St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners:

Welcome to the 2^nd full week of Lent!  How did the first full week go for you?  Did you take advantage of the prayer opportunities offered here at SJW?  Did you take time at home for prayer, fasting, and giving of your time, talent, and treasure? 

The Gospel for this weekend is the Transfiguration of our Lord.  Each year we are presented with this wonderful story, no matter whether we are in Year A, B, or C of our cycle of readings.  The scene on that mountain is such a poignant one for us as we travel through our season of renewal and reform.

The Lord is TRANSFIGURED before their eyes on that mountain.  He becomes different, dazzlingly white.  This is a foreshadowing of the Resurrection.  The Lord will pass through the death of Good Friday into the new life and brightness of Easter.  This is a story of hope.  This is a story that should challenge all of us each day of our lives, not just during the 40 days of Lent.

CHANGE.  It is hard for us to do and accept at times.  The “regular” and “normal” are comfortable, known, and safe.  When we are called to change, we enter the unknown, the “not ordinary,” the area of risk.  But, change is inevitable.  We grow up and our bodies change.  We move from one house to the other.  We change doctors or parishes or places of business. 

CHANGE needs to happen in our faith lives.  We are called, challenged, encouraged, pressed to become better than we are right now.  And that means CHANGE.  FOR THE BETTER!  And that is what our Lenten journey is about. 

We are to be TRANSFIGURED into holier followers of Christ.  To be better pray-ers.  To be better givers of our time to others.  To better our souls in the sight of Christ.  To become more like the Lord.

May this week be one of CHANGE and TRANSFIGURATION.  That is our Lenten homework!

Your Pastor,

Father Joe