The woman at the well was indeed a broken person; how else can you explain her many failed relationships? Jesus pointed this out to her not to condemn her or to make light of her failures. No, He was trying to get her to realize that she was seeking happiness in venal relationships rather than in God. Only God can give the living water that quenches our deepest thirst . . . our thirst for Him. To all who are going down dead-end roads in life, perhaps ourselves included, Saint Augustine offers some sound advice: “Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in you.”
Lesser Known Virtues, The Virtue of Humor
During the course of the past week, did you ever feel sad or even depressed? Did life feel like one big headache after another? Did someone tell you to ‘Lighten up!’? If you answered “Yes” to any one of these questions, then you may be a candidate for an essential virtue: humor. One of life’s most precious, yet overlooked gifts, is a good sense of humor. Those who cultivate it know its blessings well.
First, humor can reduce the burden of the weighty problems of life. We see this especially in people who have suffered the loss of a loved one, a job, or their belongings. Despite being devastated, they somehow find it in themselves to crack a joke and through a simple laugh to model a strength of spirit that exudes an awesome joy and trust in God. Such persons are blessed with an enthusiasm for the lighter side of life; they know how to fend off the darker side. They remind us that humor defuses the seriousness of life and allows us to relax, catch our breath, and find a healthy rhythm once again. When our minds and hearts are locked up with the concerns of the world, humor breaks the chains and allows us to be free once again.
Second, humor helps us to let go of self-centered compulsions that grip us with thoughts like, “Without me, life can’t go on”, or “ I’m the only one that can do this”, or “What will happen if I’m not here?”. Humor allows us to chuckle at these statements and at ourselves; we simply remind ourselves that we are human. With humor, we let go and we stop playing God. These admissions help us to calm anxieties that arise from a false sense of importance in which we feel that everything begins and ends with us. With humor, we loosen up and stop trying to control everything. Life then flows more easily and then we can finally enjoy it.
Lastly, humor not only brings out the best in us, but more importantly, in others. Studies have found that teachers who interspersed their lessons with laughter, humor, and jokes released tensions and empowered their students to be themselves; once themselves, their performance improved dramatically. Such teachers, and people like them, are a joy to be around because of their cheerfulness. They are “bearers of light” and they lead us to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. People with a good sense of humor are indeed a blessing, for they remind us that the light of Christ always shines forth, despite the darkness of this world.
Resolve this week to monitor your ratio of cheerfulness and crabbiness. Tell a joke. Smile often. Laugh at yourself. Lighten up. Indeed, we can attest that humor merits the description of being a heavenly virtue. With each experience of humor, we get a glimpse of heaven, where cheerfulness and joy reign eternal.
Welcome to our Parishes
We are most grateful for the pastoral coverage of Father James Kilzer, OSB, who is filling in for me this weekend so that I could attend a Catholic conference in Baltimore. Please make Father James welcome to our parishes and thank him for offering the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Penance. Father James is from Assumption Abbey in Richardton and we are truly grateful for the Abbey’s assistance in providing pastoral coverage for the times when a pastor has to be away. Ask Father James about Assumption Abbey, especially their great selection of wines from their wine shop, which would make for great Easter gifts for that special pastor (hint, hint).
Prayer: A Pillar of a Fruitful Lent
At week three of Lent, we pause to consider if we are making spiritual progress during Lent. We have been observing the meatless Fridays; no candy has touched our lips; and the beer bottles are still capped. But, then why does it feel like something is still missing? Maybe its prayer. Have we increased our time spent in daily prayer during the Lenten season? Prayer is a pillar of the life of holiness, especially during Lent. Maybe we have to consider reasons why we should pray more during Lent.
Reason #1: If you had the chance to speak with Pope Francis, wouldn’t you? But, Jesus Christ is infinitely greater, and you have the chance to speak with Him every day and at any moment of the day.
Reason #2: Don’t you talk frequently and for significant amounts of time with people that you love? Shouldn’t God be one of these people?
Reason #3: As a baptized person, you are the representative of Christ’s love in the home, at work, and in social situations. You will only represent Him well if you are immersed in prayer, which immerses us in Him.
Reason #4: Prayer will transform your day and make it fruitful and fulfilling.
Reason #5: Only God can make you truly happy . . . not your spouse, not your work, not your possessions, nor your friends. Know Him and know happiness.
Reason #6: Do you want to go to heaven? Then get ready with habitual prayer. The prayers of earth lead to the joyful praise of heaven.
Reason #7: Mental, or meditative, prayer is the only thing that can soften your heart, besides suffering.
Reason #8: Christ doesn’t want you to pray because you have to. He wants you to pray because He loves you and likes talking to you.
Reason #9: Faithful prayer can give you in an instant what otherwise takes years of experience to gain.
Reason #10: All the saints prayed and with great intensity. Is it any wonder why they are saints? Do you want to be a saint? Then you must pray.
This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land
Remember to mark your calendars for Sunday, April 2nd, when the Parish of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary hosts its 2nd Annual Taste of the Nation youth fundraiser meal after the 11:00 a.m. Mass. This year, we are exploring the great foods of our nations, those that have been part of our American cuisine for decades and those that are just making their way onto the scene. You can bring an appetizer, a main dish, and/or a dessert and then everyone is welcome to move around and “graze” from each station. Make sure you wear your stretchy pants . . . you will need them! From jambalaya to lumpia to kuchen to apple pie, there will be something that day to satisfy every palate.
Thank you for supporting our Taste of the Nation meal, a great way to enjoy great food and great company, while supporting youth activities throughout the year. I will see you there, but don’t look for me at the lutefisk table; there will be too many Norwegians there and I worry about a potential stampede. You know how they love their rotten fish!
A Change of Pace
Please note that on the first weekend of April, the 1st and 2nd, we will be changing our Mass schedule, entering now into our summer schedule. The Saturday Mass at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary will remain at 5:00 p.m., but the 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning Mass will be at Saint Ann’s and the 11:00 a.m. Mass will be at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary. Maybe those with more time to spare on Sunday morning, because of the later Mass time, will Google search “peach kuchen” recipes and make a tasty treat to bring to the pastor for after Mass. Sounds like a great way to rejoice in the Sabbath!
Please Make your Voice Known
I know that people come and go on weekends and perhaps there were parishioners of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish who were unable to be present at last weekend’s Masses, when we voted on the proposed changes to our church sanctuary. Please know that we want to hear your voices as well. Please call or stop by the parish office and pick up a ballot; there are also some on the resource table in the back of church. Note that there are three options in voting and please mark the one you prefer in regards to this project. Thank you and continue to pray that the Lord’s will be done. Queen of the Most Holy Rosary . . . pray for us!
Calling Mr. or Mrs. Clean
I have some great news: the water guard system has been successfully installed in the CCD center of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish! This cutting edge system, the work of Innovative Basement Solutions, will hopefully put an end to the sad history of water seepage problems in our CCD center. Amen!
But, now the bad news: we have to clean up the mess. Imagine the fine dust created by three jack hammers working for four days. The walls, the ceiling, the floors, the tables, the cabinets, the books, etc. are all coated with a layer of thick dust. It is not a pretty sight!
With five classrooms, we need at least 15 people (three to a room) to tackle this immense task. As this weekend is busy with State Tournament activities and festivities, we will put off the cleaning effort until Thursday, March 23rd. We will have two shifts: 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. We ask that you bring a scrub bucket, some rags, and lots of elbow grease. Thank you for making this a priority, because we have already missed three weeks in the CCD center and it will be nice not to have to scramble each week, looking for a nook or corner to hold CCD class.
Thank you for your willingness to take part in this cleaning effort; there are sign-up sheets in the back of church or you can call Sally Holland or Barb Meiers and have them place you on the list. God bless you and know that it will be nice to get back to a state of normalcy. “There’s no place like home”, said a wise woman from Kansas!
The Pilgrimage of a Lifetime
If you are interested in being part of the pilgrimage to Italy next year, November 17th-25th, 2017, please contact Father Gary before May 30th. Again, the cost of the pilgrimage is $3,799 and the cities on the itinerary include Rome, Subiaco, Orvieto, and Assisi. There is room for thirty pilgrims so make sure that you sign up soon to make the list! It will forever change your faith and make you ever so grateful for the spiritual riches and patrimony of our Catholic Faith. Take this to prayer and the Lord.will assist you in your decision. Saint James, patron of pilgrims . . . pray for us!
Reminder: Altar Society Meeting March 30th at 7:00pm and membership dues are due.
Triduum Choir
The Paschal Triduum is the heart of our liturgical year and celebrates the heart of our faith. We would like to extend an invitation to you to be a part of the Triduum choir this year. Our first practice is Wednesday, March 15, at 8:00pm.
Come share your gifts by joining the Triduum Choir!