Annunciation Parish
@
Saint Gabriel Church
March 29, 2020
5th Sunday of Lent
Scripturally Speaking
The Raising of Lazarus
The raising of Lazarus is recorded only in the Gospel of John. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus’ driving the moneychangers out of the Temple is the immediate cause for the religious leaders to seek His death. In John’s Gospel, the expulsion of the moneychangers from the Temple occurs in the second chapter, and the primary reason for the authorities’ resolve to put Jesus to death is His raising of Lazarus. The life of Lazarus is also in danger because, after being raised from the dead, he is living proof of Jesus’ power. The raising of Lazarus is on a higher level than that of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow from Nain. Neither the daughter of Jairus nor the son of the widow from Nain was buried. On the other hand, Lazarus was entombed for four days. In the colorful words of the King James Version of the Bible, Martha says to Jesus, “Lord, it has been four days and he stinketh.” According to renowned scripture scholar Fr. Raymond Brown, today’s Gospel contains one of the funniest lines in all of the Scriptures. The line is in relation o Jesus hearing of Lazarus’ illness, “So when He heard that he was ill, He remained for two days in the place where He was.” There is another striking and poignant phrase in the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, “And Jesus wept.” These succinct words indicate the great love of Jesus for Lazarus. Before raising Lazarus, Jesus asks Martha if she believes that He is the Resurrection and the Life. Martha’s response seems to resemble more Peter’s confession of faith rather than provide a direct answer to Jesus’ question. She says, “Yes Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” The raising of Lazarus is a resuscitation and as such differs from Jesus’ resurrection. Lazarus will have to die again. People have no trouble recognizing Lazarus, who came out of the tomb , but did have trouble recognizing the risen Lord. Nevertheless, the scene describing the raising of Lazarus is similar to the scene at the tomb of Jesus, and undeniably points to His resurrection.
Rev. Connell A. McHugh
FYI - TO HELP KEEP YOU UP-TO-DATE ON YOUR PARISH
THREE FACEBOOK PAGES associated with our Parish are:
For general information, events (Weekend Mass) and such --- Annunciation Parish
For Faith Formation information, etc. --- Annunciation Faith Formation
For Youth Group information, etc. --- Faith In Action Youth Ministry
Look for those pages and click "like" or "follow" and you will be able to get updates and such that are posted.
Pathway To Recovery - Prevention Department located in Hazleton. They are reaching out to share some links with you to help those in need in our community.
Here are some online resources for those in recovery. A Poster is also available with other info on the bulletin board in the back of church.
For more information please contact:
Lauren McAndrew
Prevention Specialist
Pathway to Recovery Counseling and Education Services
223 W. Broad Street Hazleton, PA 18201
P: 570-455-9902
F: 570-455-9452
prevention@pathway-to-recovery.org
COMMUNITY EASTER DINNER normally held each Easter Sunday at Holy Rosary Church, South Poplar Street is cancelled this year due to the Coronavirus.
We need to keep everyone involved safe this holiday.
BAPTISMAL CLASS SCHEDULED for Monday evening, March 30th is cancelled.
ANNUNCIATION PARISH TOTAL INCOME – Weekend of March 22nd $763.00
CHURCH OFFERINGS & Pledge Payments
As mandated our parish office is closed to the public. But if you would like to keep your donations current, you may drop them in the mail or in the mail slot of the front door of the rectory.
Also, if you should have any questions or concerns, the office is open for phone calls Monday – Friday.
While public Masse are suspended due to health concerns over coronavirus, all scheduled Mass intentions will be said by Fr. Chummar, Fr. Mariusz, and Fr. Victor, who celebrate the daily Eucharist in the private rectory chapel.
Please be assured of our prayers for you and your families.
Fr. Mariusz Beczek, OSJ
Mass Intentions
MONDAY, MARCH 30th FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD
7:00 AM Joan Godber…Jn. Gallagher 7:00 AM Living/Deceased of Monahan Fam
12:10 PM James Ferrara….Family 12:10 PM Pope Francis & All Living Clergy
TUESDAY, MARCH 31st SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH
7:00 AM Frank Fallabel…Tony Calucci 8:00 AM Special Intention
12:10 PM Mary Skapik…Steve & Gloria 4:00 PM Tom Quigley..Sue Farley
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1ST PALM SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH
7:00 AM Patsy Sullivan…Family 7:30 AM John Dowd…Debbie
12:10 PM Tammy Kress…Mom 10:15 AM Helen Dalassandro…Husband
THURSDAY, APRIL 2ND & Daughter
7:00 AM Molly Plitnick…George 12:00 PM For the People
12:10 PM BD Blessings on Megan Soika… 5:30 PM Karen Salazer…Ann Hines &
M/M Zakarevicz Gerald Toter
7:00 PM NO MASS
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
March 25, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Four weeks ago today, Lent began with the celebration of Ash Wednesday and its cherished invitation to rend our hearts and return to the Lord. We embraced this holy season of penance, sacrifice and conversion, hoping and praying that as Lent annually carries us to Holy Week and Easter, our lives of faith would be renewed and reflect a bit more clearly the life and love of Jesus. On Ash Wednesday, none of us could have imagined the depth of sacrifice that the current health crisis would demand of us.
On March 16, 2020, I suspended the celebration of all public Masses in the eleven counties of the Diocese of Scranton. While so many of you expressed how heartbroken you were with this decision, you embraced it willingly in a spirit of faith and self-sacrifice in order that the Church could do its part in mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.
Today, sadly, we are called to sacrifice even further for the sake of serving one another in our battle against this dreaded disease. The cherished Liturgies of Holy Week and Easter – Palm Sunday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, the Great Vigil of Easter and Easter Sunday Masses – will all be celebrated privately, without all of you, the blessed faithful who make up the Diocese of Scranton – filling our churches as you have always done during these most sacred days. The Chrism Mass will be deferred to a later date when the current health crisis has passed.
While this ongoing pandemic is calling us to be socially distant from one another, it does not mean we need to be spiritually distant. I invite you and your family to join me in prayer as we renew our efforts to turn to the Lord. While not open to the public, all of our Holy Week liturgies at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton will be broadcast on CTV: Catholic Television and live-streamed on the Diocese of Scranton’s website and social media platforms. Many parishes will also plan to broadcast their own Masses.
As we seek to come to terms with this latest casualty of the coronavirus, I want to share with you a recent encouraging directive of the Holy See regarding the Sacrament of Reconciliation, firmly rooted in the traditions of our Church. With the increasing difficulty for individuals to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation due to the current health crisis, the faithful are reminded that by having perfect contrition, one can receive the forgiveness of sins apart from going to confession. Perfect contrition requires the following three things: a love of God above all else; a sincere desire for the forgiveness from sin; and the resolution to go to confession as soon as possible when this health crisis subsides. Please take consolation in knowing that while you may not have access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the power and love of God is far greater than we can imagine. For all who sincerely express contrition, your sins are forgiven.
My friends, in so many respects, it seems that the disciplines of Lent will last a bit longer this year as we continue to sacrifice, to pray and to serve in unimaginable ways. Yet, through God’s grace, I hope that we can begin to see one of the blessings of this difficult moment in our lives. In the midst of this crisis, so many of you are responding generously and courageously to the Gospel invitation to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, sacrificing our own well-being and serving selflessly the lives that God places in our own.
As we confront the uncertainty of our future, may we recognize that our greatest hope has always been rooted in our embrace of the mystery of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection – the heart of our faith as Christians. Good Friday, with its suffering and pain, always yields to power of Easter and its promise of life and peace! So too will this moment in our lives.
May God continue to bless you and your family and keep you safe.
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
