Author of Creation All nature praises the Lord.

Reclaim our Tradition: Evangelization

Catholics in America tend to take a dim view of

Evangelization. We tend to think of evangelization as

meaning that we have to knock on strangers’ doors and try

to convince them to convert to Catholicism. But

evangelization is not about converting anyone to

Catholicism. Trying to convert someone is proselytization.

Evangelization is simply witnessing to our faith. And the

New Evangelization is not about talking to strangers, but

witnessing first of all to our family and friends. This Lent, I

invite you to join our evangelization “Family and Friends

Plan”. Commit to supporting and challenging your family

and friends to grow in their faith.

The most important role in a marriage is to support one

another in getting to heaven. That is not just true for

spouses but for the whole family, children, grandchildren,

parents and grandparents. As a family, we must support

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..we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

2 Corinthians 5: 20

one another in getting to heaven. Now the key word here is “support”. Each of us

must take responsibility for our own faith life. We cannot make a family member

become a disciple, but we can support them – at least through prayer.

A true friend is someone who supports and challenges you. A Christian friend is

someone who supports and challenges us to grow in our discipleship of Christ. We

all need friends who will support and challenge us to grow in our faith. And we can

should support and challenge our friends to grow in their faith, even if their faith is

not Catholicism.

Fr. Pat Garrett

“We must see our homes as places where the love of God is

made visible and personal, where it is made real…” Scott Hahn, Evangelizing Catholics

Seven things required: 1. Married couples strive to

live the vows they made on their wedding day.

2. Parents must become primary evangelizers of their children.

3. Families become places of prayer.

4. The Mass must become the center of family life.

5. The domestic church must become a haven of charity (selfless love.)

6. We must be faithful. 7. We must cultivate the

virtue of hope.

Focus on the Family

"Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy."

Pope Benedict XVI

How to be apostolates to the world:

Friends and Family Plan

Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence. Pope Francis

The challenge: Prayerfully consider the ways you can proclaim the Good News in these settings:

Family

Friends

Work

Neighborhood

Parish

Create a list of where you can concretely do or say something that shares the Easter joy of the Gospel. Then DO IT! Remember the Apostles did it one person at a time!

Baptized Catholic adults who have received first Eucharist and completed high school are invited to explore a deeper commitment to

Christ and Christ’s Church through preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation. An opportunity to explore Basic Beliefs and Sacrament

Preparation will be offered. Contact us through the parish 281-376-9885 or email Nannette Coons at coonsn@ssjwoodlands.com

ADULT CONFIRMATION

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Lenten Reconciliation Service: March 4, 6-9pm, St. Anthony

The Power of Intercessory Prayer

There are many ways to love one’s neighbor, but intercessory prayer—praying on behalf of other people—has got to be one of the most powerful. Prayer is the most potent force known to humanity. Because we have been made partakers in Jesus’ victory over sin and death (1 John 4:4), we have the authority as sons and daughters of God to pray for others, pushing back the darkness of sin and oppression. In prayer, we have a weapon that has “divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). That kind of weaponry—the power of prayer— is something God invites us to use as we seek not only personal transformation but the transformation of the world as well. An intercessor is one who takes up a “burden” that goes far beyond his or her own needs and intentions. And those who take up the call to intercession come to learn in a deeper way that the sufferings of the present time cannot compare to the joy that will come as God’s purposes unfold. They learn to trust in the Lord, because they have experienced in prayer how infinitely compassionate God is. Intercessors participate in God’s magnificent plan to raise humanity to share in divine life. This insight moves them to engage in a spiritual battle against the forces that seek to destroy God’s plans. So ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to pray in union with the mind of God. Take to heart St. Paul’s words, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes . . . for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). And above all, ask God to give you confidence that he hears your prayers and longs to answer the deep needs of those around you. To learn the seven steps for Intercessory Prayer, go to http://www.christlife.org/resources/articles/IntercessoryPrayer.html

For God so loved the world He gave us His only Son Jesus Christ our Savior His most precious one He has sent us His message of love And sends those who hear To bring the message to everyone In a voice loud and clear Let us tell the world of His love The greatest love the world has known Search the world for those who have walked Astray and lead them home Fill the world's darkest corners With His light from up above Walk every step, Every mile, Every road And tell the world! Tell the world of His love!

Song by Trina Belamide

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/01/18/15/full-video-pope-looks-millions-sing-tell-world-his-love

Lora and Patrick Sullivan, with son Rafa, at the Consecration to Mary, Wednesday, Feb.11, say that “the Consecration to Our Lady opened new doors for us as Catholics and that we grew in deeper love for Jesus through Mary..”

33 Days to Morning Glory books still in the office. Start this phenomenal devotion any time!

Prayer

SSJ will offer a special opportunity for you to submit prayers on

behalf of your friends, family and community. In the spirit of

communion we will offer prayer for your intentions during weekly

adoration, in parish spiritual groups, on Divine Mercy Sunday, and

in the Holy Land on Ascension Sunday. By the chapel you will find

a box that will receive these written prayers. During Lent,

especially ask for the increase of faith for you and for your

Mission Field. Watch for more details as Lent unfolds.

Everyone welcome to come to Stations of the Cross and a

Lenten meal every Friday. Bring friends!

“An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in

people’s daily lives; it bridges distances, it is willing to abase itself

if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering

flesh of Christ in others. “ (Joy of the Gospel, 24)

In scripture, Jesus summarized the Law in two commandments:

to love God with all of your being and to love your neighbor, the

other. This is how we demonstrate our love for God, by serving

the needs of the other. Matthew 25 is clear that the way to

enter the kingdom of heaven is to take care of the poor and

vulnerable. When we serve others, we feel right...we feel good!

That is because we encounter Christ when we are

selfless. God wants us to be holy, in close communion

with him. Holiness is about right relationships. The

beatitudes are a list of right relationships, starting with a

key feature: Blessed are the poor in spirt (those who

empty self of self-focus), for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.

Corporal Works of Mercy are acts of love (mercy) done

(corporal) for others and are personal and tangible in a

way that affects our souls as well as those whom we

serve. How can we, as the Body of Christ:

feed the hungry ?

shelter the homeless ?

clothe the naked?

visit the sick and imprisoned?

bury the dead?

give alms to the poor?

Each Sunday during hospitality, our Serve Commission will highlight ways you can be the hands and feet of Christ in our communities. http://www.loyolapress.com/showing-our-love-for-all-option-for-the-poor.htm

How Can We

How Can We, as the Body of Christ...?

Faith at the Workplace

It is not a matter of simply putting God first in our life. We need to put him at the center of everything we do – 24hours a day,

7 days a week. That means we cannot simply leave God behind at Church, we cannot just turn God off when we enter the

workplace. St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians says “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord not men.”

Jesus tells us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14: 15). St. Paul tells us to “Rejoice always. Pray

without ceasing ” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-17) . There does not appear to be an exception for the workday. Nowhere does Jesus

say that you should love your neighbor only when you go to Mass on Sunday. In his book “Evangelizing Catholics,” Scott Hahn

writes:

Whether we’re the person whose name is on the letterhead or the person who delivers the mail, we need to treat all

those with whom we work with kindness and respect. That means praising someone for a job well done and showing

interest in them as a person, not just as a worker — remembering birthdays, celebrating the birth of a child, and just

taking the time to ask about their kids or parents or the marathon they ran over the weekend. It also means

occasionally offering to pick up some extra work so a co-worker can stay home with a sick child, saying “please” and

“thank you” for even the most mundane requests, and just smiling and saying “good morning” like we mean it at the

beginning of the day.

It is by intentionally practicing our faith at work that we evangelize to our faith. At work, we should live out our Christian

values and support and encourage those around us to do the same.

“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be

got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. “

Mother Teresa

Note: Hyperlinks are active at our parish web site. Books quoted are:

Hahn, Scott , Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New

Evangelization ,Our Sunday Visitor.

Lowry, Kevin ,Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck, Our

Sunday Visitor