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Last week, we examined the Christian virtue of Hope. I would like to offer a passage from the Most Holy Trinity Monastery in Petersham, MA. They write very beautifully on the virtue of hope, and I would like to continue a meditation from the monks of Petersham with regards to Lent.
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Christian hope is also very important in giving us the ability to face and deal with the sufferings and injustices in our lives. We can see that the secular world, which has abandoned Christian hope, does not have the ability to deal adequately with the great tragedies and sufferings of life. The modern world tends to deal with suffering by either trying to eliminate it or flee from it. In this perspective, to be willing to bear and endure suffering for the sake of what is right and just does not make sense. If we do not have a deep and firm hope, we will not have the strength to endure suffering for the sake of the truth, we will not have the capacity to fight for what is right and good. Pope Benedict XVI made this point well in his encyclical on hope, Spe Salvi:
“Let us say it once again: the capacity to suffer for the sake of the truth is the measure of humanity. Yet this capacity to suffer depends on the type and extent of the hope that we bear within us and build upon. The saints were able to make the great journey of human existence the way that Christ had done before them, because they were brimming with great hope.”
Along similar lines, Pope Benedict XVI also speaks in a very striking way about how the Last Judgement of God at the end of time should be a source for strengthening our hope. We should want to see justice done. That is what our belief in the Last Judgement is about and this is why the Last Judgement should be something that nourishes our hope.
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Blessings to you and your families,
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KofC Pancake Breakfast on Palm Sunday!
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The Knights of Columbus will be hosting a Pancake breakfast after the 8 and 10:30 am masses on Palm Sunday (April 2). This has historically been a very popular event. The Knights will be collecting donations at the door, 100% of which will go to the Parish. The suggested donation is $5 per adult.
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Watch or listen to Fr. Aufiero
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OLBS Lenten Series — “Our Catholic Family”
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
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“No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need
constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love,” -Pope Francis
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Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church — 127 Holyoke Road, Westfield, MA 01085
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Stations & Soup
Holy Family Parish will be sponsoring Stations of the Cross and Soup again this year.
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Soups and Stations will begin on Friday, February 24th and go through Friday, March 31st.
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- 6pm stations
- 6:30 soup in the parish hall
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This is a great Lenten practice with some delicious homemade soup on the side!
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Catechism in a Year
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