Greetings to you and happy feast of Sts. Felicity and Perpetua! Well, the sun has been shining and the snow is melting up here in the northland and we couldn’t be happier! Sure, Lent is in full-swing now, but that is also a reason for joy (and joy is what we’re all about!)
Besides enjoying the sunshine, we have also been reading some great articles and watching some helpful videos this week to aid our Lenten journey. It seems that Lent, while a time of penance, is a wonderful time of hope and anticipation. We walk with Our Lady on the way to the Cross, but ultimately we know the victory that Our King will win for us, and that fills us with joy!
So, let’s dive into some resources that will, hopefully, enrich you, inspire you, and help you to fall more in love with our Suffering Lord!
The Beauty of Lent
Lent is a perfect time to meditate on the passion and death of Our Lord, and through this lens, we see the beauty and power of His resurrection. In the poignantly written article, How Lent Reveals the Beauty of Life, Fr. Rennier examines how all of life, when viewed from the perspective of death, is beautiful. It’s not a long article and is very well-written- check it out!
A Lent of Love
If you have ever loved someone (and we’re guessing that you have!) you know that real love requires sacrifice. The example set for us by Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. In Lent, we seek to return that love through sacrifice, but often our Lenten promises have to do with dietary choices or self-help measures that don’t have their root in love. Our college buddy, Maria, wrote a great article called “How My Lent of Love has Created My Love of Lent” in which she explores this connection between love and sacrifice.
A Sturdy Shelter
“A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure.” (Sirach 6:14) Do you have a friend in your life that loves you, calls you on to holiness, and can also laugh with you? If so, congratulations! You have found a treasure! Friendship has the power to make us saints and it also has the power to hurt our souls. To learn more about how friendship impacts your spiritual life, click here!
Marian Minute
Many of us pray the rosary, and a good number of us pray it daily. With all those “Hail Marys” coming out of our mouths, it’s easy to forget what we’re saying and lose ourselves in daydreams or future do to lists. Saying the Hail Mary well and concentrating on the mysteries can be difficult! We found this video from Ascension Presents to have some good insights as we endeavor to pray the rosary from the heart.
Saint Spotlight
Today we celebrate the feast of Sts. Felicity and Perpetua. After reading about their lives, which can be done here, we are crushed to think about these young moms becoming martyrs and leaving behind their babies. What faith! What trust in God’s plan! Sts. Felicity and Perpetua- pray for us!
Also- the Solemnity of St. Joseph is coming up on the 19th. If you would like to pray the novena with us (which starts on the 10th), click here for the prayers!
Nifty News
Most of you are Michiganders, so this piece has some local significance. It seems that Detroit boasts one of the longest operating parishes in the country and Pope Francis has just granted it the title of a minor basilica! To learn more about St. Anne’s in Detroit, click here!
Kids’ Corner
We reached out to some friends who are mothers for a couple suggestions for this week’s Kids’ Corner and they had some great ideas! Ellen made a salt dough crown of thorns with her children and Jessica likes to use the Little Way Lenten Calendar with her family! Check out the links for some tried and true activities you can do at home!
Sunday Readings
The readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent begin to tell the story of salvation history. From Abram to Moses to the culmination of God’s plan in the death and resurrection of Jesus. What an amazing story it is! Lent is a great time to recall that this is our story as well! To get Scott Hahn’s discussion of the readings, click here!
Marian Center Update
March 7 – Marian Center bookstore at Men’s Conference in Traverse City
March 21 – To celebrate our 26th anniversary here in Joy Valley and the feast of St Joseph, join us Saturday, March 21, at 10 a.m. Fr. Peter Wigton will give a talk on good St Joseph, offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and we’ll finish with a potluck luncheon.
To Christ Through Mary,
Katie Moe and Lori Mercer
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