missionhostile creationgiven him caused by the by Father. sin. It is here in the wilderness that the Father prepares Jesus for his task asWhat the uniteschosen, these anointed, two comings especially is theloved present Son. Themoment. temptations We might he experiences very well fail (in to Matthew recognize and the Luke) givecoming us clues of Christ to the in preparation the only place involved. it makes There any realwas differencethe temptation to us: to right satisfy now, his here, hunger in thisby trusting place and in some-time, thingin this other favorable than God. opportunity, Jesus responds in this God by quoting given season. God’s word:We might “One very does well not fail live to onsee bread Christ alone in the.” placesEvery hu-we manmight being least fundamentally expect his presence: needs the in spiritualour very sustenanceordinary lives, that inonly the God very can ordinary provide. people Second, we meet Jesus and is temptedlive and to accomplishwork with, inhis the mission poor who through so desperately ordinary human need means,our help, amassing in his word political which power, we hear building so often, constituencies, in the sacra- accu- mulatingments we great celebrate, material in wealth,our prayer and together.the like. He responds, again by quoting scripture, by refusing anything that does not Thekeep Apostle God as Paulthe center had his of listhis oflife things and theto dosource in this of “inbetweenhis power. time,”The third between temptation the birth is to of expectJesus Godin to workBethlehem a miracle and to his save coming his life in afterglory riskingon the itclouds needlessly of heaven: and recklessly. lay aside all Quoting those worksscripture of darkness: a third time, reveling, Jesus respondsdrunkenness, that in debauchery, time of trial licentiousness,people are not toquarreling, challenge and God jealousy. but are to To rely these on him obvious humbly ones, in faith.we can These add our temptationsown. How about occur these:throughout holding the-off ministry celebrating of Jesus Christmas as he goes until about the Christmas completing season, the mission and notgiven stopping him by the the Father,celebration the salvation on December of the 25.human Or livingrace. our On vocationthat mission, more Jesus faithfully, is nourished as parents, by God as spouses, alone and as sustained family mem- by faith andbers, trust teachers, in God students,alone, raised members to life byof thisthe powercommunity of God of alone,disciples. made How the about source complaining of eternal life less for or those planning who believeto give inthe him gift by of theself love along of withGod the alone. gifts we give; or forgiving those who need it and those who don’t de- serve it; participating in the sacrament of reconciliation; taking the time to listen to another, to understand and to Ourappreciate fasting, another; whether abovefrom food all watching or any other for God’s bodily presence comfort, inis mostmeant unlikely to help places, us imitate including Jesus Christ,our- the perfectselves. image Too busy? of the ButFather, this whoyear camewe not not only to behave served four butweeks to serve of Advent, and give we hishave life the as resta ransom of the for New many. Year of Grace The2017. words Do youof Isaiah hear thunder?from the liturgy I don’t of either. the first Friday in Lent asserts precisely what our Lenten fasting is supposed to accomplish: "This rather is the fasting I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs ofIn the Christ, yoke, setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke, sharing your bread with the hungry, shelter- ing the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own." Fasting from food or anything else may or may not be a prominent part of our Lenten pro- gram. But Lent is not so much about us and our pious practices as it is about Christ and our relationship to God and to other people through Him. Our most important task during this season is to begin to really live the death and resurrection of the Lord, that is to say, to imitate Jesus in the life He lived for others. We are to live lives that give life. ~In Christ, 2 Stewardship of Lent St. Odilia Stewardship Council Lent is the favorable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbor. - Pope Francis What does it mean to renew our encounter with Christ? It may be different for each of us, but this season of Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the questions below: How can we become a Community of Encounter by responding to Pope Francis’ call to ‘create a culture of encounter’, described as “reaching out, fostering dialogue and friend- ship even outside the usual circles, and making a special point of encountering people who are neglected and ignored by the wider world.” How can we recognize our baptismal call to be an active member of our Christian community? How does God call others through us? Through prayer we encounter Christ in our lives and in every member of humanity.

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