We enter the fifth week of Lent, the last normal week of Lent. The following week will be Holy Week. It is time to get serious! This Sunday the intensity goes up a notch as we cover statues in the church. This is a meaningful tradition. As we draw ever nearer to the Passion of Jesus, things are stripped away, just as Jesus will experience in His crucifixion. We take away anything that might distract us from looking where we might be uncomfortable looking—at Jesus on the cross.
Another powerful way to draw nearer to Jesus, even if uncomfortable, is to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is THE week to do so, as all our local churches put on big penance services with lots of priests to make lots of confessions possible. Please consider attending one of the parish penance services this week for your confession. Prince of Peace is Tuesday (March 28th) at 7pm, but if you can’t do that see the listing of places and times listed below. Please remember too as lines do get long that brevity and clarity are the virtues of a holy confession and a courtesy to others in line.
Sunday, March 26th
3pm @ Cure’ of Ars, Queen of the Holy Rosary-Overland Park, St. Agnes
7:00pm @ St. Paul’s
Monday, March 27th
7pm @ Holy Cross, Holy Trinity, Holy Spirit, St. Michael
Tuesday, March 28th
7pm @ Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Ascension
Thursday, March 30th
7pm @ St. Joseph, Divine Mercy, Sacred Heart-Shawnee, St. Pius X
Sunday, April 2nd
3pm @ Queen of the Holy Rosary-Wea, St. Ann, St. John Paul II
7pm @ Nativity
The fifth week of Lent is time to focus and look at Jesus. Imagine looking into the eyes of Jesus. How would your heart respond looking into the depths of His love for you? I am struck by how this happened when Peter denied Jesus Holy Thursday evening, “and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ He went out and began to weep bitterly." (Luke 22:61–62) Let’s look at Jesus and see what happens.
Peace,
Fr. Greg