Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • April 5, 2019 5 9274 Hwy 49/Airport Gulfport, MS 39503 228-863-5525 1-800-880-2446 FAX: 228-863-9612 www.butchoustalet.com Prices starting at $2,499 ~ with airfare included in this price from anywhere in the USA Many trip destinations: the Holy Land; Italy; France; Portugal; Spain; Poland; Medjugorje; Lourdes; Fatima; Ireland; Scotland; England; Austria; Germany; Switzerland; Turkey; Greece; Budapest; Prague; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Colombia; Brazil; Argentina; Domestic Destinations; etc… We also specialize in custom trips for Bishops, Priests, and Deacons (Hablamos Español) 855-842-8001 508-340-9370 www.proximotravel.com anthony@proximotravel.com call us 24/7 1260 Ocean Springs Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Ph: 228-818-0650 For more information, contact Jody Ellis Stoddard, Executive Director or email her at gardensED@BlueHarborSL.com Web Address: www.gardensseniorliving.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGardensSeniorLivingOceanSprings Thank you, St. Jude, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, for prayers answered. PR Today’s readings stir hope in God’s mercy and forgiveness and build trust in his promises. Leading up to today’s first reading, Isaiah describes the hopelessness felt by those to whom he would prophesy. “This is a people despoiled and plundered, all of them trapped in holes…with no one to rescue them” (Isaiah 42:22). The Psalmist celebrates Israel’s reversal of woes by comparing their former days in Egyptian captivity with their present freedom in the promised land. Paul, in bondage to legalism, recalls his self-righteous pursuit to destroy Christians, only to have Jesus intervene and rescue not only the hunted but the hunter (Acts 9:1-9). Jesus rescues a woman, “caught in the act of adultery,” by turning a debate about the law into a self- evaluation of her accusers. “Let the one among you who is without sin: be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Each of these passages from defeat to victory offer pause to reflect on the hope we have in Christ. Have you ever spoken to someone who stays away from church because the people that go are hypocrites? So, what is a hypocrite? The best definition I have heard is: A hypocrite is someone else. We always look outward to find one, never inward. Wouldn’t it be hypocritical for us to look at Israel’s self-imposed separation from God without reflecting on our own rebellion? What barriers have you erected that impede God’s rescue from sin? What sins of omission or commission do you find the most difficult to overcome? Have you grown closer to the Lord, your family, and your faith community sinceAshWednesday? Does your prayer include listening to God’s voice by reading, studying and meditating on Scripture? Are you “fasting” or abstaining from complaining, criticizing, gossip, seeking revenge, judging the speck in another’s eye while ignoring the log in yours? Are you giving “alms,” a portion of your time, talent and treasure for building the body of Christ, are you ministering to those with physical, emotional and spiritual needs? Today, Isaiah offers some uncharacteristic prophetic advice. “Remember not the events of the past.” (Isaiah 43:18a). Although the exiled Israelites knew God rescued their ancestors from Egyptian slavery -- they had given up on God intervening in their lives, on their behalf. But, with the prophetic promise, “see I am doing something new,” Isaiah opens a window of hope that even after 70 years of bondage, God will act justly and come to their rescue as well. Are you open to receiving God’s miraculous, undeserving and gifted blessings? Soon, we will celebrate the defining miracle of our faith -- Christ’s rising from the dead. Since all things are possible for God, instead of limiting God’s power with your limited faith, raise your expectation level, give God what little (faith, hope and trust) you have, and delight in what he can do for you. By conforming to Christ’s death (dying to self and living for the Lord) Paul overcomes past bondages, including a self-righteous war against the followers of Christ. Transformation occurs when God takes possession of us and fashions us to his likeness. Paul’s secret for a life filled with limitless joy, peace and contentment is to count every possession, tribute, position or temporal power as rubbish when compared with knowing, loving and serving Christ. “Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” -- C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. The Scribes and Pharisees hated Jesus and looked for ways to trap him, bring him to trial, and have him executed. Today’s Gospel seems like the perfect set-up. If Jesus disagreed with stoning the adulteress woman, they would charge him with violation of Mosaic Law, thereby incurring the wrath of the ruling religious leaders. If he agreed to the stoning, he would contradict Roman law that only the Roman Empire can impose capital punishment and would be brought to trial for subversion. With stones in hand they already decided to carry out the death sentence on the woman and hoped to get rid of Jesus at the same time. But in the final hour, Jesus saves her life and turns the tables on their plot. They want him to judge the woman -- he challenges them to first judge themselves. Without denying that sin took place, Jesus showed the love that caused sinners to seek healing and forgiveness. The best way we can handle moral failure in others is to have insight into our own moral condition and model the divine desire to heal and forgive. With this being the last Sunday of Lent let me encourage you to continue any good habits you have adopted during the past 5 weeks. 1st Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm: 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 2nd Reading: Philippians 3:8-14 Gospel: John 8:1-11 5th Sunday of Lent Hope in Jesus Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries SEE SUNDAY SCRIPTURE COMMENTARIES, PAGE 7