THE 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT AND THE 1ST SCRUTINY OF RCIA...........

Saturday night after making the pulpit announcements and giving a progress report on my rehab to the assembled parishioners at the 5 pm Mass, greeting a number of them in the sanctuary and signing up more overnight caregivers for April 1-20; Fr. Oliver had dinner and then went to see the 2011 Academy Award Best Picture winning movie, "The King's Speech", starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.  It was everything I expected and more.  The screenplay, acting, and production values, were from my experience - Awesome, Brilliant, Captivating, Deserving of the 4 Oscars, and even more it garnered just over a month ago.  This 3rd Sunday of Lent begins with my immediate preparations to preside at the 8:30 am Mass, with Frs. Maher, and perhaps Traynor concelebrating; then leading the 1st Scrutiny for the parish Elect in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults ministry at the 10:30 am Mass.  We will be having Brunch at 1 pm with the Bugatto-Mugnaini Family, and this evening Oliver and I are going to dinner at the home of Joe and Deb McNamara.  As we ponder the Scriptures on this mid Lenten Sunday, we are asked to scrutinize our ongoing relationship with Jesus, through the lens of His interaction with the Woman of Samaria, at the Well.  To consider how we, like her, can cast off our sinfulness and detachment from the Truth, and follow the Call of the Master to Continuing Conversion and Repentance.  What Living Water are our lives most in need of as we drink of the purifying and redeeming presence of the Christ during these 40 Days of Lent ?  Two and a half weeks into this year's Lenten observance how are you, I, and Catholic-Christians everywhere, making this Springtime of the Church a period of renewal, reparation, and reconciliation, in readiness for entering ever more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Salvation ?
May the Water of Living Faith wash over the prayer, penance, and Christ inspired generosity for the poor, that we make today, this week, and throughout this sacred season...........In The Name Of Jesus Who Authentically Quenches Every Believer's Thirst,   Fr.  Troy