Monday, February 27, 2023

12 March 2023 - 3rd Sunday of Lent - CYCLE A - the Woman at the Well - John 4:5-42

     The story of the woman at the well is a reading we commonly hear during Lent. The woman at the well was marginalized, set apart from the rest of the village. Jesus meets her when she is alone, collecting water for her household after the other women in the village had been to the well and had gone home. She did not want to be mocked and ridiculed. She is lucky to have this encounter with Jesus. 

     We know that Jesus always seeks out the lost and the lonely. He does not wait for the outcasts to come to him, but rather, he actively seeks them out. Even though Jews and Samaritans were not supposed to even talk to one another, Jesus engages the Samaritan woman in conversation. He meets her in her reality.  

      Jesus talks to her about life giving water that will quench her thirst. We cannot even begin to imagine the thirst she has in her life. The thirst to be accepted and loved. The thirst to be whole and healed. The thirst to be an active member of the community again, so she does not have to hide and avoid the other villagers. The woman at the well believed in Jesus so strongly and so passionately that she brought the other members of the village back to come and see for themselves, the very people who had marginalized her. All of us have thirst in our lives. All of us can have that thirst satisfied by Jesus. 

        As I thought about the Samaritan woman, how she not only was converted and radically transformed by Jesus, she took her faith and became an evangelizer of the Gospel to others.  A few years ago, right before the pandemic started, I attended a conference at the University of Notre Dame that explored the topic of evangelization, of how the laity and the ordained should be co-responsible in that task of evangelizing others and building up the kingdom of God. As I thought of the Samaritan woman at the well in today’s Gospel, I thought of two women I heard speak at that conference.  

        Sister Therese Marie is a Sister of Life, a member of an order of religious sisters founded by Carinal O’Connor of New York in 1991.  Cardinal O’Connor thought about his visit to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany during World War II and the culture of death present in the West during the later part of the 20th century. This weighed on his heart and on his prayers, which prompted him to found a community of religious sisters who would give themselves fully to the enhancement of the sacredness of human life, beginning with the most vulnerable; the unborn. Sister Therese Marie of the Sisters of Life spoke at the conference of how her religious community helps women who are thinking about an abortion, how they bring healing into the lives of women who have had an abortion, of how this ministry is rooted in the Eucharist and in prayer, and how they collaborate with many lay men and women in this ministry. The joy with which she spoke about her ministry truly touched my heart.  

       Another woman who spoke at the conference was Margaret Pfeil, a professor of moral theology and Christian ethics at the University of Notre Dame. She is the founder of the Peter Claver Catholic Worker House in South Bend, Indiana, which was founded 18 years ago. She talked about the outreach programs at that Catholic Worker home, how the social justice work of this movement’s founder, Dorothy Day, gives them inspiration in their ministry and their service of feeding and sheltering the homeless.  

      Like the Samaritan woman who out of the lived reality of her faith and her conversion to Christ, Sister Therese Marie and Professor Margaret Pfeil use their faith experiences and their relationship with Christ to reach out to others. Both of these remarkable ladies have felt the call from God to serve him and to serve their brothers and sisters in a very particular way. Both of them responded to that call out of their faith, just like the Samaritan woman.  Like these women, we too are to bring the Gospel message to others out of the reality of our lives.  


Sunday, February 19, 2023

Bulletin Reflection for the second Sunday of LENT - 5 March 2023

      We are now getting further into our Lenten journey as we commemorate the second Sunday of Lent this weekend.  A lot of our families are going to be on spring break soon.  With the pandemic keeping us from traveling a lot during the last couple of years, I know a lot of us are looking forward to some free time for some fun activities and to perhaps go out of town for a short while.  We need those breaks to breathe new life into us.  

    By taking time off from our daily routine, we can become invigorated and renewed. It can give us a fresh perspective. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is transformed and transfigured right in front of his disciples. How they respond to the transformation they see in Jesus is up to them. Peter responds by wanting to go inside of himself rather than going out into the world, desiring to set up some tents for Jesus and the prophets Moses and Elijah who appeared with Jesus on that mountaintop.  

     This might help us reflect upon how we want to respond to the transformation that is available to us during this holy Lenten season. The Church invites us to enter into this Lenten season of renewal, conversion, preparation, and transformation, but it is up to us to respond and to engage in this holy season.   

       Blessings to all of you during this holy season of Lent. I pray that this holy season be a productive and fruitful time for all of us.  Blessings to all of you.  Father Lincoln.  


5 March 2023 - Second Sunday of Lent - prayers of the faithful

Introduction:  As we continue our journey during Lent, we look to the future, knowing that Jesus will suffer greatly and will be put to death on a cross.  However, we know that he will be raised from the dead and ascend to the Father in glory, opening the way to eternal life for us.  We mark these days of Lent with prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and repentance, knowing that our destiny lies in our eternal life with the Lord. 

Penitential rite: 

Lord Jesus, you are the light that dispels the darkness of sin and death. 

Christ Jesus, you are the Savior of the world.  

Lord Jesus, you are the way that leads to everlasting life.  


PRIEST: As we continue our journey through the holy season of Lent, we present our prayers to God, asking that God’s mercy be upon us as we place our trust in the Lord: 

1. For the Church, that we may be transfigured in the glory of the Lord by carrying out his mission and working to bring the kingdom to fulfillment through works of mercy and love, we pray to the Lord. 

2. That the hearts of all Christians be transfigured, over-flowing with peace, justice, hope, and love, driving out all conflict, despair, and hate, we pray to the Lord.  

3. For our candidates and catechumens in the RCIA process, for our children and youth preparing for first holy communion and confirmation, that they may increase in their faith and trust in God, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For our parish community, that we may find blessings in all who come to us with a sincere desire to realize God’s presence, we pray to the Lord. 

5. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life, and for the souls in purgatory, we pray to the Lord.  

6. For the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord.

PRIEST: God of glory and wonder, bless us as we work to transfigure the world around us.  May your kindness be upon us as we place our trust in you.  We make our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  


5 March 2023 – The Transfiguration – 2nd Sunday of Lent – Matthew 17:1-7

     The word “transfigured” is used in today’s Gospel on this second Sunday of our Lenten journey, but that really is not a word we use in everyday conversation. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “transfiguration” as a change in form and appearance, or an exalting, a glorifying, or a spiritual change. We see a transfiguration or a transformation in Jesus and in his surroundings in today's Gospel on the mountaintop: his face shines like the sun, he wears a dazzling white garment, thee appears with him the great Jewish prophets Moses and Elijah, and a thundering voice comes down from heaven. This transformation occurs in front of Christ’s disciples to reveal his identity to them. Up to this point, the disciples have seen Jesus perform many healings and have seen him walk on water; they are starting to understand Jesus' identity as the the Son of God.

      We can imagine how frightening it was for the disciples to witness this event on the mountaintop. Jesus approaches the disciples, touching them and telling them not to be afraid. He brought them down from the mountaintop; they could not remain there forever. He explained to them that he would die and would be raised from the dead; he intimated that his journey would involve suffering and agony, not just the glory of the mountaintop experience. 

      Not only was Jesus transfigured in that event, but the disciples were transformed by what they saw. God can come to humanity not only in a thunderous voice from heaven or in words etched on a stone tablet and presented to a great prophet, but God comes to each one of us in the words and actions of Jesus, in words and actions that are present to us each day in different ways. Jesus leads us down from the mountaintop to the people below: to those mourning the death of a loved one, to the lonely and the afraid, to those coping with an addiction, to those hurting and in pain, to the prisoner locked behind bars, to those who are shunned and oppressed in society, and to those looking for meaning in an empty life. The voice from heaven said: “This is my beloved Son:…listen to him.” But we don’t just listen to him with our ears and our intellect. We also listen with our hearts. It is similar to the way we are called to seek God in all things during this Lenten season. We seek God, and perhaps we find him and recognize him, we hear the message he communicates to us, but that is not enough. If that message does not transform us, mold us, and convert our hearts, then we are not really being open to God? We have these little magnifying glasses as our symbol during Lent, but not only must we seek God, but we need to be open to the way he can transform us once we indeed find him.

      An article in the Catholic News Service said that Pope Francis’ most common message to us the faithful can be summarized in one word – the Italian word “Avanti”, meaning “Go forth!” The Pope says that the Church has a mission to evangelize and to go out of herself. Sometimes going out into the world can be frightening, but Pope Francis says that we must not forget that we are the sheep of Christ’s flock, that we are to persevere and to go out into the world in humility preaching the Gospel, even in situations that are frightening. When we are transformed by Christ, we are go out as witnesses with a smile, to become living witnesses of Gospel joy, love, and charity. We are to accept the responsibility of sharing God’s grace with the world, especially the poor, those in need of healing, and those on the periphery of society.

      We are transformed in a lot of ways in life. But in order to be transformed by God on our journey of faith, we need to be open to that transformation.

3 March 2023 - St Katherine Drexel – Friday of First week of Lent – Ezekiel 18:21-28

         Ezekiel brings forth the message of the Lord in our first reading this morning, telling us that the Lord does not delight when a wicked man stays in his wickedness and earns punishment, but rather, the Lord delights when the wicked man turns from his evil ways and changes of heart.  We have many in our world today who turn their backs on the law of God and the law of man, who want to stay on the evil path and who do not want to hear the Lord's voice calling out to them.  Some may make the excuse that the law of God and the law of man are unfair, but what about the way that we break those laws, the way we give into temptation and give into our evil ways?

         I remember when a prisoner was once lamenting his prison sentence to me, stating that God was punishing him unjustly, that it was all God’s fault that he was in prison. I knew that this young man had been in a gang, that had been involved in alcohol, drugs, violence, and crime. I told him that he needed to take responsibility for what he had done, that he was paying for the crimes he had committed, that he couldn’t blame God for this, that he was not an innocent by-stander to his crimes. This prisoner was very angry with me and just walked away, not wanting to hear this, not wanting to take responsibility. We are called to be open to looking at the truth and to being honest with ourselves; perhaps that is why so many won’t turn from their wicked ways, because it not easy at all.

      We celebrate a great Lenten saint today: St Katherine Drexel.  Born in the middle of the 19th century, she grew up in great privilege and wealth. However, her father was a deeply devoted religious man who spent a great time in prayer and her mother was very generous to reaching out to the poor. Katherine was called by God to serve the poor and the oppressed in the United States, especially those of native and African origin, which she did through the religious order she founded, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She founded more than 50 Catholic missions for native Americans across 16 states. She also founded Xavier University in New Orleans, a historically African American Catholic University. When I was a member of Sacred Heart parish in Greenville, the site of the first seminary in the US that accepted African American men as seminarians, I was told that the 10 acres of land on which Sacred Heart is located was purchased with money donated by Katherine Drexel. Katherine Drexel used her material wealth to serve God and his people. Her legacy is felt today even in our own Diocese today. St Katherine Drexel is certainly a great example of faith for all of us.   


2 March 2023 - Thursday of 1st week of Lent – Esther C: 12, 14-16, 23-25, Matt 7:7-12

       "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We hear this well-known verse as a part of the Gospel reading from St Matthew this evening. I remember that when I was talking to the seniors at St Richard during the Lenten retreat I was giving them about the different names we have for God, one of them remarked that she did not like the image of a door, because she was envisioning a closed door that put up a barrier in reaching God. However, another person at the retreat said that she envisioned a door that opens, giving us access to God. I think of the special door in Cathedrals that opens only for certainly jubilee years. Our image from the Gospel today tells us to knock at the door, for it will be opened for anyone who knocks.

         Queen Esther was a Jewish girl who became a maiden at the court of the Persian king, eventually becoming Queen. Through her wisdom and courage, Esther thwarts a plot against the people of Israel. In our first reading, Esther prays to the Lord that she may speak his word, asking him: “Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion.” She wants to speak God’s word to the king of Persia, to be God’s holy message. Esther is certainly afraid, since she knows that her life and the lives of many Jews depend upon what will happen next.  However, in the face of this adversity, Esther places her faith and trust in the Lord.

         Sometimes we are afraid to open the door, we are afraid what will happen next. Sometimes, it is difficult taking the first step and taking a risk. The Lord tells us to knock at the door. We have to be willing to take that chance no matter how scary it may seem.

1 March 2023 – Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent – Jonah 3:1-10

      The Old Testament tale of Jonah appeals to our imagination, with the whale swallowing up Jonah and the great adventure that takes place in this book. However, its great adventure aside, there is a spiritual message found in the book of Jonah; this message gives us an opportunity to grow in our understanding of God and the salvation we received from the beloved son of the Father. It doesn’t matter if the story of Jonah really happened or not, whether it is non-fiction or just a tale. The truth contained in the message in the book of Jonah is what matters to us. 

     Today, we hear about Jonah’s second call from God. Jonah responds to this call, but not enthusiastically at all. Jonah is called to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, the nation that had destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and held the southern kingdom of Judah as a vassal state for almost one hundred years. Assyria was a brutal occupying force that forever changed Israel's future.  We can imagine how difficult and challenging it is for Jonah to prophesy to the people of the capital city of Israel’s bitter enemy and rival.

      We could criticize Jonah for his lack of faith. Yet, it might be more helpful for us to identify with Jonah for a moment rather than berate him, to empathize with the difficult mission to which God called him.  Sometimes God gives us a calling that we don’t understand or that seems impossible.  Sometimes we respond like Jonah did, by attempting to escape. Perhaps we find it too difficult or too lonely to walk the way of faith, since it can be out of step from what is mainstream in our secular world. Like Jonah, when we run away from God, we can find ourselves trapped in the belly of the whale, or out of touch with our calling from God, or distant from a sense of meaning and purpose if our life of faith.

       Let our Lenten journey wake us up from the ways we try to flee from God in our life of faith. 


Prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the first week of Lent - 2 March 2023

Lord Jesus - you call us to give thanks. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to grateful. 

Lord Jesus - you journeyed through the desert for 40 days. 


Priest: During these beginning days of our Lenten journey, let us bring our prayers to God, the source of mercy and love.

1. For all Christians, that God may help us observe the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and charity during Lent, we pray to the Lord.  

2. For obedience to the will of God: even when God’s will challenges us and is difficult to follow, we discern and follow God’s will for us in our lives. 

3. For unity amongst all Christians, may we be united in proclaiming the Gospel message. 

4. For those who hunger and thirst for food and shelter and for those who hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness in their lives. 

5. For the people in need in the Diocese of Jackson, particularly the sick, those looking for work, those feeling lost in life, and those battling addictions. 

6. For all who have gone before us in faith, for their entry into eternal life.  And for the souls in the process of purification in purgatory.   

7. For the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord.

Priest: God of mercy, you give new hearts to your people: Hear the prayers we make in faith, through Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

prayers of the faithful - 28 February 2023 - Tuesday of the first week of Lent

Penitential rite: 

Lord Jesus - you call us to trust in you - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to faith - Christ have mercy.  

Lord Jesus - you give us hope and inspiration on our journey of faith  - Lord have mercy. 


Prayers of the faithful:

Priest: With hope and trust, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For our Church leaders, may they lead us and guide us in putting our trust and hope in the Lord.  

2. May our world leaders put aside conflict and difference to work toward the common good.  We pray for a peaceful resolution for the war and suffering in Ukraine and other places throughout the world. 

3. For our first responders, the men and women in the military, and our medical professionals.    For those who keep us safe in society. 

4. For our children and youth, for a good spring semester and a good spring break.  

5. For the sick and shut-ins. For healing for those who need healing in mind, body, and spirit.  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. For our deceased loved ones and family members.  For the souls in purgatory. 

7. For those prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: Heavenly Father, we place our trust in you.  We present these prayers to you through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN. 

Prayers of the faithful - Friday of the first week of Lent - 3 March 2023

Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you call us to trust and to have faith - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you perform miracles and signs of awe and wonder - Christ have mercy

Lord Jesus - you give us hope and inspiration - Lord have mercy. 


Prayers of the faithful:

Priest: With hope and trust, we present our prayers to God as we continue our journey this first week of Lent:

1. For our church leaders, may they lead us and guide us in putting our trust and hope in the Lord.  

2. May our world leaders put aside conflict and differences to work toward the common good and justice. 

3. For our first responders, our medical professionals, and the men and women in the military.  For all who keep us safe in society.     

4. For our children and youth.  During this spring semester, may they learn creatively and to grow closer to God in their faith.  

5. For the sick and shut-ins. For healing for those who need it mind, body, and spirit.  

6. For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of March: For victims of abuse: We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.

7. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  For those prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: Heavenly Father, we place our trust in you.  We present these prayers to you through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.   

Prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the first week of Lent - 1 March 2023

Penitential Rite:

Lord Jesus - you bring us new freedom - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to renewal and conversion - Christ have mercy.  

Lord Jesus - you give us hope - Lord have mercy. 


Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest: As we continue our journey during Lent, let us ask the Father to lead us through the dark moments in life as we present our prayers to our loving Father.

1. For the holy Church, that she may be defended from the snares of her enemies through the Holy Spirit.  May she proclaim the Good News of Christ’s Gospel to all. 

2. For all the peoples of the world, that they may be gathered into the Father’s kingdom through the prayers and sacrifices of Christians in every nation.

3. For the sick and shut-in, for healing for the sick and for the help they need. For the dying, that they may pass peacefully and confidently through the gates of death to meet him who is the resurrection. 

4. For those who mourn, that Christ may console them in their grief. 

5. For those who have been laid off for work or who have lost their job, for those who are looking for a new work, for encouragement and hope.  

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: Father, hear the prayers of your Church. Bring to new life the people who trust in your promises. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 


28 February 2023 – Tuesday of first week of Lent – Isaiah 55:10-11

     We hear a very short two-verse reading from the prophet Isaiah today.  We hear from Isaiah a lot in the seasons of preparation of Lent and Advent, since the prophecies from Isaiah often foreshadow events that will occur in the life of Jesus, the events of his birth, death, and resurrection. I lived for more than six years in the Mississippi Delta, in Greenville and Yazoo City, a region known for its rich farmland. Our analogy today in Isaiah is about how the snow and rain hit the soil so that seeds and grain will burst forth in the fields in new life, how they will produce bread for the hungry. God’s word is supposed to do the same in our lives. It is not meant to return to God with empty promises and shallow content, but to accomplish the purpose for which God sent his word to earth.

     What purpose does God have for us this Lenten season? How is God calling out to us during this holy season? God plants seeds in our lives, but how are we recognizing the presence of these seeds and how are we helping them grow? These are good questions for us today as we hear this very brief message from Isaiah. Just as we hope for a good planting season and harvest for our farmers this year, may we hope for a good Lenten season for us that will produce a bountiful harvest in our own lives.


Monday, February 13, 2023

Chancery prayer - Monday - 13 February 2023 - A Prayer in Winter

     Dear Lord, as we journey through the season of winter, as some days here in Mississippi are warm, as some are cold and damp, as some have frost or heavy rain, we thank you for the gift of the seasons. Now, the warm summer months are long over and the harvest time is past. All the wealth and warmth of the summer sun is marvelously packaged now, in seed and fruit and vegetable. We look forward to the planting season that is soon to come.  

     Thank you, dear, generous God, for all your goodness and for all your gifts. All summer long you are working for us, storing heat and health and nourishment in the fields and woods. Now, in the winter months, when the air is normally cold, and much of the earth lies dormant, we can live on what the summer and the harvest have stored up for us.

     Thank you for your unnumbered kindnesses to us, heavenly Father. Help us to make good use of the riches of the earth. Help us protect, safeguard, and use wisely all of your creation.  Help us to be as generous as you are, and always avoid selfishness and greed. Help us, too, to store up spiritual wealth in the summer of this life, while we can yet work. Otherwise life’s autumn will come, death will call us, a spiritual winter will set in and we shall be found poor and unsheltered not for one season only, but for the winters of eternity.

       Lord, we trust in you, that, cooperating with your many graces, we may make good use now of our rich opportunities. May we then reap a rich spiritual harvest which we will enjoy with you and your saints in the eternal life to come. Amen. 

Prayers of the faithful:

1. We pray for those who find the dark cold winter months difficult.  We pray for those struggling with mental illness, depression, poverty, and addiction.  We pray for the poor and the homeless who do not have adequate housing or warmth during the winter months. We pray for those in the city of Jackson who still struggle to have water.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. We pray for those who have been affected by winter storms, by flooding, and by other natural disasters. We pray for those in Turkey and Syria affected by the earthquake. We pray that they receive the recovery assistance that they need.  We pray to the Lord. 

3. We pray for Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of February: that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity, and welcome towards those most in need. We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray for our children and youth, that the Lord continue to accompany them through their studies and all their activities.  We pray in a special way for those children and youth who are preparing to receive the sacraments of first holy communion or confirmation. We pray for the adults in the RCIA program.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. We pray for the sick and the shut-in, for all who need healing in body, mind, or spirit.  We pray to the Lord.  

Sunday, February 12, 2023

prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 7th week of Ordinary Time - 21 February 2023

Lord Jesus - you call us to stand firm in our faith. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Priest: In a spirit of trust and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

For a spirit of gratitude: that we may recognize all our gifts, possessions, and opportunities as gifts from God, that we may place each of them in the service of God. 

For Pope Francis’s prayer intention for the month of February: For parishes - 
We pray that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity and welcome towards those most in need.

For all who are bound by a spirit of self-righteousness: that God will free their hearts, break down the walls of prejudice, and open them to the dignity of each person. 

For all who are suffering for their faith: that God will comfort and strengthen them and bring them safely through their trial. 

For greater respect for each person: that God will turn the hearts of all who rely upon violence and bring healing to all who have suffered harm, abuse or neglect

For healing for the sick and the afflicted in body, mind and spirit.  

For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  

Priest: In unity with the community of saints, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

prayers of the faithful - Friday after Ash Wednesday in the holy season of LENT - 4 MARCH 2022

Lord Jesus - you call us to give thanks. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to a life of service. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Priest: Let us bring our prayers to God, the source of mercy and compassion as we journey through these beginning days of the season of Lent: 

1. For all Christians who are beginning their holy Lenten journey. May God open their minds and hearts to his message during this holy season.  

2. For obedience to the will of God among the followers of Christ, even when God's will challenges us and is difficult to follow.  

3. For unity and collaboration amongst all the Christians of the world.

4. For those who hunger and thirst in a physical sense, and for those who hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness.  

5. For the people in need in the Diocese of Jackson, particularly our sick, those looking for work, those feeling lost in life, those without water, and those battling addictions.  

6. For all who have gone before us in faith, for their entry into eternal life.  

7. For the people of Ukraine and for all people throughout the world in the midst of war, for safety, courage, and protection.  

8. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: God of mercy and compassion, you give new heart to your people: Hear the prayers we make in faith, through Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen. 

prayers of the faithful - 23 February 2023 - Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Lord Jesus - you bring healing in our lives

Christ Jesus - you bring us love.

Lord Jesus - you call us to reconciliation and forgiveness

Priest: As we journey during the first days of the holy season of Lent, let us remember all those in need:

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all our leaders in faith.  May they provide us guidance and wisdom on these beginning days of our Lenten journey.  

2. For the leaders of the nations of the world and for our leaders here in the United States. May they proclaim peace and justice to the people of the world. 

3. For the hungry, the poor, and the homeless, may our outreach and God's healing presence help fill their needs.

4. For all who need healing in body, mind, and spirit.  For all who are battling addictions.  For those in the hospital, hospice, and nursing home.  

5. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life. We pray especially for the souls in purgatory.  

6. For our own needs and intentions. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts this evening.  

Priest: God of all goodness, you have shown love from the dawn of creation: make us know your ways, and give us your help, we pray, through Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

26 February 2023 – First Sunday in Lent – Cycle A – Matthew 4:1-11

     Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, where he fasted for 40 days. We, too, are journeying in the desert with our Lord Jesus Christ during these 40 days in Lent.  We are called to seek God in all things as we journey during this Holy Season. We all received one of these little magnifying glasses on Ash Wednesday as we began our Lenten journey. When we received the ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday, it was proclaimed to us: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Jesus was thrust into the silent stark desert, where he spent time praying and fasting. Silence is one place we are to seek God on this Lenten journey. Unfortunately, silence can be so uncomfortable in our modern world where there is so much noise around us.

      Normally, at the beginning of mass, we have a grand entrance hymn as we joyfully enter into our Eucharistic celebration. We then normally sing the Gloria, adding a celebratory character to our liturgy. However, as we entered mass in silence on our knees today on this first Sunday of Lent with no entrance hymn and no Gloria, we know that we are in a very different season, that our mass has a very different flavor today. Think about how we do not kneel very often in our modern world today. One instance is when a man kneels when he proposes marriage to his intended bride. Kneeling in that case is a sign of love, respect, reverence and honor. We hold those same attributes dear to us as we kneel at the beginning of mass on our Lenten journey, as we begin our Lenten Eucharistic celebration and put ourselves in the presence of the Lord.

       Thinking about the silence at the beginning of mass today, we recognize that If we just surround ourselves with noise all the time, if we talk all the time and refuse to be quiet and listen, then we might not hear God in the subtle ways that he speaks to us. In Lent, we are called to be open to new ways of looking to things, to seek God in the different ways he is present to us in the world. Take this picture we have here off to the side of the altar. Looking up close, we see a bunch of little photos looking back at us – that is all we can see. Yet, stepping back and going even further back, we see a new image that is revealed to us – the image of Jesus.  And if we get rid of the noise that is filling up our minds, if we step back and listen to God, then perhaps we will hear God in a very different way than we normally do. 

        We are to seek God in all things on our Lenten journey, but we are not to seek him as we would seek a lost object, according to Thomas Merton.  To seek God in all things is to recognize the ways he is already present in our hearts, the ways he is already present in the world around us. If we are having trouble finding God in silence with all the noise that is going on in our hearts, we are to specifically look for a place of quiet and silence where we can truly listen to God and be in his presence.

Reflection for the 1st Sunday of Lent - 26 February 2023

    The Winnie the Pooh books were some of my favorite books to read as a small child.  There is a lot of simple wisdom contained in those books. I still have the Winnie the Pooh books that I had as a child. I reread them during the pandemic. I really enjoyed that experience of looking back on those books that I enjoyed so much as a child. One quote from Winnie the Pooh states: “Sometimes, the smallest things can take up the most room in your heart,” which can be both good or bad, depending upon what that small thing is. A warm memory from our childhood can transform us in a good way, but a small resentment or a kernel of anger can be very detrimental to our humanity and our life of faith. Often we want to examine those big things that affect our lives. However, sometimes the small things that we hold in our hearts are the things that can have a huge impact on us.  

      As we begin our Lenten journey, we are called to examine our lives and to look at those ways we need conversion and renewal. The Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help us in the process of examining our lives and converting our hearts. A lot of us Catholics look forward to the process of Lent each year. I hope you will join us here at Holy Savior for some of our Lenten disciplines this year, such as our book study on Thursday nights and adoration and the stations of the cross on Fridays.  

      May we ask God’s blessing upon us during this holy season, that we be transformed in good, positive ways.  Father Lincoln.


26 February 2023 - 1st Sunday of Lent - prayers of the faithful

Introduction: The Holy Spirit gathers all of us at Mass today on this first Sunday of Lent, the 40 day journey we undertake with our Lord Jesus Christ. We are particularly aware of the temptations we face in life during this holy season. May the Holy Spirit, who accompanied Jesus in the desert and who accompanies us wherever we go, give us the strength to resist our temptations.  

Lord Jesus - you call us to give thanks. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to a life of service. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Priest: On this first Sunday of our Lenten journey, let us bring our prayers to God, the source of mercy and compassion.

1. For all Christians, that God may help us observe the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and charity on our Lenten journey, we pray to the Lord.  

2. For obedience to the will of God for all followers of Christ, even when God’s will challenges us and is difficult to follow, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For unity and collaboration amongst all Christians, may we be united in proclaiming the Gospel message, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For those who hunger and thirst in a physical sense, and for those who hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness, we pray to the Lord. 

5. For the people in need in the Diocese of Jackson, particularly our sick, those looking for work, those feeling lost in life, and those battling addictions, we pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who have gone before us in faith, for their entry into eternal life, we pray to the Lord.  

7. For the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord.

Priest: God of mercy and compassion, you give new heart to your people: Hear the prayers we make in faith, through Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.


Ash Wednesday - 22 February 2023 - Prayers of the faithful

Priest: As we commemorate the beginning of the holy season of Lent today, we present our needs to God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

1. For our Holy Father Pope Francis, our Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all Church leaders, that they may know the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit as they lead the people of God during this holy season of repentance and renewal, we pray to the Lord.  

2. For the Church, that she may be an ambassador for Christ by announcing the good news of reconciliation and healing, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For all present here today at Mass today, that we may have the will to change our lives and the lives of others by our charity, our good example, and our prayers, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For all who are sick or suffering in any way, that they may know the presence and comfort of the Lord, we pray to the Lord. 

5. For Christians everywhere, that this Lenten season will prepare us for our passover from death to newness of life. 

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life, and for the souls in purgatory, we pray to the Lord.  

7. For the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord

Priest: Heavenly Father, have mercy on your Church in all its need. As we turn away from sin, may we turn to you in repentance and embrace your holiness with all our heart. We ask this through Christ our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

24 February 2023 - 2/16/2018 – homily for Friday after Ash Wednesday – Isaiah 58:1-9A, Matthew 9:14-15

      Our readings today address the topic of fasting. The disciples of John the Baptist wondered why they and the Pharisees fast, but Jesus' disciples do not fast at all. Through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us that some types of fasts are false – those that are trumpeted before others and those that are put on for show. Instead, God wants a quiet, private fast that comes out of our humility and out of our desire for a closer relationship with God. 

        Pope Francis often has a way with words that get us to think about things. In a Lenten message he delivered a couple of years ago, the Pope spoke about a fast from indifference, stating that we are often tempted out of indifference in our daily lives. On the evening news and in the newspapers, we are bombarded with stories of human suffering and war, violence and terrorism; such numerous news stories can overwhelm us and make us feel helpless and numb. We often respond with apathy, indifference, and withdrawal. Pope Francis asserts that we can avoid this indifference by praying in union with the Church, by helping others in works of charity and mercy, by responding to a call to renewal and conversion, and through an awareness of the suffering of others and standing in solidarity with them. Our Lenten disciplines of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are not to be empty gestures or exterior motions. Our fasting is to make a difference on our journey of faith. May our Lenten disciplines draw us closer to God. 


23 February 2023 – Thursday after Ash Wednesday – Luke 9:22-25

    The churches were crowded yesterday for Ash Wednesday.  Even a lot of Protestant churches who usually don’t make a big deal about Lent and Ash Wednesday are starting to establish traditions for this holy season. (And I can say that honestly having grown up Protestant myself – in the Methodist Church and in the United Church of Christ.) Yet, it is not about getting that smudge of ash on our foreheads in public that matters. It is about what we do about our Lenten journey, how we meet God in that reality. The Catholic faithful are really wanting to make something of their Lenten journey, to have it influence their overall journey of faith. 

      Jesus tells us today in Luke’s Gospel to deny ourselves and to take up our cross if we want to follow him. We gave out these little magnifying glasses yesterday on Ash Wednesday as a symbol and reminder of how we are to seek God in all things in our lives.  In the egoism, narcissism, and self-centeredness of our modern world, many wouldn’t think that they would find fulfillment or salvation in denying themselves and taking up a cross, but that is what exactly Jesus wants us to do. That is one of the places we are to seek God.  So, as we are still in the beginning days of our Lenten journey, let us really think about where we are to seek God on our Lenten journey.  And let us try to recognize the cross that we are called to carry as a part of our Lenten as well. Some of what we will find might surprise us.


22 February 2023 - homily for Ash Wednesday – Psalm 51, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

   “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.”  Jesus proclaimed these words to the people of Ancient Israel.  He still proclaims those words today as we come to our Ash Wednesday Mass, as we receive a smudge of ash on our forehead. We live in a world with many mixed messages, but many people are searching for something more in their lives.  Many in our modern world are drawn to Jesus and his proclamation of God’s kingdom in their search for meaning in their lives. Maybe that is why so many flock to our churches on Ash Wednesday at the beginning of this Holy season of Lent.

       “Be merciful O Lord, for we have sinned.” We come to the Lord today with the words of the psalm reverberating in our hearts. We come to this holy season of Lent to look inside of ourselves to see how God is calling us to change our lives, to see where God is leading us and calling us as we journey with Jesus on his way to the cross. No matter where we are on our journey, we are on a search for God in our lives. Our theme this Lent is “Seeking God in All Things.” We seek God in the reality of our lives: in our joys and sorrows; in the silence and the noise; through our frustrations and our accomplishments; through our questions, our hopes, and our dreams.  We are to seek God through the devotions of our Church during the days of Lent: through the way we pray to God on our knees; through the way we journey with Jesus in the prayers of the Stations of the Cross; through being with God in the silence of adoration; through the things we give up during Lent; and through the way we reach out to our neighbor in works of charity. The Gospel today mentions prayer, fasting, and works of charity; these are the traditional Lenten disciplines that the Church calls us to live out. 

     The inspiration for this theme comes from two great figures in the Catholic faith: St Ignatius of Loyola and Thomas Merton,  The 20th century Trappist Monk Thomas Merton from Gethsemene Abbey in Kentucky stated this: "We must in all things seek God. But we do not seek God the way we seek a lost object, a 'thing.' God is present to us in our heart, in our personal subjectivity, and to seek God is to recognize this fact.”  St Ignatius, a Spanish priest from the 16th century and a founding member of the religious order of Jesuits has at the heart of his spirituality the theme of discerning God’s presence in the reality of our world, of finding God in all things in a diverse, grace filled yet imperfect world.  

     This little magnifying glass you receive today is a reminder of how we are to seek God in all things. Seeking him to recognize his presence with us every step of the way. We pray that this Lenten season be a meaning part of our journey of faith this year.


21 February 2023 - Tuesday of the 7th week of Ordinary Time - Sirach 2:1-11

      Today, we hear from Sirach at Daily Mass the day before we start Ash Wednesday and the holy season of Lent. We are perhaps not too familiar with the book of Sirach, but this book of the Old Testament contains great wisdom and advice that is still relevant for us today.  With the endearing salutation, “my son" that begins our passage today, we know that Sirach is going to give us some intimate advice. It is also a typical opening in Jewish wisdom literature. So, what can we take from today’s reading?  Sirach advises us that serving God doesn’t mean that our lives will be without trials and tribulations.  However, even in those trials and sufferings, we are called to serve with sincerity, generosity, and perseverance. Our trials and tribulations will help purify our faith.  In everything, we are called to be faithful and to trust in God.  

      Today’s reading from Sirach brought to my mind a post that I made on the pilgrims’ forum for the Way of St James in Spain several years ago. This is a hike where we pilgrims travel an average of 15 to 18 miles a day on foot through some rather hilly and mountainous terrain in Spain. Sometimes, we hike in bad weather.  Most of the time, we get blisters and have sore feet. A pilgrim wrote that she had been hiking on the Camino for one week and was wanting to give up and go home. She asked if any of us pilgrims had felt the same way, wanting to know how to deal with such feelings. I wrote the following response: “There were days when I have been discouraged on the Camino too. There have been days when my plans on the Camino were thrown into disarray. When I reflect on the Camino (and I have been on the Camino five different times from 2003 to 2017), it is through the struggles and the unexpected things that have happened to me that I have found the greatest blessings. I was struggling with a lot in my life when I went on the Camino in January 2017. I had a lot of struggles on the Camino as well - I hurt my leg (actually, I developed a very painful crack in my tibia), I was vomiting for several days, and afterwards never got back to a normal routine of eating for the rest of the Camino. However, through those struggles, I received a lot of wisdom and knowledge from the Camino. My Camino experiences really helped me examine my life. They have brought me a lot of peace. Sometimes we don't get the Camino we expect or want; sometimes we get the Camino we need, even if that Camino isn't easy. Ultimately, it is our decision whether to continue on the Camino or not. I truly believe that there is not a ‘right’ way or ‘wrong’ way to follow the Camino. We are called to follow God’s will for us.  We are called to follow our hearts.  We are called to persevere.” 


Sunday, February 5, 2023

19 February 2023 - bulletin reflection - 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

     It is hard to believe that Ash Wednesday is this upcoming week.  I always look forward to Ash Wednesday and the holy season of Lent, probably because it is a time of reflection, renewal, conversion and preparation in our lives, a time that we can use to evaluate our lives of faith and our relationship with God.  This year our theme for Lent is going to be in the spirit of St Ignatius of Loyola, of seeking God in all things.  Ignatian spirituality is grounded in the conviction that God is active in our world.  We can discern God’s presence in the world, finding God in all things, reaching out to God’s presence in a diverse, grace-filled yet imperfect world.  We reach out to God and seek him in all things, but then God reaches out to us as well in the midst of the reality of the world. 

      I want to encourage all of you to come at one of our Ash Wednesday Masses, which will be at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm at Holy Savior Clinton and noon at Immaculate Conception in Raymond.  In addition, we will have the Stations of the Cross and Mass each Friday at 5:30 pm during Lent, followed by a meal in McGing Hall prepared by either the Knights of Columbus or some of the ladies of our parish.  

       This is the first Lent I will be with all of you here at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception.  I am looking forward to our Lenten journey together.  Blessings to all of you - Father Lincoln.  

19 February 2023 - 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Introduction:  The Holy Spirit gathers us all at Mass today in praise and thanksgiving to worship the Lord.  On this last Sunday before the start of the holy season of Lent this upcoming week, may we open our hearts and lives to the ways God is speaking to us today in word and sacrament at Mass today.  

Lord Jesus, you pardon our iniquities. 

Christ Jesus, you redeem our lives from destruction. 

Lord Jesus, you are slow to anger and abounding in kindness. 

Priest: As we unite our prayers with the intercession of our Mother Mary and the community of saints, let us now present our prayers for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world:

1. That Christians everywhere may take the Gospel message to heart, responding to sin with mercy, hurt with charity, and hatred with love, we pray to the Lord. 

2. For world leaders, that they may turn to diplomacy and other non-violent means to forge peace amongst the nations, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For parents, teachers, and catechists, that by word and example, they may inspire those in their care to love our enemy and to work toward reconciliation and healing, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For all Catholics, that we may commit to working for social justice and to seeing that the dignity and rights of all people be upheld, we pray to the Lord.  

5. For the healing of the brokenness of our lives, for the sick and the shut-in, for those in the hospitals, hospice, and nursing homes, we pray to the Lord. 

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  For their entry into eternal life.  And for the souls in purgatory.  We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord.

Priest: You make the sun shine and the rains refresh all people alike.  Shower us with your mercy and love.  We make our prayers through your Son.  He is our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.



19 February 2023 - Homily for 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A - Matthew 5:38-48

        Many countries in Latin America have gone through revolutions or civil wars or military dictatorships, with a lot of killings and murders and violence taking place. Nicaragua, a country in Central America, is one such place. A man named Tomas Borge was a leader in the struggle against the dictatorship in control of his country. He was captured and put into prison. He was subject to the worse type of torture for months. It seemed like it would never end. After the dictatorship was toppled, Borge was freed and actually became the Minister of the Interior of the new government.  One day, the tables were turned. The guard who inflicted such terrible punishment on him was now an inmate in prison himself. Borge visited this man in prison.   He walked up to the man and said:  “I am going to get my revenge from you”. He then held out his hand and said, “This is my revenge, I forgive you.”

       For the last couple of weeks, we have heard passages from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel.  With images telling us that we are to be a light in the world and the salt of the earth, with a perspective on God’s commandments beyond their literal meaning, Christ’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount push us to grow in our faith. Let us reflect upon the Pharisees for a moment.  Jesus could be very tough on them. With good intentions, the Pharisees desired to live in the light of God’s justice, to be just before God.  But the Pharisees had a very specific approach, trying to attain justice through the strict observance of God’s laws and commandments. The Pharisees thought that through their own efforts, they could succeed in being where God wanted them to be. Jesus understands where the Pharisees are coming from, but instead of validating them and their efforts, he announces a different kind of justice which surpasses the justice of the Pharisees. We may think that taking an eye for an eye is justice. We may think that getting revenge is justice. Instead, Jesus challenges us to a higher standard: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” When most of us think of justice from our own point of view, centering justice on God and his law may be a very different point of view. Yes, we are to strive toward perfection, to fulfill God’s purpose in creating us, to cooperate with God’s grace in our lives. We achieve this state of perfection when we try to love as God loves, to forgive as God forgives, to show unconditional good will and universal benevolence as God does.

     What are some suggestions we can employ on our journey of faith that can help us live in the spirit of today’s Gospel? I thought about what it means to be holy, to aspire to be like God.  We can begin by approaching holiness as as state of being, rather than just being able to follow God’s law and commandments. Holiness is fundamentally not about doing, but about being. We are called to live consciously in a state of prayer, a state of union with God, to live consciously inside of God. Holiness does not signify being perfectly pious, but doing and living for God’s sake what we used to do and live for our own sake. We are called to live as in a different way, as human beings with centers that are outside ourselves and inside our unification with God. We are only free to live as disciples of Christ when we are free from ourselves. Holiness is not just about morality; it is more about transforming ourselves and making God the center of our lives. When we are able to do this, then we can truly understand the point of today’s Gospel.  

      When Thomas Aquinas was celebrating mass during the feast of St Nicholas in the year 1273, he had an experience of God that completely changed his life. Aquinas was not yet 50 years old and was considered one of the greatest theological minds the world had seen. He had written more than 100 works, including commentaries on Scripture and on the Church Fathers, philosophical treaties, commentaries on Aristotle, explorations of disputed theological topics, and his greatest work, the Summa Theologiae, which stood unfinished. Yet, after celebrating Mass, Aquinas revealed to his secretary that his writings will now come to an end. Compared to the mystical experience he just had with God during the celebration of the Mass, he considered all his writings nothing more than straw. The intellectual aspect of our faith, God’s laws and commandments, Church dogma and doctrine: these are all important, but they are not everything, they are not the end.  If we do not have an authentic relationship with God, if our spirit and soul do not experience him and love him, then the rest is for nothing. As Aquinas experienced, words sometimes fail miserably to describe that transcendent, loving, mystical experience we have in our Lord. 


16 February 2023 - Thursday of the 4th week in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you are the son of the Father  

Christ Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor and the suffering. 

As we continue our journey during ordinary time, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Church: that we may continue the mission of our Savior and bring forth the reign of God through our worship, our work, and our relationships each day. 

2. For a renewed spirit of evangelization: that the Holy Spirit will guide us in witnessing to Jesus and all that God has done in showing compassion and forgiveness to all the world. 

3. For the coming of Christ’s kingdom: that we may strive with great dedication to bring hatred, injustice, and the evils of society under the saving and redeeming love of Christ. 

4. For all who gather for Mass at our parish each week: that we may encounter Christ in our Eucharistic assembly, and bring the spirit of the eucharist to others in our words and our actions. 

5. For healing for the sick and the shut-in, and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

With hope and joy in our hearts, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  


17 February 2023 - Friday of the 4th week in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you call us to carry our crosses. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to stand up for our faith. 

Lord Jesus - you are our Savior and our Redeemer. 


We present our prayers to our Heavenly Father with faith and hope: 

1. For the Church: that we will live as a Eucharistic people, giving and sharing of ourselves, as Christ continually does for us, so that all may have life. 

2.  For all missionaries, for the sacrifices they make to spread that Gospel message, and for those throughout the world who are persecuted for their faith.  

3. For peace in the world, especially in those place plagued by war, violence, or terrorism. 

4. For our children and youth: as they continue their journey throughout the school year, may they be safe and may they feel God accompanying them through their ups and downs.  

5. For the Gospel of Life: may all profess the dignity of human life in their words and actions, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. 

6.  For those who feel separated from God and for those who have left the faith: May they feel a welcome from our parish. 

7. For the sick and shut-ins and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  

8. For the prayers we hold in our hearts.  

We present these prayers, heavenly Father, through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

18 February 2023 - Friday of the sixth week in Ordinary Time - Genesis 11:1-9

    Today, we hear the last readings in our two week cycle of readings from Genesis in daily Mass. Like the story of the Garden of Eden, today’s story is a tale of humanity’s pride and arrogance. The people learn to make bricks; that skill feeds a desire to construct a tower that will reach into the heavens. God sees the pride and folly of the people, which does not please him. Fearing further rebellion from his people, God divides them by making them speak languages incomprehensible by the others. The people are scattered over the face of the earth, so the building of their city and their tower is abandoned. 

     Arrogance and pride are sins that are still common today. We can think that we are in control of our lives and our destinies, but then things in life happen that show that we are not in control. We see natural disasters like hurricanes or tsunamis or tornados. We see tragedies like the 9/11 attack in New York or the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. Those events help remind us of the fragility of our existence here on earth. As God scattered the people with different languages in the Tower of Babel, he united people being able to understand their different languages at Pentecost.  With God and through our Lord, Jesus Christ, there is unity and hope.  

     I want to mention a devout Catholic who died on this day back in 1564: Michelangelo. He is remembered as being the artist who created the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and as being the sculptor of famous statues such as David and the Pieta,  He is also the architect of the basilica of St Peter in the Vatican, to which he devoted three decades of his life.  We saw architecture be the subject of human folly in the tower of Babel in our reading from Genesis. In the architecture of Michelangelo, we see it striving to bring glory to God.  

Saturday, February 4, 2023

16 February 2023 - Thursday of the 6th week in Ordinary Time - Genesis 9:1-13

      Before God’s covenant with Abraham, before his covenant with Moses, God made a covenant with his people through Noah after the great flood: that is the covenant we hear about in our first reading from Genesis today. Through this covenant, God promises that he will not send another flood to destroy the earth again. The sign of that covenant is the rainbow that crosses the sky. Just as rainbows are signs of sunshine after the rain, the rainbow is a reminder to God’s people of his covenant with them. Later, God will make a more specific covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Then, there will be a covenant between Moses and Israel that brings corresponding obligations: fidelity to God’s commandments and observance of the Sabbath.  

      We now live today under the final covenant between God and his people, the new covenant between God and the world through which we receive our redemption and our salvation in the blood of his son on the cross.  We celebrate this new covenant each time we gather around the altar of the Lord in Mass. We renew this covenant each time we celebrate the Eucharist, each time we reconcile with God and our brothers and sisters, each time we live out the Gospel in our lives. We are indeed a covenant people.  May we never forget that.  


prayers of the faithful - 15 February 2023 - Wednesday of. the 6th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith.

Christ Jesus - you call us to trust.

Lord Jesus - you call us to love.

Priest: The Lord is at our side to support us and to guide us. Let us present our needs to God with confidence.

1. For all Christians, that they may be found ready when the Savior comes in glory.

2. For those who share the priesthood of Jesus, that they may be faithful ministers of God’s healing and forgiveness.

3. For those who live in fear or anxiety, that God’s consoling word may be their support.

4. For the bereaved, whether their loss was recent or many years ago, that they may find healing and wholeness in their lives.

5. For those who suffer, in body, mind or spirit, that God’s powerful presence may help them to stand firm and bring healing into their lives.

6. For the faithful departed, that they may awake to everlasting life. We pray especially for the souls in purgatory.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: O Lord, you are our portion and our cup, you support us all our days: hear the prayers we make for all your Church, though Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 6th week in Ordinary Time - 14 February 2023

Lord Jesus - you call out to us in faith - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to be your disciples - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you respond to us in the midst of our reality - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the Faithful

PRIEST: As we search for God on our journey of faith, let us present our prayers for our needs and the needs of our brothers and sisters: 

1. For the holy Church: that we may extend God’s love to all who are on the margins of society, that we may invite them to seek out Jesus. 

2. For the grace to risk all for Christ: that we may humble ourselves and take up our crosses in order to connect with Christ in our lives. 

3. For the gift of joy: that we may rejoice in our faith as we experience Jesus in our lives as our Lord and Savior.  

4. For the ability to forgive and reconcile: that we may forgive those who have wronged us and reach out to them with concern and kindness. 

5. For the grace of conversion: that we may accept God’s generous love, return to the path of life, and be renewed through God’s mercy. 

6. For the sick and shut-in: for healing in mind, body, and spirit. 

7. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  For our deceased family and friends.  For those souls in purgatory. 

8. For those prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Closing: As we search for God in our lives, we present these prayer to you through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  


Prayers of the faithful - Friday of the 5th week of Ordinary Time - 10 February 2023

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the love of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith and hope. 

With humble hearts, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For all the faithful of the Diocese of Jackson: that God will strengthen our spirits, help us form supportive relationships, and guide us in our ministries and outreach to the poor and marginalized. 

2. For all married couples: that husbands and wives may appreciate the gift that they are to one another and help strengthen their partnership of life that they have formed together.   

3. For peace in communities and nations experiencing terrorism, violence, conflict, or war.  They we may work to mend brokenness and practice justice, working toward peace and unity.  

4. For all who are unemployed or looking for a new job, that the Lord will help them find their vocation and a work situation where they will be able to prosper and contribute to society.  

5. For all of our students: that they may feel God’s presence with them in their studies and their school activities in their journey throughout the school year. 

6. For our sick and shut-in, and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts. 

With joy and hope, we present our prayers through our Savior Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  

15 February 2023 - Wednesday of the sixth week in Ordinary Time - Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22

    We often see the number 40 in Old Testament readings, a number which has great symbolism.  Many Scripture scholars see the number 40 as symbolic of a time of testing or judgment. In today’s reading from Genesis, 40 is the period of days and nights that it rains when God destroys the earth with a great food. After Moses killed the Egyptian, he flees to the desert of Midian where he spends 40 years watching over flocks of sheep before he goes back to lead the Jewish people. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses also intercedes on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights. The law of God put forth in the book of Deuteronomy specifies the maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime at 40 lashes.  We probably all remember that while the Israelites wandered for 40 years before arriving in the promised land, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert, just as we celebrate 40 days of Lent. And Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him. 

     Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated, but it seems that the Bible indeed uses the number 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth. After they left the ark for dry land, Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings from each of the clean animals that had been in the ark in thanksgiving to God for being saved.  God was pleased with the fragrant odor of this sacrifice and pledged never to curse the earth again because of the sins of humanity nor would he destroy all living creatures again, although individuals might be punished. Unfortunately, because of original sin, we human beings still have a tendency to sin, which has not been lessened after the Great Flood. We are all called to try our best to resist the temptation to sin, but when we do, we repent and turn back to the Gospel. In God’s love and mercy, he is alway there to help us, he always gives us another chance.  


14 Feb 2022 - Homily for Tuesday of the 5th week of Ordinary Time - Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10

      When I taught high school in Greenville from 2000 to 2004, one of my professors at Ole Miss, Dr Andy Mullins, told me that I would not understand the reality of the Delta unless I learned about the Great Flood that took place along the Mississippi River in 1927. In fact, the levee broke just north of Greenville. It was not only the devastation and destruction of the flood that affected Greenville and the other communities of the Mississippi Delta that hug the river, but the mistakes in the recovery efforts had such disastrous affects on those Delta communities, affecting the course of history in the Delta and in the state of Mississippi.  

      I bring up the topic of the Great Flood of 1927 today because in our first reading from Genesis, we hear of Noah and the great flood. In other narratives from Mesopotamia and Babylonia from the same era, there are a lot of similarities in their great flood narrative stories. Yet, whether this story is interpreted as being a literal historical account or a parable, the important thing is to discern the eternal truth that is contained in this narrative: that God is just and merciful, that human beings have turned away from God, but that God saves his faithful ones. The Flood is a divine judgement which is a foreshadowing of the final days. We can see the salvation of Noah as a foreshadowing of the saving waters of baptism.  In the waters of baptism we enter into the Christian faith, receiving salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  The same water that can bring such devastation in a flood also has a part in the sacrament through which we become a disciple of Christ. 

We pray for Pope Francis' prayer intention for the month of February 2023:

For parishes: 
We pray that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity and welcome towards those most in need.