TODAY'S GOSPEL

John 8.1-11

This is the gospel about the woman who had been caught in adultery. Enemies of Jesus bring her to him at daybreak while he is teaching people in the temple area. They make her stand there humiliated in public. In an attempt to trap him into opposing either Mosaic Law or Roman Law, they ask Jesus whether he judges that she should be stoned. After Jesus exposes their malice, the woman's accusers are afraid to condemn her. Beginning with the elders, they all go away. Then Jesus says to the woman: "Neither do I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more.” LIFE IMPLICATIONS

The story about Jesus and the woman caught in adultery happily became part of Holy Scripture, inserted as it was in the fourth gospel. Some early manu-scripts have the story placed after Luke 21:38 where it says that people came at daybreak to listen to Jesus as he taught in the temple area. The story fits very well in the fourth gos-pel because it illustrates some of its

most basic themes-- truth, judgment,

blindness, sight, darkness, light, death, life, sin, creation.

In Jesus' time it was important to determine the arrival of daybreak when the first offerings were to be made in the temple. A rabbi asked his students what criterion might be used to determine that the night had ended. One student said the night had ended when there was enough light to tell a goat from a sheep. Another said when you could distinguish an apple tree from a fig tree. The rabbi gave this answer: "A new day has arrived when you can look at a human face, and see a brother or a sister. If you are unable to see a brother or a sister in every human face, you are still in the darkness of night.” Though morning had come, for the woman's accusers it is still night. They cannot see that it is their brother and their sister who have committed the sin. They have humiliated the more vulnerable partner of the adultery by making her stand alone in the public temple area. This echoes the malice of the elders who ordered the veil to be removed from the wom-

an Susanna after accusing her of adultery (Dan 13:32). Moreover, in their darkness, the woman's accusers are una-ble to see that Jesus is also their brother, sent by God to bring them into the light. They have violated the God-given dignity of the woman by reducing her to the status of an ob-ject. They attempt to use her as a means to advance their own interests by laying a trap for Jesus in order to have a charge to bring against him. The malice of their action is compounded by the fact that they are seeking to destroy Je-sus under the guise of honoring the divine law given to Mo-ses. This surely is taking the name of God in vain (Ex 20:7).

We can identify with any of the actors of the drama. Re-grettably we can easily identify with the woman's accusers.

We too take the name of God in vain when, under the guise of de-fending some orthodox doctrine or practice, we engage in destructive, personal attacks upon those who differ with us. The woman caught in adultery? We can all identify with her, in need of forgiveness-—often fallen from the pure joy of living in harmony with God's truth and love. "What is our innocence, what is our guilt? All are naked, none is safe” (Marianne Moore). Most important of all, because we share the gift of his Spirit, we can be like Jesus in his act of true judg-

ment and creative love. Forgiveness is true judgment and creative love. We say, for example, that a friendship has end-ed because some infidelity has destroyed it. The friendship can come into being again through forgiveness, creative love given and received. Jesus re-creates the woman into her beauty as divine image through his forgiveness. He tells her the good news that she is free to walk away from the mess she is in and begin a new life: "Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more.” – Campion P. Gavaler, O.S.B.

~Do you know the joy of repentance and a clean con-science?

April 7, 2019

1021 McCarthy Blvd. N., Regina, SK S4X 3P9 Office Hours: Monday – Friday (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

Office: (306) 949-7678 Email: office@holyfamilyregina.com

Pastor: REV. ANTHONY PAÑGAN, SSS Pastoral/Admin. Asst. Sr. Amie, SIHM

Office Admin: Vanessa Enright Bldg. & Grounds Mgr: Denis Pilon

Custodian: Ban Pham

Lent: A Call

to Conversion

REFLECT REPENT

AND COMMIT

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TODAY’S READINGS First Reading (Isaiah 43.16-21): During the Babylonian Ex-ile, our Judean ancestors struggled with despair. Forced ex-portation from their homeland and the destruction of the Temple left them feeling without identity, land, or God. Many of them longingly looked back to the Exodus, when God freed them from landless slavery in Egypt and brought them to the promised land. Would they ever experience God’s care againt? Would they ever again be a nation? Isaiah an-swers their questions with this prophecy. God does not want them looking to the past and yearning for what was lost. Ra-ther, God wants them to see the future as God-filled. The story also lives for us today. God will bring them through a new Exodus from Babylon to their homeland. The wilderness that stretches between Babylon and Judah will not prove a barrier for them. The story also lives for us today. Like Israel, God continues to be with us; we are still God’s people. What matters most is that we look to the future with hope knowing that God goes before us. Responsorial Psalm (126.1-6): Pilgrims probably sang this psalm as they made their way to the Temple for the festivals. Their thoughts immediately turn to God and to the many times God delivered their ancestors out of trouble. In their minds flash pictures of the Exodus and, more recently, the return from the Exile in Babylon. As the pilgrims sing, the thought crosses their minds that perhaps God will return to save them. At that, the tone of the psalm shifts. “Restore our fortunes, O Lord,” the pilgrims pray. “Those who sow in tears / shall reap rejoicing.” This Lent we join those pilgrims as we recall God’s mighty deeds in the Death and Resurrec-tion of Jesus. Second Reading (Philippians 3.8-14): From prison Paul writes to the Philippians about what he values most. He reminds them that he was raised as a Jew with education and privilege. He became a devoted follower of God and strove to please the Almighty One he loved by zealously keepin ght eLaw and per-secuting those he thought strayed from God’s way. In the midst of persecuting the church, he encountered the Risen Christ in an intimate and life-changing experience. What he previously valued no longer mattered, and Paul left it all “because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus.” Knowing Christ and “the power of his resurrection” enables Paul to look to the future with hope, whether or not it brings release from prison or further suffering and death.

~2019 Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and weekdays © 2018 Archdiocese of Chicago, pp 131.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all

things, and I consider them as rubbish, in or-der that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:8)

The first commandment says that we should not put other gods before the Lord. Sharing all of our gifts, our time in prayer, our talent in charitable works and our treasure to support Church needs helps us keep God first in every-thing. It helps us from putting other gods before God. It helps us to use our gifts for the glory of God and not for our own honor.~https://www.archstl.org

KNOW THE SAINTS BEING “CHRIST-LIKE IN FAITH”

St. Martin I, Pope, Martyr (?- 655) April 13… When Martin I became pope in 649, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine empire and the patriarch of Constantinople was

the most influential Church leader in the eastern Christian world. The struggles that existed within the Church at that time were magnified by the close cooperation of emperor and patriarch. A teaching, strongly supported in the East, held that Christ had no human will. Twice, emperors had officially favored this position: Heraclius by publishing a for-mula of faith, and Constans II by silencing the issue of one or two wills in Christ. Shortly after assuming the office of the papacy—which he did without first being confirmed by the emperor—Martin held a council at the Lateran in which the imperial documents were censured, and in which the patri-arch of Constantinople and two of his predecessors were condemned. In response, Constans II first tried to turn bish-ops and people against the pope. Failing in this and in an attempt to kill the pope, the emperor sent troops to Rome to seize Martin and to bring him back to Constantinople. Al-ready in poor health, Martin offered no resistance, returned with Calliopas, the exarch of Constantinople, and was then submitted to various imprisonments, tortures, and hardships. Although condemned to death and with some of the imposed torture already carried out, Martin was saved from execution by the pleas of a repentant Paul, patriarch of Constantinople, who was himself gravely ill. Tortures and cruel treatment having taken their toll, Martin died shortly thereafter. He is the last of the early popes to be venerated as a martyr. Reflection: The real significance of the word martyr comes not from the dying but from the witnessing, which the word means in its derivation. People who are willing to give up everything, their most precious possessions, their very lives, put a supreme value on the cause or belief for which they sacrifice. Martyrdom, dying for the faith, is an incidental ex-treme to which some have had to go to manifest their belief in Christ. A living faith, a life that exemplifies Christ’s teach-ing throughout, and that in spite of difficulties, is required of all Christians. Martin refused to cut corners as a way of eas-ing his lot, to make some accommodations with the civil rul-ers. ~www.franciscanmedia.org

HOLINESS We are all called to be holy. But exactly what does it mean

to be holy? Most of us do not understand what holiness is. If we are to

have a clear idea of what it means to be Christian we must understand what holiness is.

Holy covers a lot of territory. Let us start out small, one meaning of the word holy is “set aside”. A dish used in the Mass is holy because it has been set aside for use in the Mass which is the perfect prayer, the perfect sacrifice with its infinite merit and grace. Israel was a holy people (not be-cause of their righteousness) because God set them apart for Himself. We are called to be holy, one meaning of that call is that we be set aside for God’s use, hence the refer-ences to the Holy Sisters and the Holy Father. Yes, these people are righteous, but they are also set aside for God’s use, consecrated for His purpose.

One sense of the word holiness is typically taken as a syn-onym for moral goodness. However, it may be understood in three distinct senses: the ontological, the moral, and the ritu-al.

Ontological holiness is firstly God in Himself. God is es-sentially holy and his nature is the basis upon which holiness rests. God is the reference point for all definitions of the holy. Ontological holiness is also that state of being as a partaker in the Trinitarian life and indelibly marked as a Christian or a

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priest. This holiness is imparted in baptism, confirmation, and sacred ordination. It cannot be blotted out by anything whatever, and it constitutes a Christian as definitively set apart forever.

Ontological holiness is strengthened by the other sacra-ments – reconciliation, unction, matrimony and the Holy Eu-charist. The sacraments are absolutely essential to help us participate in holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. It is the sure foundation of the virtue of hope for those of us who believe.

Moral holiness is goodness in human acts and is a result of ontological holiness. We become a new and different sort of people when we conform our behaviour and our character to God. The virtue of charity is the heart of moral holiness. God is charity, a charity that is firstly Trinitarian and secondly Christological, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that we might burn with the charity of the Holy Spirit.

Moral holiness is the witness we give to the reality of the change effected by God in baptism. To the extent that it is present, sin has no place. Moral holiness also urges us to do not only what is right, but what is respectful, prudent, and honourable, discerning what is perfect in all circumstances.

Like ontological holiness, moral holiness is central to the proclamation of the gospel. Christians are called to it so as to be made ever more perfectly the members of Christ.

Finally, there is ritual holiness, which is the consecration of people, places, and things exclusively to God. Consecration imparts an invisible character and signifies that character by physical means.

In baptism, all three senses of holiness are present: the catechumen is ontologically changed; he is infused with the charity whereby moral holiness arises; and, importantly, he is consecrated in the sight of all as the temple of the Holy Spir-it. Ritual holiness is neither new nor superfluous. It has been the defining identifier of the Church since Abraham, who by his singular journey to the land of promise signified his call to be God’s own. It is also the defining characteristic of the Mo-saic covenant, which with its elaborate rites not only fore-shadowed the blood that speaks better things than Abel’s, but also consecrated Israel as holy to the Lord.

The Church is constituted in, called to, and consecrated in holiness. Holiness is the reason she exists; it is her origin and destination. It is the light with which she lightens the world, the salt whereby she seasons it, and the bait whereby she catches souls. It is Christ, living and moving in His mystical Body. May we all come to realize just how essential holiness is to all of us individually, and especially to the life of the Church.

Holiness is a divine characteristic. By grace we are transformed into His body. This is why Scripture says “Be holy as your heavenly Father is ho-ly.” (Mt 5:48)

PAPAL INTENTIONS FOR APRIL Universal… For doctors and their hu-

manitarian collaborators in war zones, who risk their lives to save the lives of others.

OUR CHURCH: A FAMILY OF FAMILIES Expressions of Prayer

The Fruits of Meditation (2707-2708): Christians have a duty to meditate regularly so they will be good soil for God's Word. Meditation mobilizes our inner faculties and deepens our faith to bring about conversion. Believers must meditate on the mysteries of Christ (as in the rosary), and then go further to a union with Jesus.

TF133: A LENTEN RETREAT WITH HENRI NOUWEN’S THE RE-

TURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON - PART 2 We wrap up our two-part Lenten retreat by reflecting on the

deep compassion, love, and mercy of our heavenly Father. Using Henri Nouwen’s Spiritual classic, The Return of the Prodigal Son as a guide, we’ll encounter the reality of a Heavenly Father who deeply desires a life with us, accepts the pain and suffering of letting us freely wander far from Him, and waits with ever-patient open arms to welcome us home, this week on Thinking Faith! http://thinkingfaith.libsyn.com/tf133-a-lenten-retreat-with-henri-nouwens-the-return-of-the-prodigal-son-part-2

FILIPINO MASS ☼ ST. PETER PARISH (100 ARGYLE ST.), once a month, there will be Mass in Filipino (Tagalog). From May on-wards, it will be on the second Sunday of each month at 5:00 p.m.

DAILY READINGS: APR 08 – APR 14 DATE / DAY READINGS

08 Monday

Daniel 13.1-9,15-17,19-30,33-64++

Psalm 23.1-6 John 8.12-20

09 Tuesday

Numbers 21.4-9 Psalm 102.1-2, 15-20 John 8. 21-30

10 Wednesday

Daniel 3.13-20, 24, 49-50 Daniel 3.52-56 John 8.31-42

11 Thursday

Genesis 17.3-9 Psalm 105.4-9 John 8. 51-59

12 Friday

Jeremiah 20.7, 10-13 Psalm 18.1-6 John 10. 31-42

13 Saturday ST. MARTIN I, POPE, MARTYR

Ezekiel 37.21-28 Jeremiah 31.10-13 John 11.45-57

14 Sunday PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION

OF THE LORD

Procession: Luke 19.28-40 Mass: Isaiah 50.4-7 Psalm 22.7-8, 16-19, 22-23 Philippians 2.6-11 Luke 22.14-23, 56

… from the Archdiocese

Let us pray for….. May God’s grace and blessings comfort and console those who

we love and are in need!

THOSE IN NEED OF WELL-BEING

Rita Legaarden Jan Toogood

Venus Pineda Cecilia Ceballo

Kevin O’Callaghan Bernard Enright

Karin Lee Lissel Margaret Mullie

Al & Darlene Exner Angela Pangan

OUR BELOVED DEPARTED Maddox Polasek Olga Kotyk

Aiden Aldrid Macatbag Nhon Nguyen

Minnie Ludwar Petronella Ziegler

Jenny Desjarlais Linda Kawaleski

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☼ 40 HOURS FOR LIFE is an annual Lenten prayer chain for the unborn in danger and for all pregnant mothers. It happens daily from March 6 - April 14, 4:30 - 5:30 pm at the General Hospital (14th St and Halifax). Everyone is invited to come and pray. Those who are unable to pray are asked to pray wherever they are during this hour. Hosted by Regi-na Pro-Life.

☼ 18TH

ANNUAL DIVINE MERCY CONFERENCE, will be held on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 28, 2019 at St. Mary’s Church, 2026 Winnipeg St. Program begins at 12:30 pm, with a wel-come presentation, confessions, & talks by Very Rev. James Owolagba, and Shirley Oleskiw, followed by Adora-tion, Prayers, Benediction, and concluding Mass at 3:05 PM with Archbishop Don Bolen.

☼ ADORATION IS AVAILABLE DAILY AT THE SHRINE TO SAINT FAUSTINA, located at 484 Hamilton St. Hours are: Monday – Thursday – Open:10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Friday, Saturday and Sunday – Open: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. 2:30 – Rosary, 3:00pm – Chaplet of Divine Mercy & DM Praises. Hourly: Divine Mercy Chaplet for the Sick & Dying. Any changes are posted on the bulletin board at entrance to the Chapel.

☼ MARY: A BIBLICAL WALK WITH THE BLESSED Mother Monday morning Bible study featuring Dr. Edward Sri, starts April 29, 9:15 am. DVD series filmed in the Holy Land in the places Mary walked. Six sessions to learn her signifi-cance and deepen your devotion. For more information or to register, call Phyllis 306-949-1709 or Joanne 306-545-2758. Optional study guide.

☼ SPIRITUAL DIRECTION: Would you like to improve your prayer life? Grow in your relationship with God? Spiritual di-rection is a rich Christian tradition which can help you reflect on your life’s journey with someone who provides support and encouragement along the way. The Archdiocese of Re-gina Formation Program is in search of individuals willing to journey with a spiritual-director-in-training for a 10-month pe-riod (September 2019 to June 2020). Meetings are approxi-mately one hour in length and occur monthly at no charge to the directee. For more details or to express your interest, please contact: Karen Ziegler k.ziegler@sasktel.net or Stephanie Molloy s.molloy@sasktel.net

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE: SHARE THE JOURNEY...

... with those forcibly displaced in Colombia, where, over 6.5 million people have been displaced due to conflict, violence, natural disasters, and development projects. With your sup-port, Development and Peace’s partner the National Agrarian Coordination (NAC) is working with Indigenous women, many of whom are victims of forced displacement, to help them gain the skills and confidence to be intermediaries with the authorities. By promoting inclusive and participatory de-mocracies, we are addressing one of the root causes of forced migration! Let us be generous, share in the 2019 Lent Campaign.

Your support and participation of the archdiocese in “Share A Journey” this Lent will bring assistance to suffering people in many areas of the world.

KNIGHTS’ NEWS • Sask. March for Life & Regina Pro-Life Ga-

la (May 9, 2019) Early Tickets to the Regina Pro-Life Fundraising

Gala, evening of May 9th are now available from the Knights. E-mail: kofc.hfc@sasktel.net or call (306) 543-6049

CWL NEWS Holy Family CWL is holding a Spring Bake Sale before and after masses on April 6 and 7, 2019. We welcome baking from all parishioners. Please bring your baked goodies before the mass that you will be attending on that weekend. All funds will be donated to chari-ties we support.

YOUTH NEWS • The next “Source” retreat will be at Christ

The King Parish on May 5th starting at 6:00pm. Open to Grades 9– University, join us for fellowship, spiritual insights, adoration, praise & wor-ship and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

• The next EDGE ‘Middle School Ministry’ is taking place Monday, April 8

at 6:30- 8:00 p.m. We will continue to

learn about Easter, act out Stations of The Cross, and dye Easter eggs.

• Next Cat Chat Kid’s Club is Friday, May 10 from 6:30-8:00 PM. For more information, please check us out on Facebook: Cat chat Kid’s Club at Holy Family or email: holyfamilykidsprogram@gmail.com

• VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Save the date! Our ROAR VBS is being held July 15-19, 9am - 12pm. For kids entering Grade 1 thru 5. Older youth are welcome to help lead. For more information or to volunteer email: holyfamilykidsprogram@gmail.com

☼ EASTER MEMORIAL FLOWERS are a nice way to honour the memory of a loved one who has passed or express special thanks to God for His many blessings. Please see the side table in the Foyer for the basket with envelopes.

☼ The PARISH LENTEN PENITENTIAL LITURGY (Sacrament of Reconciliation) is on April 9 (Tuesday) at 7:00pm. Inte-grated with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, let us come and approach the Lord in His Real Presence and experience His healing love in this wonderful sacrament of mercy and forgiveness during this time of reflection, repent-ance and commitment.

☼ Holy Family Parish wishes to extend her deepest sympa-thy to the families of Maddox Polasek and Linda Kawaleski at this time of loss. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your families during this difficult time.

PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Father, help me get my focus back on you. I know I need to

stop dwelling on my hurts and frustrations. Help me be faithful in prayer and put my hope in you. May the Holy Spirit guide and comfort and strengthen me. In Jesus'

name, Amen

Parish Announcements

UNPROTECTED: THE POPE, THE PILL AND THE PERILS OF SEXUAL CHAOS

Join us on April 11, 2019 at Holy Family Parish HALL from 7:00 - 9:00pm for the screening of the documen-tary “UNPROTECTED” and engage fellow Catholics in dialogue surrounding today's sexual immorality, and how we can rise above it. “Unprotected is a must see, powerful documentary film!

Watch the UNPROTECTED trailer. Visit the website: www.UnprotectedMovie.com.

Watch the parish bulletin for updates.

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