Nativity of Mary Parish

Thursday, February 18 In Surrender, Freedom When we surrender our will to the will of God, we find freedom. It is a paradox that denying ourselves makes us free. Yet very often, we want what is not good for us. In our striving, we can gain the whole world and lose ourselves. Copy these words: take up your cross and follow me. As you look at the statement, ask yourself what crosses you face. How would your life change if you embraced your crosses rather than avoided them? T...oday’s readings: Deuteronomy 30:1520; Psalm 1:12, 3, 4 and 6; Luke 9:2225. 2021 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Written by Kathryn Ball-Boruff. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago, on July 6, 2020.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 Ash Wednesday O God, you show yourself throughout the ages as gracious, merciful, slow to anger,... abounding in steadfast love. You give us not what we deserve but turn your face toward us and rain down your blessings upon us. Even now you call us to return to you. Help us to answer you. Give us the strength that we need to look at a broken world and respond, that in loving one another we can love as you love, boundlessly and with compassion. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 2021 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Written by Kathryn Ball-Boruff. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago, on July 6, 2020. Called Together for a Broken World Today’s readings: Joel 2:1218; Psalm 51:34, 56ab, 1213, 14 and 17; 2 Corinthians 5:206:2; Matthew 6:16, 1618. As the Church begins a period marked by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we hear Jesus teach us how we are to fast. Jesus tells us that our observance should be hidden, and that it will be seen by our Father, who sees what is hidden. And yet we wear our penitence marked upon our foreheads for all to see. Jesus mentions that the hypocrites look gloomy and neglect their appearance because they seek social affirmation of their holiness. It is easy to judge these people of long ago and even easier to judge people we know. Is what they do so foreign to us? All of us desire to belong, to be embraced, to be part of a community. The prophet Joel calls us to the kind of community we seek; rather than running after superficial approval, he calls all to a communal work, the great fast. When we look at the world around us, just like Joel, we see that everything is not as it should be. We recognize that the world is in dire need of God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness. Joel calls us to rend our hearts. Let us blow the horn and gather the people to ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness on behalf of a broken world. Marked with the sign of ashes, together we go into the world to be a sign of its impending redemption. How is God calling you to respond to the world’s brokenness this Lent? 2021 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Written by Kathryn Ball-Boruff. Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, revised edition. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago, on July 6, 2020.

Interesting facts about Ash Wednesday!

Tuesday, February 16 Almsgiving What does the world need? It can be a pretty overwhelming list. We know that we live in a world where many things are not as they should be. When you look at the world around you, what breaks your heart? What makes you outraged? These feelings can be a way that God calls you to live out the call you received at your baptism. Pay attention to what you feel passionately about, and then respond by being God’s love in the world. Today’s readings: ...Genesis 6:58; 7:15, 10; Psalm 29:1a and 2, 3ac4, 3b and 9c10; Mark 8:1421. 2021 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Written by Kathryn Ball-Boruff. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago, on July 6, 2020.