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Dear friends,
I’d like to focus on the second temptation Jesus overcomes in the desert. We hear in our Gospel today: “Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, ‘I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.’”
We are seeing publicly the cost of falling to this sin played out in our world today and its devastating destruction in the Ukraine. In Putin’s rambling comments before Russia’s invasion of this sovereign nation he expressed a desire for power and glory of an old Soviet Republic. He is trying to take by force other people’s freedom and nation. It is a horrible tragedy and one that should bring us all to our knees in fasting and prayer. The repercussions of these actions are causing mass death, destruction, and have the potential to spread violence and war far beyond just the borders of the Ukraine.
In all these temptations of the devil, we must remember that they are based on lies. The devil does not have power and glory to give, and nothing is handed over to him. The enemy of our souls cannot give us these things. His method is to rob and take by force. The only thing the devil can give us is a warped sense of entitlement and hatred towards others. This mentality leads to unjustified acts of violence without regard for human life and the common good. Evil does not have reason or justice on its side. It resorts to sheer control and dominance. It forces itself upon us and is ugly. We must resist this, like the brave citizens of the Ukraine are doing. Beauty, good, and truth win us over, not by lies and force, but by compelling and reaching our hearts and minds to follow them by invitation. Jesus is gentle and loving; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Prince of Peace, and I implore you this Lenten season to join me in praying for peace in Ukraine and in our world.
God bless you!
Fr. Matt
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It strikes me that we are all on a big team together. First, we are Saint Matthew and Blessed Sacrament, individual unique churches that are united together as one faith family in our pastorate. We are also part of the NECC working together with other parishes in our area to offer religious education, Sacramental preparation, youth ministry, fellowship, educational, spiritual, and social justice events. We could not provide the quality or quantity of programs and events without all of us sharing resources and helping each other. Most importantly, we are part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. We could not exist as a Church without the Archdiocese. It makes possible everything from practical things like insurance, facilities inspections, human resources, accounting controls, and construction to spiritual support such as formation for lay leaders, religious education, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, and ministries too numerous to name that serve anyone in need. We are part of a big team and the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries we have every year is not just a special collection – it is the only opportunity for all Catholics in our Archdiocese to join in mission to make a shared commitment to support the Archdiocese’s work.
I love our pastorate and I love the Archdiocese. If you are looking for a way we can all win, prayerfully consider supporting this year’s appeal. This weekend, we will have an opportunity to make pledges, but if you would like to do so online or want more information, check out the following links:
Click here to make a gift: Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries 2022 – Archdiocese of Baltimore (archbalt.org)
Video introducing the appeal: Annual Appeal 2022 | Let us Give Thanks to the Lord Our God – YouTube
****Saint Matthew will use the Parish rebate it receives to aid Catholic Relief Services and their relief fund for the Ukraine.****
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Rice Bowls are distributed on Ash Wednesday! Don’t forget that Palm Sunday is the time to return your Rice Bowls. You can also convert your donation to a check written to CRS, or donate online to CRS directly. You can also make Rice Bowl donations on our GiveCentral page.
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An important update for Parishioners with envelope boxes!
The envelope company made a mistake with the March 27th, 2022 envelope. It only says “Special Offering” on it, but it should also indicate that this collection is for Catholic Relief Services. Please be generous in supporting the extremely important work of CRS!
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Statement from Archbishop Lori:
As the situation in Ukraine moves from tension to military action by Russia, we express our grave concern and pray for a peaceful resolution. This military incursion will result in no victories, only bloodshed and destruction. To the Ukrainian Catholics in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond, we support you and pray for the safety of your family, friends, and loved ones who may find themselves caught in the middle of this conflict. Let us join Pope Francis as he entrusts the intercession of the Virgin Mary and calls for prayer and peace.
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Click the picture above for main questions about the Synod!
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Read the following letters which will be signed by Parishioners at Mass and online in February before being sent to Pope Francis:
Letter #1
Letter #2
Sign the letters online if you have not yet done so at Mass!
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Financial Peace returns!
Meetings are held VIRTUALLY and have begun, but it’s not too late to join on Tuesdays at 7 PM!
Contact Keyah Spann if you are interested at 410-852-8453 or [email protected]
Registration is open to both Saint Matthew and Blessed Sacrament Parishioners.
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Online Rosary – Saturdays at 10 AM:
As covid-19 and other challenges to our society continue to be with us, our prayers and our actions are still needed! Therefore, you are invited to join us for a chat, share what you are experiencing, and share what you would like to pray for as we pray the Rosary together.
For this meeting we ask you to register, just for an added layer of security. To register click this link and follow the directions:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAvcumgqzIrG9NsuLmWWuw8OlW8ivNW9TM8
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the meeting. You can register up until Saturday morning at 9:30 AM.
Weekly Bible Study with Deacon Paul from Blessed Sacrament – Thursdays from 8 to 9 PM:
This Bible Study is conducted by phone conference and the conversation concerns the Readings for the coming Sunday. Anyone is welcome to call in and participate or simply listen.
The number to call is: 425-436-6356
When asked for the code dial: 698937
You can also join the call by ZOOM!
Join Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86893786919
Meeting ID: 868 9378 6919
By phone with no video: 1-301-715-8592
The Readings for each week’s Bible Study can be found on the USCCB website at the following link:
https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
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You can watch one weekend Mass LIVE on Facebook and on YouTube every Sunday! See the schedule above for Mass online. Visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel to watch recorded Masses from previous weeks.