~~~SisterSea~~~

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Second Reading: Romans 10:8b-13 Gospel: Luke 4:1-13 As you know today is the First Sunday of Lent.   As I reflected on today’s readings, the theme they seemed to weave together is to begin Lent by reviewing our stories.   With the First Reading, in which the writers of Deuteronomy are giving the reader a sort of Last Will and Testament of Moses, God’s people are reminded of their history and God’s presence in it.   They are told to recount that history in ritual and celebration.    We are also being reminded to reflect on our personal intergenerational stories.   Who were our ancestors?   How was God with them as they journeyed?    How do their stories impact your story?   How has God’s presence in all of our stories led us to where you are today: physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually?   The First Reading reminds us to ponder...

A Lenten Journey from Cosmic Dust to Easter Garden A five week program – Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. Starting February 20 th , 2013 1143 East Pender Street , Vancouver , B.C. This retreat/journey will help us heighten our appreciation of Earth, and God's living and acting within it, the current threats to our soil, and how we can respond in faith. Each week, we will start with a Lenten reading that reminds us about God’s gifts of fertile dust, seeds, sheaves, trees.     The reading is followed by a reflection and an action.   As a group we can to adapt the material in any way that will facilitate our sharing, prayer, and community.     The program was designed by Holy Child Jesus Sr. Terri MacKenzie .   The program is free ─ donations to Our Lady of Guadalupe Tonantzin Community will be accepted.   To register and for more information, please contact: Vikki at tepeyacvancouver@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 13 is Ash Wednesday in this year of 2013.   For Christians, it is the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent.   Ashes are put on our foreheads, as the words of Ecclesiastes 3:20, “All are from the dust, and to dust all return,” are said to remind us that we are from the earth and in death we return to the earth. In this era of degradation of the earth, let us keep in mind that in between “from the earth” and “to earth all return”, there is life.   The quality of that life depends on us.   After each stage of creation, God said “it was good” or “very good.”   This Lenten season, each of us can look inward and contemplate the mysteries of our faith, deepen our prayer life, and take time out just to “be still” and just be with our God.   Slowed down yet energized, let our outward actions show that we appreciate the love and gifts that God gave us and continues to give to us.   God’s only Son was given to us as Gift─ a Gift...

3 February 2013  Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Luke 4:21-30 As usual, I’ll start with a little background.   At the time of Jeremiah’s call, the Assyrian conquest of northern kingdom, Israel, and the exile of its people, is still fresh in the minds of the people of Judah.   Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry spanned the reigns of five kings of Judah, starting with Josiah and ending with Zedekiah.   During his reign, Josiah abolished idolatry and the people have returned to the worship of Yahweh.   But upon Josiah’s death the people forgot their promises to Yahweh.   Jeremiah tried to get the people to return to godly ways but his pleas were ignored.   The result was their conquest by the Babylonians, the destruction of the temple, and the people’s exile to Babylon. The First Reading describes Jeremiah’s call to be God’s prophet.   We are all called by virtue of our baptism to be prophets.   Jeremiah se...