Dear Parents,
Next week, March 13th, is our Family of Parishes Penitential Service at St. Valentine. This is a great opportunity for the 8th graders to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Sacrament of Confirmation. Any student that would like to attend can leave class early as long as I am told beforehand by a parent.
Parents whose children are afraid of the dark are struck by John’s observation that darkness is preferred to light. Perhaps this is as it should be. God made us to live in the light of his love. But this original friendship with God was corrupted by sin. Our sin causes us to shy away from Christ, the light that has come into the world. During the season of Lent, we try to fight this tendency by remembering God’s great mercy and the salvation that we have received through Jesus. We do not fear confessing our sins, knowing that God forgives us, and so, during Lent, we seek out opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
After your family gathers, sit for a time in darkness, then light a candle. Invite people to talk about what it felt like to be in the darkness and to compare that to their feelings when the candle was lit. What are we able to see by the limited glow of the candlelight that we couldn’t see when we were sitting in darkness? Read today’s Gospel, John 3:14-21. John’s Gospel teaches us that Jesus was the light that came into the world. In this light we know ourselves to be sinners, but we are not condemned. Instead, we have been saved because we have been forgiven through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Conclude in prayer together, thanking God for the great gift of forgiveness we have received through Jesus. Pray together the Act of Contrition.
Family Challenge – Make a John 3:16 sign and place it in a prominent place in your home. Invite each family member to memorize John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
Partners in Faith,
Phyllis Chudzinski
Wed. 3/13/24 – Class K-8 5:30-7pm
Wed. 3/20/24 – Class for K-7 5:30-7pm
**Confirmation Celebration for 8th grade, 6:30pm