Repent, says the Lord;
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”

Yesterday was the Solemnity of St. Joseph, just two days after the well-known Saint Patrick. Here is a little pot of shamrocks of the three-leaf clover Patrick used to spread the teaching of the Holy Trinity to the people of Ireland: one God but three distinct persons. In the Basilica we continue to decorate the blessed statue of St. Joseph with a plant or flower and ask in our prayer to protect our Church, our families, and our homes from all danger the way he protected the house of Jesus and Mary in Nazareth where our Lord grew up. In Lent let us ask him to also protect us from the hidden corruption of sin and evil. 

Look at it this way: There are two circles of evil —one like the Tower of Siloam falling on 18 people.  We have no control over that evil, just like the invasion of the people of the Ukraine by Russia — no control. The second circle is sin itself. It is our own doing. With the grace of God, we must free ourselves from our sins.  

I have heard it said that many people have lost their sense of sin. Some think anything goes. Sure, that can happen, but it is rooted in just plain ignorance.  Go down the list of the Ten Commandments: which or how many are you sinning against? And turn away from the evil corruption of sin, and get out of the cloud of ignorance.  Be like the woman at the well who leaves all sin behind to drink the life-giving waters of Jesus the Savior whom she encountered.  Get rid of the cloud of the ignorance especially through the Sacrament of Confession this Lent.  Confessions are here every Saturday, and on Friday, April the 8^th several priests will be here for Confessions. Move toward Easter, and get rid of the cloud of sin in your life. Do not live in the cloud of sin!

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor & Rector, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

How often do you wish you could have a second chance at something? Some call this second chance a “Re-do” or a fresh start. Whether it be in the context of a personal relationship, a test or exam, a sporting event, a business venture, rearing a family, or even cooking and baking don’t we wish that we could go back and get a second chance to make things better. 

The Sacred Scriptures are ripe with examples of God giving humanity a second chance. In today’s Sacred Gospel reading we heard the parable of the useless fig tree. While the parable was directed at the stubborn Jews of Christ’s time, it also applies to us. 

Every moment of each day is an opportunity for us to grow closer to Christ and, like a healthy fig tree, to bear fruit that will last. We have many opportunities for a Re-do – a fresh start – to evaluate where we are in our journey back to the Father and, as we journey through life, to cultivate our actions based on the law of Christ and His Church. And Jesus makes it quite clear; those who don’t bear fruit – in other words don’t follow God’s Commands – shall be deemed worthless, cut down, and thrown into the fire.

But, even when we find ourselves turning away from God he is willing to give us a fresh start; and, if necessary a third, fourth, or even a hundredth chance. Jesus tells Peter we are expected to forgive our enemies not 7 times, but 77 times. And if we can forgive 77 times, just think of how much more merciful God is.

Yes, our Heavenly Father is a God of second chances. He is constantly calling us to examine our thoughts and actions in light of living a virtuous life. We have only to recall the account of the woman caught in adultery who was at the point of being stoned to death. Jesus intervened on her behalf and, even though she was sinful in many ways, rather than condemn her he tells her, “Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Now it is up to the woman to change her ways. Likewise when we sin it is up to each of us to “Go and sin no more.” While Jesus is constantly interceding for us to the Father, we must accept our responsibility to repent. It’s up to us to do our part; to ask forgiveness. And the first step is to acknowledge our failings. 

So, what’s holding us back? There are many reasons some of which are guilt, stubbornness, procrastination, and pride. These get in the way of us accepting our responsibility to repent and turn away from sin; of humbling ourselves before God and admitting that we need His Grace to strengthen us. It is up to each of us to cultivate the good in our lives and prune out the dead branches that sin has destroyed. 

And Jesus is right there to help us. He gives us courage to persevere in His love. One way to strengthen our perseverance is to pray the Stations of the Cross. 

As we accompany Jesus on His walk to Calvary, three of the Stations deal with Jesus falling; not as a result of sin but rather from the sheer weight of the Cross. Despite falling, Jesus gets up each time and continues His journey to Calvary. 

These Stations bring to light that, due to our imperfections, we too will fall. They also affirm that, when we do fall, we must have the strength to get up and continue to follow Christ.

In response to the Seventh Station – Jesus Falls the Second Time – St. Alphonsis Ligori directs us to pray, “My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have forgiven me; and how many times I have fallen again and begun again to offend You! Give me the grace to persevere in Your love until death.”

Then, in the Ninth Station – Jesus Falls the Third Time – St. Alphonsis bids us to pray, “…give me enough strength to overcome all human respect and all my evil passions which have led me to despise Your friendship.” 

This is a tremendous affirmation that we desire to take up our Cross daily and, when we fall, seek God’s forgiveness. God loves a contrite heart for as the psalmist sings, “The LORD is kind and merciful.”

But, we must never take God’s mercy for granted. Life is too short. We never know what lies ahead for us or when our life will end. Yet the father of lies convinces us that we’re fine just the way we are; that we can put off our repentance until later. Sadly, too many people wait until it’s too late; and we are told Hell is full of those who never took the time to repent.

Every day is an opportunity to return to God with our whole heart. So, let’s examine our lives and be truly honest with ourselves. When we find an aspect of our lives that we know is downright sinful let’s accept the opportunity for a Re-do and make a good Confession through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Jesus will never give up on us and neither should we. 

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian.
Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.
There an angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in fire
flaming out of a bush.
As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush,
though on fire, was not consumed.
So Moses decided,
“I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,
and see why the bush is not burned.”

When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely,
God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
He answered, “Here I am.”
God said, “Come no nearer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground.
I am the God of your fathers, “ he continued,
“the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”
Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
But the LORD said,
“I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt
and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers,
so I know well what they are suffering.
Therefore I have come down to rescue them
from the hands of the Egyptians
and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land,
a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites
and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites:
I AM sent me to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites:
The LORD, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob,
has sent me to you.

“This is my name forever;
thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

R. (8a)  The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills,
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
that our ancestors were all under the cloud
and all passed through the sea,
and all of them were baptized into Moses
in the cloud and in the sea.
All ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them,
and the rock was the Christ.
Yet God was not pleased with most of them,
for they were struck down in the desert.

These things happened as examples for us,
so that we might not desire evil things, as they did.
Do not grumble as some of them did,
and suffered death by the destroyer.
These things happened to them as an example,
and they have been written down as a warning to us,
upon whom the end of the ages has come.
Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure
should take care not to fall.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.