3/19/2023

My dates for cataract surgery have been changed from March 20 & April 10 to March 22nd & April 17th. The last date may be moved up if an opening comes up. In any case, I should have someone to do Mass for me the day of or the day after surgery, so the schedule should not be disturbed. I will not, however, be able to get around (drive) and be as active as I usually am for a bit afterwards.
This is Laetare Sunday, so we rejoice (Laetare means to rejoice) at being half way to Easter. We wear rose vestments in honor of the halfway point in Lent, just as we do on Gaudete Sunday, roughly the halfway point in Advent. Gaudete is another word for rejoicing. Normally the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin, Patron of the Universal Church, Guardian of the Redeemer, patron of workers and carpenters and of several countries is celebrated on the 19th of March, but this year is moved to Monday because the 19th falls on a Sunday which takes precedence. Though we don’t do it here, there is a practice called “St. Joseph’s Table.” A parish will prepare bread, pastries, and other foods, bless them, and then give a large portion to the poor. It can be the occasion of a big celebration in which parishioners bake dishes and all participate. I know Italian parishes like St. Aloysius in K.C. had this custom, which is a beautiful way to link food for the poor with devotion to St. Joseph. In fact, we will bless the food in Manna Kitchen this Monday at about 4 PM in honor of St. Joseph.
I hope that you are enjoying the small group discussions of FEARLESS, as well as the Lenten resolutions for “good works” or “penances.” The halfway point in Lent is a good time to re-evaluate how we are doing in our preparation for Easter. While I am at it, let me remind you that Monday, March 27th we have a communal Penance service along with soup afterwards as we did before Christmas. I hope many can come as we will have a lot of priests to hear confessions, and that will be less than two weeks before Easter. It is a good time to get your Easter Duty to confess our sins. Reconciliation is a beautiful sacrament in which we admit our failings and God embraces us, even in our failings. So we learn to forgive, and we learn that we are loved even in our weakness and sinfulness.
Things are moving quickly, so plan to get ready for Easter. It is a glorious feast!

Father Albert, O.S.B.