Third Sunday of Lent

My Dear Parishioners,

The Third Sunday of Lent is observed as we gather today to celebrate the Lord’s Day. In the Gospel reading for today a group people tell Jesus about some Galileans who were killed by Pontus Pilate and ask if this is the result of some sin they had committed. The Lord replies that it is not. And He says the same about the eighteen people who died as a result of an accident in Siloam. But He tells those gathered before Him: “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did.”

Repent is the clarion call during the holy season of Lent. The invitation is made by our Lord through His mystical body, the Church. These 40 days bid us to return to the Lord through the sacrament of penance. Our Bishop is once again encouraging us to come to confession before Easter through the WELCOME HOME initiative in the Diocese of Paterson. Every Monday evening from 7PM to 8:30 PM in every parish of our three county diocese (Passaic, Morris and Sussex) a priest is available for the sacrament of reconciliation. All of us, old and young, have a duty (Easter duty) to receive the sacrament for the forgiveness of our sins. When we do we are responding positively to Jesus’ invitation when He said, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Our going to confession is a YES to Jesus’ invitation.

Bishop Serratelli has issued a beautiful pastoral letter to the diocese for Lent. In it the Bishop addresses the importance of the sacrament of penance, its history and praxis. I used the pastoral letter as the teaching I had given to a group of parents at the last family faith formation session held at Saint Cecilia’s. I encourage you to read the pastoral so that you will have the information for your own faith formation and to use as an apologetic in your discussion with others. You can find the pastoral letter on the diocesan website, http://bishopserratelli.rcdop.org/documents/2016/1/PastoralLetter18_IndivConfession_Eng.pdf
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How sad for us that we think the call to repentance is for someone else and NOT ME! Our self righteousness is among the sins we need to confess to the Lord before the priest. Our sins weigh us down and not only that, they bring us into the dark places were only sorrow and death are to be found. REPENT! Today, tomorrow may be too late!!

Happy Lent!
Fr. Zig