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

Scripture Study scheduled for this evening at St. John’s has been cancelled.

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

Children of Mary will be postponed to March 11th due to weather.

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.

February 25-26

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It seems to have sneaked in upon us but we are now immersed in the penitential days of Holy Lent. The word “Lent”, itself has no spiritual significance since it derives from the Norse word for Spring. Nonetheless the genius of the Church has always been to adapt familiar customs from non-religious or even pagan and Christianize them to express truths of the Faith. So when we consider the notion of Spring/Lent it carries a deep spiritual significance as to how we employ this season. The days are welcoming a greater amount of natural light; the trees are straining to bring forth their buds; winter silence is broken by the chirping of birds; and, most especially, bitter cold is dismissed by warmth. Doesn’t it all make us feel better?

We read the signs of nature and it lifts our mood. What about reading the signs of the super-nature or supernatural and allowing it to lift our spirits? Lent indeed, is the time for personal and communal renewal In the life of the Church we are given many opportunities to allow new life to begin. And just as nature strains to bring forth new life we too need to make the effort for our lives to be renewed in Christ. Prayer, more intense, Fasting, with cheerful regard, and alms-giving, or works of charity, with utmost generosity, are the basic disciplines that assist us in making the effort.

Sundays which BELONG to God allow us to rest in Him. Primarily we worship at Holy Mass but also we can come with fellow parishioners and above all family to pray the Rosary at 3:30 and then sing the Divine Office of Vespers before the exposed Blessed Sacrament in St John’s Church starting at 4PM.

On Tuesdays we have our Scripture Study open to all. This year we shall be using the program: “From Genesis to Jesus” as developed by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Studies. Our previous programs were very well received. Please call the office to register for the course which begins on February 28th and continues through Lent and Eastertide.

And, of course, we have The Stations of the Cross offered on Fridays in three of our churches.

As you see there are many opportunities to have a real spiritual springtime this Lent preparing for the renewal of Faith at Easter.

With Blessings,

Father Langan