The very thought of
our divine Lord's suffering hunger, loneliness, and humiliation at
the hands of his enemy—and that all this was for us—should make us
feel ashamed at the little bits of suffering and humiliation we are
willing to suffer for our own selves. He had no sin to atone for. He
was making atonement for us and for our sins. He was the Son of God
and his home was heaven, but he left it for a while to assume human
nature, so that he could through his humiliations and sufferings
bring us to share his eternal home with him. What is the thanks he
gets from us? Ingratitude, forgetfulness, and even worse: insults
and disobedience.
While the Church
has eased the fastings and penances of Lent, we are still expected
to do some private fasting and penance. It need not be fasting from
food, but we can all do some daily penance which will help to keep
our unruly minds and bodies in check while at the same time it will
show that we are grateful to our loving Savior for all that he
suffered for us. The sincere Christian will find a hundred ways in
which to thank and honor Christ during this holy season of Lent. We
can all keep the last verse of today's reading before our minds with
great profit. "Repent and believe in the gospel." This is the
essence, of Christ's teaching. Turn away from sin and come back to
God. Anyone who believes in the gospel, who believes that there is
an everlasting life after death prepared by God for all those who do
his will while on earth, should not find it hard to give up
offending that loving God who thinks so much of him. This life is
only a passing shadow, every step we take; every breath we breathe
is bringing us nearer to our earthly end and to the grave. But the
believing Christian knows the grave is not the end. Rather, is it
the beginning of the true life—provided we use this passing shadow,
these few years, properly.
MASSES FOR THE WEEK
Monday, March 06
9:00 a.m. -
+Jose Pedr & Maria Estrela
by Maria Barbosa
Tuesday, March 07
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the
parish.
Wednesday, March 08
9:00 a.m. -
+Maria and Anthony Ross by
Frank and Martha Ross
Thursday, March 09
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.
Friday, March 10
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.
Saturday, March 11
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.
4:30 p.m. - For the good of the parish.
Sunday, March 12 - 2nd Sunday of
Lent
8:30 a.m. + Giomo
Multari by the Correale Family
10:00 a.m.
+Concetta & Antonio Brigante by the Brigante Family
11:30 a.m. +Gwen
Macleod by Macleod Family
+Milan Kurn by Zlomislic Family
+Stanley
Santumayor by Sheila Sunil and Greg Pinto
Pray for
the sick of the parish:
Deacon Bob Geisel,
Patricia Kennedy, Levi Romero, David Re, Maria Dimatteo, Joe O’Hearn,
Rita Zarb, Tasha Bishop, John Mifsud, Joe Muscat, Nada Dancy,
Michael Manzo, Catherina Donato, Bill Tuplin, Mary Jane
Lafleur, Rose & Henry Castelino, Karl Zakss, Tina Fiore, Toni &
Violete Matar, Pat Goulding, Lucy Vairo, Bosco Chan, Barney
Gallant, Helen Briers, Alfred Vella, Bill Kinch, Edward Glanc,
Wanda Glanc, Caroline Wood.
Confirmation Preparation:
Girls – Mar 12th
after 11:30 a.m. Mass
Girls – Apr 23rd
after 11:30 a.m. Mass
Boys – Apr 9th
after 11:30 a.m. Mass
Boys - Apr 29th
Sat. at 10:00 a.m.
Marriage
Preparation Course:
Sts. Martha and Mary Parish offers this course on
seven Wednesdays beginning on April 19 and ending May 31st,
2006. Please call the office.
SPECIAL NOTE: The classes are filling up very
quickly!
Crusillo
Do you want to deepen your spiritual
life? To know more about your faith? To find support
through likeminded friends? Try Cursillo!
For more information please call Jennie McRae
at 905-206-1321 or Fr. Edwin at the parish office.
Opus Dei – recollection
Recollections aim to assist the
individual to relate their family life, professional work
and social commitments more fully to their relationship with
God.
The meditations are preached by a priest of
Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Roman Catholic Church.
Retreats are being held at Sts. Martha & Mary Church.
Men’s Retreat: Tuesday, Mar 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Marriage Encounter:
Married couples, you deserve a
weekend to celebrate being together, to rediscover each
other and focus on ways to make your relationship even
better.
A Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers this
opportunity from the April 28-30, 2006.
For further information please contact :
David and Lucy Adams @ 905 470 9590
Legion of Mary
If you like to
have the statue of Mary in your house for a week please
E-Mail us and we will make sure you are on the list. Legion
of Mary meets every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. New members always
welcome.
One Month &
Over 1000 Visitors!
Take a
look at our new website at
www.stsmarthaandmary.org and you’ll find that in
only four weeks we have had more than 1000 visitors. Much of
this success is due to your letting people know about our
new website.
Remember… every
week there are new features and articles for you to “surf”.
Let us know what you think; it is
your suggestions that help us to remain at the forefront of Catholic
evangelization on the web. Come back to our site often as we’re
adding new features every week!
Give us some feedback via E-Mail to
Webmaster. Thank you.
