What are you thirsting for?

Sad News
We just received word that Father Fitz’s mother, Maria Luisa Azul, died Wednesday morning in the Philippines. Please pray for her and her family.

Lenten Symbols
Each week a new symbol of baptism and the Lenten gospel :
...Week one: “NO!” to sin
(Jesus rejects the devil in the desert/we reject sin in our baptismal promises)
...Week two: “White garment”
(Jesus’s clothes glow like light in transfiguration/we are clothed in Christ at baptism -- symbolized by being dressed in a white garment)
...Week three: “Water”
(The woman at the well discovers the “living water” Jesus offers/we are baptized in water)
Many thanks to Mrs. Carolyn Boetcher, the art teacher at St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope School and her students for designing and painting these symbols,

e-mail Father Ralph:

Past Columns:
February 17: Who are You Wearing?
February 10: Just Say No
February 3: The Power of the Cross
January 27: How I Turned Out
January 20: Being Safer
January 13: Conversations in 2008
January 6: Matthew's Magi
December 30: Matthew's Magi
Christmas 2007 Homily

Columns from 2007

Columns from 2006

Columns from 2005

Columns from 2004

Columns from 2003

Columns from 2002

Columns from 2001


		February 24, 2007 What are you thirsting for?
Sad News We just received word that Father Fitz’s mother, Maria Luisa Azul, died Wednesday morning in the Philippines. Please pray for her and her family. Lenten Symbols Each week a new symbol of baptism and the Lenten gospel : ...Week one: “NO!” to sin (Jesus rejects the devil in the desert/we reject sin in our baptismal promises) ...Week two: “White garment” (Jesus’s clothes glow like light in transfiguration/we are clothed in Christ at baptism -- symbolized by being dressed in a white garment) ...Week three: “Water” (The woman at the well discovers the “living water” Jesus offers/we are baptized in water) Many thanks to Mrs. Carolyn Boetcher, the art teacher at St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope School and her students for designing and painting these symbols, e-mail Father Ralph: Past Columns: February 17: Who are You Wearing? February 10: Just Say No February 3: The Power of the Cross January 27: How I Turned Out January 20: Being Safer January 13: Conversations in 2008 January 6: Matthew's Magi December 30: Matthew's Magi Christmas 2007 Homily Columns from 2007 Columns from 2006 Columns from 2005 Columns from 2004 Columns from 2003 Columns from 2002 Columns from 2001	Lent is our forty-day retreat that prepares us for the season of baptism -- Easter! And the number one symbol used in baptism is water. This week we focus on the Jesus as the “living water.” Though he arrives in the Samaritan town physically thirsty, he ministers to a woman who has a deeper thirst for love and she finds in him a deep well-spring of life and love. This story of thirst is our story too. So what are you thirsting for? If you “gave up” something for Lent, by now you might be thirsting for that. But truthfully we have deeper thirsts for love, acceptance, meaning, healing, security, peace, joy, etc. This third week into our retreat toward baptism invites us to reflect on what we thirst for and then to bring this thirst to Jesus. Thirst is something that can creep up on us. Athletes know that if they don’t take time to drink fluids, they could easily dehydrate. Our lives are often lived like athletes in a marathon -- hardly time to stop for anything. So one aspect of Lent is to take some quiet time to refresh our thirsty souls. Here are some upcoming opportunities to do just that at St. Brigid. • Attend mass during the week (7am,9am, 12:10pm) • Come to our mini-retreat (next two Tuesday at 1pm or 7:30pm -- click here for details) • Stations of the Cross -- Fridays at 3pm • Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament (Thursday afternoons; and forth Fridays from 8-9pm) • Charismatic Prayer/”Jesus Evening”:First Friday 7:30pm) And make some quiet time to pray at home. Read the scriptures for the coming Sundays and let Jesus quench your thirst.