“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” ~ Matthew 6:16-18

If you look at Matthew chapter 6 in my Bible, you’ll see a lot of notes and highlighting. It’s one of my favorite chapters, and one that seems to become only more relevant over time.

I see much of this chapter as an encouragement to live out one’s faith purely and authentically—not for an audience or for accolades—but for God. Verses 16-18 specifically address fasting, advising not to “look gloomy like the hypocrites”—who make it clearly known that they are fasting—but to “anoint your head and wash your face,” carrying on as usual while fasting. Jesus reminds us here that God “sees what is hidden.”

This is an interesting perspective to consider now, well into the 21st century, as people’s lives often play out across a series of curated social media platforms. It can be very tempting to make a show of one’s holiness or good deeds, but (regardless of how alluring the “likes” and comments may be) what other people think and say about us is really not the point—and shouldn’t be our motivation. God, who is hidden, sees what is hidden. He knows our true selves far beyond anyone else can, aware of even our most silent prayers and our quietest sacrifices.
~ Stefanie Koperniak, CPARL Parishioner

Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife. “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,” she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.” Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said. “Go,” said the king of Aram. “I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments. To the king of Israel, he brought the letter, which read: “With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: “Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!” When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. The prophet sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left.

But his servants came up and reasoned with him. “My father,” they said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.” So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival, he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” ~ 2 Kings 5:1-15

Today we hear of Naaman, an army commander, and leper. Naaman wanted to be cured of his
leprosy. He is told by the prophet Elisha what to do to be healed, he should wash in the Jordan River seven times. But Naaman is not happy with this direction from Elisha, he wanted Elisha to see him, invoke the name of God, and cure him, or if not that at least send him to a cleaner river to bathe. Naaman is told exactly what to do to be healed, but he is not happy with the answer, he wanted to hear something different!

How often are we not happy with the answer to our prayers? How often does God answer our prayers in His time or His way, but we still think we know better? How often do we miss the answer to our prayers because we are too busy looking for what we want? As we continue through this Lenten season let us not be consumed by what we want from God, but rather let us open our minds and our hearts to see how God is answering our prayers, often in ways, we do not expect!

~ Meredith Smith, CPARL Staff

To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of your most holy
Spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also.
Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities. O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.
As once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God's Holy Church from the snares of
the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by
your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die in holiness, and to obtain eternal happiness
in heaven. Amen.

Today we celebrate the day of St Joseph the most perfect Saint after our mother the Virgin Mary. St
Joseph was a perfect father and husband that can lead all of us to sanctity. There is a litany of virtues
that we see in him, so many that he is called a “just man”. Last year some of us were privileged to
consecrate to St. Joseph, this was a beautiful experience and something I highly recommend to you,
to become a better father, to fully understand the sanctity of your marriage and the love you share
with your wife and children.

Today is also a wonderful day because as a Sunday, we observe it as a “mini-Easter.” My invitation
then is to contemplate the holy family and the role of St. Joseph as a father, how we reflect ourselves
in them, and how they constitute the first church of Christ. This family full of love taught Him our
human trades, from washing your hands before sitting at the table to His first prayers in thanksgiving for a meal. This is our call as fathers and mothers of the church to provide our children with the
gift to live a good life, this gift is “prayer”.

~ Franz Semprun, CPARL Parishioner

~ The Holy Water by Saint Francis of Assisi
No one lives outside the walls of this sacred place, existence,
The holy water, I need it upon my eyes: it is you, dear you — each form.
What mother would lose her infant — and we are that to God, never lost
from His gaze are we? Every cry of the heart is attended by light’s own arms.
You cannot wander anywhere that will not aid you.
Anything you can touch — God brought it into the classroom of your mind.
Differences exist, but not in the city of love. Thus my vows and yours, I know they are the same.
I have just peeled the skin from the potato and you are still contemplating its worth,
sweetheart; indeed there are wonderful nutrients in all, for God made everything.
You joined our community at birth.
With your Father being who He is, what do the world’s scales know of your precious value.
The priest and the prostitute — they weigh the same before the Son’s immaculate being,
but who can bear that truth and freedom,
so a wise man adulterated the Scriptures; every wise man knows this.
My soul’s face has revealed its beauty to me; why was it shy so long,
didn’t it know how this made me suffer and weep?
A different game He plays with His close ones.
God tells us truths you would not believe, for most everyone needs to limit His compassion;
concepts of right and wrong preserve the golden seed
until one of God’s friends comes along and tends your body like a divine bride.
The Holy sent out a surveyor to find the limits of its compassion and being.
God knows a divine frustration whenever He acts like that, for the Infinite has no walls.
Why not teach Him about this?
Why not accept the freedom of what it means for our Lord to see us as Himself.
So magnificently sovereign is our Lover; never say,
“On the other side of this river a different king rules.”
For how could that be true — for nothing can oppose Infinite strength.
No one lives outside the walls of this sacred place, existence.
The holy water my soul’s brow needs is unity.
Love opened my eye and I was cleansed
by the purity of each form