Saints of the Week
Mon, Mar 5 - - - -  Feria of Lent
Tues, Mar 6 - - - - Feria of Lent
Wed, Mar 7 - - - - -Feria of Lent
Thurs, Mar 8 - - - - Feria of Lent
Fri, Mar 9 - - - - -   Feria of Lent
Sat, Mar 10 - - - -  Feria of Lent


Gospel Words of Jesus Christ Our Divine Savior
 36 But Jesus having heard the word that was spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe. 37 And he admitted not any man to follow him, but Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much. 39 And going in, he saith to them: Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But he having put them all out, taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And taking the damsel by the hand, he saith to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel (I say to thee) arise. 42 And immediately the damsel rose up, and walked: and she was twelve years old: and they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them strictly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat. (Mark 5: 36-43)

From the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans
21 What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting. 23 For the wages of sin is death.  But the grace of God is life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6: 21-23)

Spiritual Thought Of The Week
From the Introduction to the Devout Life, by Saint Francis De Sales Part One, Chapter XIX: When you come to your spiritual father, imagine yourself to be on Mount Calvary, at the Feet of the Crucified Saviour, Whose Precious Blood is dropping freely to cleanse you from all your sin. Though it is not his actual Blood, yet it is the merit of that outpoured Blood which is sprinkled over His penitents as they kneel in Confession. Be sure then that you open your heart fully, and put away your sins by confessing them, for in proportion as they are put out, so will the Precious Merits of the Passion of Christ come in and fill you with blessings.  Tell everything simply and with straightforwardness, and thoroughly satisfy your conscience in doing so. Then listen to the admonitions and counsels of God’s Minister, saying in your heart, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” It is truly God to Whom you hearken, forasmuch as He has said to His representatives, “Whoso heareth you, heareth Me.”

From The Imitation Of Christ By Thomas A Kempis
Book Three The Twenty-Seventh: THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, you should give all for all, and in no way belong to yourself. You must know that self-love is more harmful to you than anything else in the world. In proportion to the love and affection you have for a thing, it will cling to you more or less. If your love is pure, simple, and well ordered, you will not be a slave to anything. Do not covet what you may not have. Do not possess anything that can hinder you or rob you of freedom.  It is strange that you do not commit yourself to Me with your whole heart, together with all that you can desire or possess. Why are you consumed with foolish sorrow? Why are you wearied with unnecessary care? Be resigned to My will and you will suffer no loss.

From The Teachings Of The Second Vatican Council  
Dei Verbum (On the Word of God): #11 Those divinely revealed realities which are contained and presented in Sacred Scripture have been committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For holy mother Church, relying on the belief of the Apostles (see John 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-20, 3:15-16), holds that the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical because written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself.  In composing the sacred books, God chose men and while employed by Him  they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with Him acting in them and through them,  they, as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which He wanted.   Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation. Therefore "all Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind" (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Greek text).

From The Code Of Canon Law  Canon 277 §1. Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and therefore are bound to celibacy which is a special gift of God by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and are able to dedicate themselves more freely to the service of God and humanity.  §2. Clerics are to behave with due prudence towards persons whose company can endanger their obligation to observe continence or give rise to scandal among the faithful.  §3. The diocesan bishop is competent to establish more specific norms concerning this matter and to pass judgment in particular cases concerning the observance of this obligation.

Catechism Of The Catholic Church
2324 Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.

SPECIAL NOTICE
Please be advised that donations to Saint Gianna’s can be made through our website: www.saintgianna.net.  By so doing, one can contribute using their credit card.  We appreciate your financial support and also ask your prayers for our continued success.  Also, please note that we are now set up with PaPal so that our parishioners and friends can automatically contribute a designated amount each month toward your support of Saint Gianna’s.  Check our website for details: www.saintgianna.net.

Classes
We will be conducting classes on the Documents of Vatican II at the Desert Springs Academy, 3833 E 2nd St., Tucson.  The phone number is 321-1709.  The next class is Wednesday, March 7th at 3:00 PM.

Schedule Change  In correction of last week’s pulpit announcement, Sunday, March 11th will be our last 5:00 PM Mass.  Effective Sunday, March 18th there will be only two Sunday Masses, 6:30 AM & 1:45 PM.  If needed, we will return to the 5:00 PM in the fall.

Pope Benedict XVI Prayer Intention For March
General - - - - That the Word of God be more and more listened to, contemplated and lived.
Mission - - - - That the concern of those young Churches who train catechists, organizers and lay people at the service of the Gospel be constant.
                       


    On various occasions, Our Divine Savior made it clear to His disciples that He would offer His life up to the Father on the Cross of Calvary.  However, despite His painstakingly preparing them for the “Scandal of the Cross,” they remained incredulous.  They persisted in their desires that Our Lord’s mission would be the restoration of Israel to its former glory.  The last thing that they wanted was a suffering Messiah, one who would die on a cross.  
    
    Shortly before the Transfiguration, depicted in today’s Gospel, Our Lord warned them again regarding the Crucifixion.  When, He did, Peter took Him aside and said: “This can never be.”  This angered Our Lord and He rebuked Peter severely: “Get behind me you devil.”  Imagine!  Just a few days before, Jesus had promised to give to Peter the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Now, He calls him a devil!  Why!  Peter wanted an earthy kingdom, a kingdom of this world.  He was consumed with this world and not with the things of heaven.
    
    To prepare the Apostles for “the Scandal of the Cross,” Our Lord took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain.  There He allowed the glory of His Divinity to shine forth.  Yes!  He would allow Himself to be crucified.  But He would do so of His own will.  He would die in our place, accepting the punishment our sins deserved.  

    Jesus Christ  is no mere man.  He is the Son of God, who became man!  Thus, on the Mount of the Transfiguration, Our Savior’s face became as radiant as the sun.  Moses and Elijah then appeared with Him.  They represented the Old Covenant, which was about to be replaced by the new.  They were to remind us of the Law of Moses and the Prophets.  God's commandments, given to Moses, reminds us that God does make moral demands and is keenly interested in man's actions.  

    Despite this reminder, many today fall into the foolish trap of thinking that the Lord accepts our sinful behavior.  Sin can never be acceptable to God.  Jesus Christ came into the world to take us out of our sins, not to confirm us in them.  He is our Savior from sin, Satan and eternal death.  Jesus Christ does not leave us in our sins!  We, in turn, must respond to Our Lord’s redemptive act by repentance.
    
    The role of the prophets is to call men back to the observance of God’s commandments.  They did this by proclaiming the moral order.  God sends the prophets to warn mankind of the consequences of sin and that God does punish the unrepentant sinner.  The last of the great prophets was Our Lord Himself, who came as Priest, Prophet and King.  Moses and Elijah foreshadowed the New Covenant.  Our Lord instituted the New Covenant, which is the Catholic Church.  In fidelity to her mandate from the Lord, the Church, in every era, exercises its prophetic role by calling men back from sin to the observance of the moral order.
    
    In today’s Gospel, we hear the words of the Heavenly Father booming down from the heavens: “This is my beloved Son!  Hear Him!”   How do we hear Jesus Christ?  How do we know that we are following His Gospel?   The answer is clear: when we are obedient to the teachings of His Holy Church, the One, Holy, Roman Catholic, and Apostolic Church.  When the Church teaches through its Magisterium, that is, its teaching Authority, it teaches us in the name of Jesus Christ and under the guide of the Holy Spirit.  When we are obedient to the teachings of the Holy Father, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth, we are being obedient to Jesus. The Pope, and the Bishops who teach in union with him, teach us in the name of Jesus Christ and under the guide of the Holy Spirit.  
    
    If we are to be true followers of Our Lord, we must be obedient to the teachings of the Holy Father and the Bishops united with him.  “He who hears you, hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”  By dissenting from the teachings of the Pope of Rome, one separates himself from Jesus Christ and His holy Church.  For, the Church is Jesus Christ is the Church and the Church is Jesus Christ! It is His Mystical Body!

    THIS IS MY BELOVED SON!  HEAR HIM!  On the Day of Judgment, Our Lord will ask us if we obeyed that divine commandment.  May God grant we are able to say, “Yes Lord, I was obedient to your Church.”
                                                                            
                        Father Richard J. Rego, S.T.L.