Great gospel this weekend

Good morning and happy Feast of St. Polycarp! 

Welcome to the 9th edition of the Cause of Our Joy! We’ve been loving this way of communicating with you and it seems you do too! 

Every week we get lots of great feedback and new subscribers! Our goal is to keep it simple, give you plenty of good information and resources and then let you get on with your day! 

Our main focus today is to zero in on this Sunday’s Gospel. The reading from Luke is absolutely chock-full! We also have our usual Saint Spotlight and Marian Minute ready for you as well. 

So, without further ado, let’s get into this!

Sunday Readings and Reflection
As we mentioned above, this Sunday’s Mass readings are rife with points to consider. Jesus’ words are full of wisdom and truth, but they can sometimes get mis-quoted or used out of context. 

The phrase “Stop judging and you will not be judged,” is one that can confuse. It is true that we are not called to judge! However, we are called, in humble charity, to admonish the sinner- a spiritual act of mercy. How do we strike a balance between the two? How can I correct my friend or family in love without sounding “judgy”? This piece from Fr. Ben Cameron can shed some light on this predicament. 

This article from National Catholic Register that speaks to the use of the “Who am I to Judge?” question. 

Jesus speaks a lot about loving our enemies and not counting the cost when much is asked of us. To most of us, this sounds like a true and lofty aim, but the idea of putting it into action can be somewhat repugnant. Does this mean I’m just a doormat for people to walk all over? Am I really supposed to let people take advantage of me and abuse my kindness? Where is the justice in that?! We found this piece in Our Sunday Visitor had a lot of helpful advice and answered some of our questions. 

Saint Spotlight
St. Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna in the 2nd century and battled a numbered of heresies in his time. His incredible story is found here.Please take a moment to read it, this man is amazing! 

As the bishops and cardinals gather in Rome for the abuse summit, please consider praying this prayer of St. John Vianney – the patron saint of priests. 

Marian Minute
We have been praying for priests lately, especially with all the scandal in the Church. Our Lady’s relationship with her beloved priests is a special one. These words from St. Mother Teresa about the bond between The Blessed Mother and a priest are beautiful! 

This article from EWTN written by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI speaks to Mary being the mother of all priests. It’s a short read! 

Prayerfully,

Katie Moe and Lori Mercer 

Marian Center UpdateWe will be at the Men’s Conference in Traverse City on March 2nd! If you’re there, be sure to stop by and say “hi”!

Marian Center 25th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, March 16, Bishop Raica will be celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at 11:00 am, followed by a luncheon. 

March 24th – Advisory Council meeting – begins at 3:00 with Chaplet of Divine Mercy and meeting to follow. If you want to know what’s going on at the Center or would like to offer help or suggestions, please come. There’s no commitment… we just want to hear from you!

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