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🌿 Thursday, March 5, 2026 The Rich Man and Lazarus And The Chasm That Separates Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Thursday of the Second Week of Lent • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31 📖 The Gospel - Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen who feasts every day while poor Lazarus lies at his gate covered in sores. Both die. Lazarus is carried to Abraham's bosom. The rich man finds himself in torment. And across the great chasm, he begs for mercy and then asks that his brothers be warned. Abraham says, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them. 🙏 Gospel Reflection This parable is one of the most powerful things Jesus ever said, and it is told without a single villain. The rich man is not described as cruel or hateful. Even though he knows Lazarus is there, he simply d...
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🌿 Wednesday, March 4, 2026 James & John Come Forward Seeking Their Reward Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Jeremiah 18:18-20 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16 Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28 📖 The Gospel - Matthew 20:17-28 Jesus pulls His disciples aside on the road to Jerusalem and tells them plainly that He is going to be handed over, mocked, scourged, and crucified, and on the third day He will be raised. And before He even finishes, the mother of James and John comes forward and asks, can my sons sit at Your right and left in the kingdom? Jesus looks at them gently and says, you don't know what you're asking. 🙏 Gospel Reflection I have always found something deeply human and almost tender in this moment. Jesus has just described His coming Passion, the most serious thing He has ever said to them, and the disciples...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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🌿 Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Greatest Among You Shall Be Your Servant Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23 Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12 📖 The Gospel - Matthew 23:1-12 Jesus warns the crowds about religious leaders who say the right things but don't do them, who love the best seats and the public greetings and the impressive titles. And then He turns it completely upside down: the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled. Whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 🙏 Gospel Reflection Isaiah doesn't mince words in the first reading today. God says to His people, stop bringing me your empty offerings. Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Stop doing wrong, learn to do good. He's not attacking religious practice itself; He's att...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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🌿 Monday, March 2, 2026 Be Merciful to Others Just As Your Father Is Merciful Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Monday of the Second Week of Lent • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Daniel 9:4b-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13 Gospel: Luke 6:36-38 📖 The Gospel - Luke 6:36-38 Jesus gives us one of the most breathtaking and challenging commands in all the Gospels: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. And then He unpacks what that looks like in daily life: stop judging, stop condemning, forgive, and watch what God pours back into your life. 🙏 Gospel Reflection There is a beautiful symmetry in today's readings that I don't want you to miss. Daniel opens the first reading with one of the most honest prayers in all of Scripture. He kneels before God and says, on behalf of his whole people, we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have not listened. No excuses. No explanations. Just a cl...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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🌿 Sunday, March 1, 2026 The Transfiguration Fully Rejuvenating Our Soul Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Second Sunday of Lent • Year A • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4a Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9 📖 The Gospel - Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, and right before their eyes, He is transfigured. His face shines like the sun, His clothes become dazzling white, Moses and Elijah appear, and the voice of the Father speaks from a cloud: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him. And then it is over. And Jesus touches them and says, get up, don't be afraid. 🙏 Gospel Reflection The Transfiguration is given to us on the Second Sunday of Lent every year, and it is a gift placed perfectly in the middle of the hard work of these forty days. You've been prayin...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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🌿 Saturday, February 28, 2026 Love Your Enemies An Example For Us To Follow Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Saturday of the First Week of Lent • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48 📖 The Gospel - Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus saves what may be His most demanding teaching for the end of the week, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Do not simply "tolerate" them. Don't ignore them. Love them. And then He gives the reason that makes it both possible and unavoidable: because that is what your Father in heaven does. 🙏 Gospel Reflection I want to be honest with you this morning. This Gospel is challenging. It is probably the hardest thing Jesus asks of us in the entire Sermon on the Mount. Because loving people who love us back is really easy. But loving the person who has hurt you deeply, betrayed you,...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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🌿 Friday, February 27, 2026 Leave Your Gift at the Altar Photo created by James Dacey, Jr. using Co-Pilot. Friday of the First Week of Lent • Day of Abstinence • Lent 2026 • Year A • Beads of Joy Blog II ✝️ Today's Mass Readings First Reading: Ezekiel 18:21-28 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7, 7-8 Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26 📖 The Gospel - Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus takes the commandment thou shalt not kill and digs all the way down beneath it. He says, it's not just the act of murder that breaks the law. Anger. Contempt. The word you muttered under your breath. The cold silence you've been giving someone for weeks. That's where it starts, then He says, before you bring your gift to the altar, go make it right first. 🙏 Gospel Reflection This Gospel is one of the most challenging things Jesus ever said, precisely because it is so impossible to hide from. Most of us can honestly say we've never committed murder. But anger? Contempt? The relationship we'...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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