March 25-26

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

In these latter days of Lent, we come into that time known as Passiontide. Whereas we have previously concentrated on repentance and the restoration of our Baptismal innocence now we turn our attention to the rejection and suffering of Our Lord Jesus. The Passion of our Lord cannot be ignored since it is the pivotal event in human history. By His Cross and Resurrection we have been saved. All things in life pale before this merciful act of God. Already we should  be arranging our schedules in order to participate in  the acts of Faith so necessary for our eternal salvation.

All things for us Catholics revolve around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass wherein Heaven and earth meet.  Subsequently, the Real Presence of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist draws us to an ever more profound and deep relation with Christ. To remind us of this awesome reality the Bishops of our country have initiated the Eucharistic revival throughout the land.

One of the events to help us be revived in Eucharistic belief and devotion is the gathering within deaneries (regions of the diocese) of Holy Hours with our Bishop. This coming Monday, March 27, Bishop Bambera will lead us in the Eucharistic Holy Hour beginning at 7:00PM in Queen of Peace Church, Hawley. Let us join with fellow Catholics throughout our deanery to give witness to our Faith and grateful love to God for the most precious gift given to us, Jesus our Eucharistic Lord. 

See you there. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan 

There will be a Mass celebrated on Saturday, March 25, 8 A.M. at St. Mary Magdalen Church for the Solemnity of the Annunciation.

Confessions are cancelled tomorrow (3/18). Faith Formation students will be receiving the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.

March 18-19

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     We have arrived at the midpoint of Lent, Laetare Sunday.  Some also refer to this as Rose Sunday because of the brighter color of vestments.  We are joyfully leaving behind the dark days of winter and welcoming the greater daylight of spring (even if the snow doesn’t know when to stop).  Both the seasonal and liturgical phenomena intersect as we make our way to Jerusalem.  There our Blessed Lord will bring to fruition the purpose of His coming among us, i.e., to set us free from sin and death.

     The Gospel today very much illustrates the progression from darkness into light with the healing of the blind man.  The mysterious command of the Lord to go wash in the pool of Siloam reminds us that we too were once in darkness.  In the waters of baptism, we came into the Light and that light is Christ Himself.  As He says:” I am the Light of the world.” 

       Throughout our lives we need to allow the Light of Christ to permeate our human condition.  All too often people prefer the darkness.  Why?  Maybe they are too afraid to see themselves in the Light of their Savior; or, maybe they have a comfortability with their sins and refuse to change for the better.  For them life has pretty much hit a dead end.  Terribly sad.  Nonetheless, it does not hamper our efforts to radiate the Light of Christ that is in us.  If through sin and self-centeredness, we have dimmed that holy Light there is always the Sacrament of Confession that will give a good polish to our souls and let the Light shine once again.  Laetare! Rejoice!  we are half way there.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

March 11-12

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are well aware that Lent provides us with an important time to evaluate our life in the light of Christ and His teachings, but it also makes us focus on what  He has done for us personally. First, we are fashioned in His and the Father’s image and likeness thus giving  us life. Secondly, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we  become a new creation through the waters of Baptism in the womb of Mother Church. Did you realize  that the Baptismal Font symbolizes both a tomb and  a womb. It is where we “die” to this world and rise  with Christ to the promise of eternal life. Whenever you are in Church contemplate the Baptismal Font.  There God has fulfilled His promise to you, that He  would send a Savior to free you from sin and prepare  a place for you in His eternal kingdom. 

When we prepare our children for the Sacrament of their First Confession the Font plays a primary role in their understanding of their journey in the Faith.  Baptism, of course, happens only once, but because God in His mercy continues to offer us salvation and freedom from sin, we are able through the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation to once again enjoy the innocence attained at our Baptism. Oh how great and merciful is the Lord! 

In both the account of Exodus and the Gospel of today there is thirst for water. Surely, there is the need for the element that sustains life. That is, the natural and physical yearning. However, there is another thirst and that is for the mercy of God. We cannot live without either one. That which sustains us for the earthly journey also symbolizes the thirsting for unity with Him Who made us. Christ brings us the waters of life. 

As we examine our consciences during this holy season ask yourself, what are you thirsting for? Does the burden of sin keep you dry and lifeless? Where are the refreshing waters to be found? Where is the joy of life to be restored? It is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

With Blessings, 

Father  Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Sometimes we forget and sometimes we forget big time. That is how I see it when it comes to the “forgetfulness” of Peter, James and John post-Trans figuration. Our Blessed Lord, in order to lessen the trauma of His Passion upon the disciples, gave them a glimpse of the glory that is to come with His Resurrection from the dead. In the chaos that began with the arrest in Gethsemane, it seemed that there was a blacking-out on the part of the disciples who were privileged to encounter the divinity of Jesus on Tabor.  How could something as glorious as the Transfiguration slip their minds? Perhaps on a lesser scale, the same thing happens to us.  

In the midst of trials and difficulties, we too forget the glorious manifestations of God’s goodness. May be we have become too screen-occupied and fail to appreciate the real beauty of human beings and the natural world we live in. How strange it is that we have allowed the artificial world to consume our time and attention. Lent provides a great opportunity for us to re-direct and re-focus our hearts and minds.  The method for achieving this is prayer and meditation. Having recently climbed Mt. Tabor with my fellow pilgrims, I can assure you that there was plenty of time for meditation and appreciation of the natural world. Jesus very specifically chose that setting to remind us that it is His world, which He has offered to us. Certainly, that is quite contrary to the deceiver’s, i.e., Satan’s, audacity in “attempting” to offer the world to Our Lord in last Sunday’s account of the temptation in the desert. Satan tries to pull the same stunt on us in trying to make us forget the wonders of God’s love and mercy, the two things that transfigure us and the world. A solid and well-disciplined prayer life helps us to avoid the scoundrel’s attack on the serenity of our souls. Unlike the three disciples chosen to encounter the Transfigured Lord, let us happily recall the glorious moments that He has allot ted us even when things seem bleak. Why? Because Christ was victorious, and we shall be as well. 

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

Catholic Daughters, Court St. Martin #418 will be holding a Manhattan Clam Chowder Pre-Order Sale on March 10 at the garage at St. Mary’s Parking Lot from 11:00 A.M to 2:00 PM.  Please place your order by contacting Rosaria Vlacich at 570-470-8438 .  Quantities are limited.

Ash Wednesday

7:25 AM St. Mary Magdalen

12:05 PM St. Mary Magdalen

4:00 PM St. Mary Magdalen (Distribution of Ashes Only)

5:00 PM St. Joseph, Rileyville

6:00 PM St. Bernard, Beach Lake*

Stations of the Cross (Fridays)

11:30 AM St. Mary Magdalen

5:00 PM St. Joseph, Rileyville

6:00 PM St. Bernard, Beach Lake*

7:00 PM St. Mary Magdalen

*Please note changes to Beach Lake Schedule

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 Since the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we have been hearing and contemplating the Sermon on the Mount.  Our Lord has outlined for us the manner and challenge of how we are to live our Christian life.  In today's Scripture, we hear particularly about "forgiveness”.  Starting with the passages from the Book of Leviticus and then St. Paul's reprimand of the Corinthians and then the continuation of the Sermon, we are made ever more aware of the necessity to forgive if we are to enter Eternal Life.  A big challenge indeed. 

 When we are hurt physically or spiritually what is our initial reaction? Immediately the person or persons who have done us harm are thought less of and perhaps we readily dismiss them.  One might say this is only a human reaction and so it may be.  But when we recall that our human nature is broken by original and actual sin we realize that forgiveness is reliant upon the grace of God working in us to repair and restore our own brokenness and thus prepare us to restore the rift.

St. Paul gives us the beautiful imagery that we are the temples of God and that the Holy Spirit dwells within us.  When we consider this we have to access what that "temple" looks like.  Does it glow with the glory of God's presence or is it shabby and unfit for the Lord?  Only a good examination of conscience can tell. 

These essential readings are a perfect springboard for us as we enter this coming Wednesday into the disciple of Lent.  With the imposition of ashes we begin the effort of restoring the beauty of the "temple" that God has made.  And a great part of the restoration happens when we implement the devotional practices of Lent beginning with the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  In order to be people of forgiveness we start with our receiving forgiveness from God in this most comforting of Sacraments.  You will find in today's bulletin the many opportunities to journey through Lent and come closer to the Lord.  May we embrace these disciples that assist us in being disciples of forgiveness.

With Blessings,
Father Langan

February 11-12

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When I was an altar boy, very many years ago, I listened attentively to the proclamation of the Gospel, first announced in Latin and then by the priest in English. Two words which remained in Hebrew always caught my attention: “yot” and “tittle”, Since then, these mysterious terms have been translated into English and rendered in today’s Gospel as “…not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of the letter of the law shall be done away with…”. The meaning to is obvious. The “yot” is our equivalent to a period and the “tittle”, an apostrophe. Such little marks in the Hebrew language can and does effect the meaning and interpretation of the Word of God. What seems to be insignificant is of absolute importance.

I am not trying to get into an etymological discourse here, but rather appreciating the beauty of the Word of God as it teaches us how to observe the world and wonders around us, most especially as we relate to and perceive one another. No one and no thing is insignificant in the eyes of God. All has emanated from the infinite mind which we will never comprehend. We do, however, understand that God has indeed made all for good and it is our privilege to revere and respect that which is considered unimportant in the eyes of the world. This is the wisdom we hear spoken of in today’s lesson from Corinthians: to see the world as God sees it and to see each and every person as a reflection of the wonders of God’s creation no matter how broken they may be by sin or unexpected circumstances. Jesus Christ came to redeem us all, to restore the beauty of Creation. We continue His mission by the way we deal with the “yots and tittles” of life.

In ten days time we shall be entering the Holy Season of Lent. Now is the time to make plans as to how you will enter into this season of penance and preparation for the great and glorious season of Easter. Your parish will be offering many opportunities to enrich your spiritual growth. In next week’s bulletin we shall list those devotions that will help you make a fruitful Lent.

With Blessings,
Father Langan