Dear St. Gabriel Parishioners:
For this weekend (April 2 & 3), at the 6:30 PM on Saturday the 11:00 AM on Sunday, the Elects will be participating in the Third and the Final Scrutinies and then dismiss them from the Mass to go and continue more intense spiritual preparation for their three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). This Sunday’s reading from Cycle A - “Jesus raised Lazarus from the death – John 11:1-45” from the Gospel of John and desires to give “New Life” to those who are willing to die to sins in order to receive an “everlasting Life” with Christ.
- Where do I need new life?
- What do I need to die to before new life can be born within me?
For those of you who are attending 8:00 AM on Sunday, our Scripture Readings are from Cycle C: Today's moving Gospel story (John 8:1-11) recounts the episode of the adulterous woman in two vivid scenes:
- In the first scene, we witness a dispute between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees concerning a woman caught in flagrant adultery who, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Book of Leviticus (20:10), was condemned to
- In the second scene, a brief but moving dialogue develops between Jesus and the sinful woman. There is no other event in Jesus' life that more clearly illustrates the triumph of mercy over justice than this story.
Who are we at this moment in our journey?
There is so much misery in our world and in our Church, and both the world and the Church, desperately need the experience of Mercy -- in merciful communities, and merciful, compassionate people. But this mercy is not a watering down of the Gospel message. Rather it is God's tough love for us, a love worth struggling for each day.
As a process of preparation for the Holy Week and anticipating the “Joy of Easter”, I’d like to invite you to plan for your families to attend these special Liturgies:
- Palm Sunday – April 10: A formal procession is scheduled for 11:00 AM Mass at St. Gabriel around the Church parking.
- Holy Thursday – April 14 at 7:00 PM: Mass of the Lord’s Supper with “Reception of the New Oils – Oil of Catechumen, Oil of the Sick and Sacred Chrism”; “The Commemoration of the Last Supper”; “Foot Washing” and “Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament”
- Good Friday – April 15 at 7:00 PM: The Passion of the Lord Service with the Veneration of the Cross. Also, there will be opportunities for 3 different “Prayer Experiences” earlier in the afternoon: Liturgy of the Hours (Noon), Divine Mercy Chaplet (1 PM), Meditation of the Holy Rosary (2 PM) and Stations of the Cross (3 PM).
- Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) – April 16 at 8:30PM: This is a “special night” where the Church welcomes newly baptized Catholics. This night begins with a ritual of blessing of the Fire and a solemn lighting of the Easter Candle as “Christ, the Light of the world”. A special procession of carrying the “Light of Christ” and passing on this Light of Christ will take us into the Church with ALL the children carrying a “special light”!!! Come and find out what this is all about.
- Easter Sunday April 17, Masses at St. Gabriel will be: 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Liturgical Ministers, please check ahead with your family schedule for the Holy Week in order to help our parish with these special extra Liturgies.
Come and be a part of our community journey on this last Friday, March 8 in the Lenten Season at 5:30 PM, join with other parishioners in the “Stations of the Cross”, follow with “veneration of the Cross” with Taize Music. At 6:30 PM, a “nutritious soup bowl to-go” will be ready to pick up at the Community Room after the Stations. There’s also an opportunity for “individual confession” in the Church.
Don’t forget to continue reading from the “black book – A Reflection Book for the Lenten Season”.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang