Dear Friend,
We hope you are having a good week and are staying safe and healthy! Holy Week is nearly upon us and as of yesterday, reservations are being accepted for all of our Holy Week liturgies. These sacred rituals will all be live streamed in addition to the in-person celebrations. More information, including links to the reservations and live streams can be found at www.standrew.org/holyweek
Outdoor Opportunities During Holy Week: Several options for outdoor devotion will be held during Holy Week including the Blessing of Palms on Saturday, March 27 at 4:00pm with distribution of palms until 6:00pm both of which will be on the steps of the church. On Good Friday, devotees can come to venerate the cross from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. On Holy Saturday, households are invited to bring their Easter baskets to the steps of the church to be blessed at 10:00am.
There are still spaces remaining for our Sunday Mass at 9:00am. A reservation is required to attend. Make a reservation by visiting www.standrew.org/mass-reservations.
Opening Prayer
By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, your Son handed himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. AMEN.
The Readings
Reading I Jer 31:31-34
The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
Reading II Heb 5:7-9
In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Gospel Jn 12:20-33
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
“I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
The Homily
Please click on the video link below to watch the homily for this week.
The Prayers of the Faithful
For the Church, that we may die to sin and serve our Lord, becoming like grains of wheat, bearing much fruit in the world around us.
We pray to the Lord LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER
For government and business leaders, that God will inspire them to develop and implement policies that are just and compassionate, and bring hope to all those
who suffer. We pray to the Lord LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER
For victims of racial discrimination, that they might know success and justice as they struggle for equal treatment in the workplace. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER
For all who have been affected by COVID19, may God’s healing presence be comfort to them and bring health and well-being. We pray to the Lord.
LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER
For the departed, who remain with us in our prayers and our memories, and for the promise of a joyful reunion, and especially for: +William Walsh and
+Margaret Chodaeki
We pray to the Lord LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER
Sunday Offertory
Spiritual Communion
Sometimes, receiving Holy Communion is not possible. Catholics in these areas are encouraged to make “Spiritual Communion.” St.Teresa of Jesus wrote about this practice:
“When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you”
Closing Prayer
We pray, almighty God, that we may always be counted among the members of Christ, in whose Body and Blood we have communion. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. AMEN.
Announcements
Live Stream Mass
Wearin’ the Green
Please click on the button below to see a copy of the Sunday Bulletin.