Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil…
[The devil] took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” – Luke 4:1-2, 5-8
I have to admit, I’m not really a morning person. Especially in the winter, I struggle to drag myself out of bed in the morning, and I have a bad habit of starting my day in a seriously grumpy mood. (Perhaps I’m not alone in that?) Earlier this year, I resolved that I had to do something about this. Since morning is going to keep on coming, whether I like it or not, I had better figure out a way to be happier about it. When I’m stuck in a bad mood or a bad habit, I figure the solution is always a little more Jesus, so I decided that I need to be more connected to God as I start my day. Part of this ongoing effort has been to add one little step to our family’s morning routine – After the rush to get dressed and pack lunches and sign permission slips and all the rest, once we’re in the car (hopefully on time!), we all take a deep breath and say a short prayer together. The prayer we use is called the Suscipe, and it was written by Saint Ignatius. This prayer is all about giving our whole lives over to God, and it ends with these lines: “Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me.” I have to admit, sometimes I breeze through these lines without thinking, but on many mornings, those words are a powerful reminder to me – a reminder that, no matter what else is going on, God is all I need.
Reflecting on today’s Gospel, I hear an invitation from Jesus to go with him into the desert and be reminded of that very same truth – God is all we need. In some ways, that seems to be the underlying theme of all of Jesus’s responses to the devil. The tempter says to Jesus, “I can give you physical comfort and worldly power and even certainty about life and death.” But Jesus responds, over and over, “No. God is all I need.”
I know what it’s like to be grumpy, distracted, and tempted to focus on things that don’t really matter at the expense of the things that are most important. I know what it’s like to push God aside for all the other things the world can offer. I would guess that you do too. So, as we enter together into this season of Lent, let us all hear this invitation to go with Jesus into the desert. Let’s walk with Jesus, stepping away from some of the distractions of our lives. Let’s stand with Jesus in the face of temptation and say to our Father, “Lord, I love you. You are all I need.”
– Sara Larson, Child and Family Ministry Coordinator, Saints Peter and Paul
Questions for Individual, Family, or Small Group Reflection
– In your own life, what are you tempted to put before God?
– How could you use prayer, fasting, or almsgiving as an opportunity to walk into the desert with Jesus?
– What could you do this Lent to say to God, “Lord, I love you. You are all I need”?
Labyrinth 2016
Walk the Labyrinth and give yourself the gift of time, quiet, and peace this Lent to hear what God is telling you
The Labyrinth we use is a mat on the floor of St. Rita Scalabrini Hall with the design used by Christians during the 12th century in Chartres, France. The room is filled with candles and soft music. We take our shoes off to ground us to the earth. When you enter, you can begin walking the labyrinth right away, or you can sit in one of the comfortable chairs to gather your thoughts, wear one of the Prayer Shawls that our Prayer Shawl ministry provides, and relax in the moment. When you are ready, you go to the starting point and follow the path on the mat. It is not a maze. You will not get lost. The path will take you to a center point. When you get to the center, you can pause for a moment or turn and follow the same path out of the labyrinth. While you walk, you can pray the rosary, you can walk and listen to God, you can repeat a short phrase. The experience is really whatever you want it to be. Each time you walk the labyrinth, you may experience it a different way. That is the beauty of the walk…God speaks to us in His own way.
We hope you will join us this year:
Saturday February 20th – 11am-1pm
Sunday February 21st – 11:30am-2:30pm *new time*
Monday February 22nd – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Tuesday February 23rd – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Wednesday February 24th – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Thursday February 25th – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Friday February 26th – 11am-1pm
Saturday February 27th – 11am-1pm
Sunday February 28th – 11:30am-2:30pm
Monday February 29th – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Tuesday March 1st – 11am-1pm and 5:30pm-7:30pm
Three Holy Women Parish – St. Rita Church – Scalabrini Hall (corner of Cass St. and Pleasant St.)
Catholic East Fish Fry
Lenten Fridays February 19 – March 18
SS Peter & Paul Campus Cafeteria – 2480 N. Cramer St.
4pm-7pm
Adults $10
Seniors/Takeout $9
Kids $6
Check Out the Best Fish Fry in Town!!!